Inequities In Job Opportunities For Counselors-Part I
Robbin Miller
I am experiencing extreme frustration in looking for jobs in the healthcare industry. In my neck of the woods, these jobs are only being advertised to social workers due to their training in the medical arena in graduate school and in their internships. Fortunately, I obtained professional work experiences since 1996 working in this industry as a Care Manager; Independent Living Specialist; and Community Organizer for elders and for persons with disabilities in different job avenues.
Two weeks ago, I was denied an interview for a nursing home because the requirement to administer a MDS (Minimum Data Set) to assess the level of functioning for care for elders and for persons with disabilities can be used by both a nurse and a social worker. While the former is true, I found out by looking at the MDS instrument
http://www.cms.gov/NursingHomeQualityInits/downloads/MDS20MDSAllForms.pdf that anyone qualified to use this administer does not have to be a social worker. The nurse has to sign off on it after the evaluator finishes administering the instrument. Furthermore, in my last job as a care manger, the director of the program who was not a social worker or nurse administered this instrument for her clients while the nurse just signed off on it after she was done evaluating the client’s functioning needs.
It is apparent that there may be either a misunderstanding or just blatant discrimination against counselors on who can really administer this instrument in a nursing home setting. I have called and emailed the executive director of the Massachusetts Senior Care Association to inquire why this standard that only a social worker and not a counselor can administer the MDS in a nursing home setting. As of writing this blog, he has not called me back. I was directed to contact this individual through the Massachusetts Home Care Association who responded to my inquiry about this issue.
I am also experiencing frustration in finding a job as an educator/counselor in a home care or healthcare setting for clients and families with specific health conditions. The qualifications call for a social worker only to apply for the job. I applied to this job and stated that I am just as qualified as a social worker to do this job based upon my work experiences and taking graduate courses in Rehabilitation Counseling. So far, no one has contacted me as of yet.
I also applied for a per diem position at a local visiting nurse association as a social worker. Again, I used the same line as mentioned above, and I have not heard from them yet. Stay tune as I will update you next week on my latest adventures in finding a job.
Robbin Miller is a counselor who specializes in mindfulness meditation; Positive Psychology; and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies; and is also a volunteer cable access producer and co-host of her show, “Miller Chat” in Massachusetts.
I understand your plight completely. I was hired 5 years ago by a Mental Health Management company as Social Services Director (1year as Medical Rehab and 4 years as Mental Health acute care setting. I trained others (i.e. Social Workers) to do discharge planning, the CEO sent others to me because he said I was “the best”, even the LCSW that was supervising me. State completed an audit of our facility while I was on vacation and my credentialing as an LPC, LMFT was “a problem”. The company was cited and in their plan of correction an LCSW now has to complete all psychosocials, group therapy sessions, treatment plans, in short everything a clinician normally signs. The company does not want to lose me and my discharge expertise. They plan to hire a part time LCSW while I do all the work, she will sign and oversee all that I do. I will be discharge staff and have been asked to become certified as a Recreation Therapist. (criterion is college degree bachelors, one day certification seminar and 1 years of quarterly observation checks. I finally viewed the 1965 Medicare Law signed by President Johnston and Social Workers are the only mental health professional listed. There is no provision for any type of supervision or shared responsibility of duties. Medicare does reimburse however for Recreational Therapists and I may be able to remain at the facility I have been for three years. It is not competence, training or education that keeps us from being a Medicare Provider of care, it is politics and money. Sorry to hear of your misfortunes in job seeking. I will continue to market my skills and expertise. I will create a niche within this corporation that benefits my clients/patients, myself, my company and furthers our profession. God Bless and happy job hunting. Linda
I can agree with what you said. As a rehabilitation counselor, when applying for jobs, the first thing people think with someone from that title is that work with clients with substance abuse issues. But the field has broadened so much that it is not the only field in counseling. Somehow, we as counselors have to really market ourselves to try to get our in foot in the door. But it makes you wonder if it can one of the counseling initiatives in the different organizations. The one thing I can say about social workers that they have done in marketing and creating a niche for themselves.
Robbin,
Thanks for discussing this very frustrating issue. I am constantly frustrated as I attend mental health-related meetings, briefings, and classes in the military which mention a “lack of professionals” yet the military has never updated their job titles/descriptions to include LPCs/LMFTs. Everything but us. They even call psychiatric nurses “counselors” adn put them on mental health teams in the military. I have to witness Troops NEEDING therapeutic counseling to deal with things like crowd phobia, nightmares, inability to sleep, anger issues–you name it—and having to turn to social workers who don’t know theory/counseling or PhD-level officers who are condescending and do not know how to counsel. Bringing in professionals who JUST focus on counseling could really make a difference in helping our Troops prior to them returning home.
It is common in the state I am from (Tennessee)for LCSWs to be seen as being more qualified. It is a very frustrating trend because for one thing it isn’t true and another there are agencies in the state that hire only LCSWs or psychologists limiting the employment opportunities of LPCs and LMFTs. It would be of great benefit to all counselors if more advocacy could be done to show everyone that our credentials are as good as an LCSW.
I agree. The place I work at is looking for new therapists..but only LSWs and LCSWs. We’re not even considered.
Since this blog is receiving some comments, maybe it would be pertinent if the association conducted a survey of its memebership who are experiencing frustration with their job search. If enough date is significant, it may be important to bring it to the Legislative Department of ACA who will can then develop a lobbyist or advocacy plan for Congress.
I am having a similar problem in my job search, since I would like to find a therapist position working with geriatric patients (having several years experience behind me working with medically ill older adults in a research context). Many older patients rely on medicare coverage for services, but the medicare regulations stipulate that the provider have social worker, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist credentials. It is frustrating. Count me in on the survey, Robin. And if anyone has an idea of how counselors can make this change happen politically, count me in for trying that too…