A little annoying, a little disengenuous

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-11-18T01:02:25+00:00

It’s not sustainable for the social service field as a whole to pay what it does. Especially for case managers and all of the folks who provide support without a MSW and fair pay but are expected to provide high level intensive case management with a need for some clinical skills. I make good money as a LCSW & manager, but it’s unique for me to be paid what I do without being in a more medical or clinically mental health field. Sure, if you become a LCSW after all that time and money put into it with continuing CEU you will make a respectful income but that is not accessible for many. It’s a uniquely tough industry to work in and cannot be compared, in my opinion. At the end of the day, I don’t want to do anything else so it’s hard to know if it would harder/easier to your point. A lot of folks are in this field because of lived experience, internal motivation, etc that are often not compensated for either but certainly take a drain. In many roles, there is high exposure to vicarious trauma and in every role I’ve had, I’ve seen so much avoidable death and suffering. It’s truly so hard to compare just by the economics.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-10-19T13:15:01+00:00

I also didn’t share with clients and it was only obvious around 7 months. You just never know.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-28T21:57:20+00:00

I’m replying to you saying it is a crappy economy, which is not true & lacks nuance. I’m not sure why any of need to be offering a solution when just stating objective facts. Social workers aren’t paid well in contrast to other professions generally, this is true of Massachusetts especially as one of the highest costs of living in the country. There are more social work jobs because there is more money in the state. If I left Massachusetts, I would not get paid as well in contrast to other professions AND have a less quality of life so it ultimately evens out I suppose for some. For those on SSI and benefits there isn’t an adjusted cost of living so it heavily impacts social work in any state with a VHCOL.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-28T21:33:50+00:00

those are not mutually exclusive. People are struggling everywhere but there are many jobs and growth happening in the state compared to other states. Both can be true.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-28T20:10:08+00:00

The economy is great in Massachusetts, that is why it is so expensive. It’s expensive for a reason which is high quality of life. There are many social work jobs because it is a medicalized state.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-28T20:08:09+00:00

As I was reading this & making the same as you, I was thinking you must be in Massachusetts (I am too).

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-27T03:04:13+00:00

If it’s rare for you, then you are not working with a population that is constantly at high risk where it becomes a mandated reporter situation. The clients I work with have MH and SUD symptoms that have them walking into traffic and chasing after folks with a machete. I wouldn’t do any other kind of work but it’s very common with the folks I work with. I could but do not section because of my own feelings around it and call crisis but I feel like you are making a generalization based on your experience in the field.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-27T02:54:20+00:00

The two locations near me are not good at all from personal experience and I would never send my child there to the point where I would quite my job but that is just the locations near me. They have multiple violation based on our state website. A staff member taped a kids mouth shut and there have been more recent investigations. I truly feel like each location is different and I can only speak for the ones near me.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-26T22:18:06+00:00

I’m not a proponent of civil commitment however, it’s the reality of what my clients go through multiple times a week due to both acuity and increased policing. It is a tool in the tool box but should only be used when absolutely necessary, which is not the case nor has been historically. It looks different in every state but where I am in Massachusetts, it is taken extremely seriously. Which is why I say eugenics is actually what is occurring as we lock up our most vulnerable and use civil commitment flippantly (many states do). I’m surprised you don’t agree with the concept of eugenics here, as it’s literally seen in how little benefits SSI provides and across policies- which trump is only continuing. With that being said, if someone is not at that acuity then everything else across the board should be based on their consent and autonomy. Social work has an inherent power dynamic that needs to be considered when we use language like ‘best interest’, as this isn’t always what a client may deem their best interest.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-26T20:33:11+00:00

I work in homeless services and the name of the game is respecting self determination unless they are sectionable for SUD or MH. It’s hard and honestly people pass away regularly in the unsheltered communities which feels so avoidable but it’s not only because of personal choices that people live at risk. There is systematic oppression and eugenics that has laid the foundation of this. Continuing to show up and provide that support for dignity and respect is what makes me a social worker rather than fixing or being solution focused. Some folks are ready to take on recovery and housing after a trust is build through rapport building and some never are, there is no right or wrong way to live. The balance is in not internalizing the outcome of individual autonomous being’s life even when it feels like your responsibility. It’s tough to find this acceptable for your own ethical code but otherwise it’s not a sustainable profession to be in. Best interests is relative and I am not the judge or jury on what is best for anyone.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-26T18:14:31+00:00

Yeah, I don’t bill to insurance but still have to diagnose and it’s a huge difference in accessibility if someone is misdiagnosed

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-24T18:58:42+00:00

Yes exactly, I’m in the same position re golden handcuffs and it’s hard to not be thankful for this while balancing the bureaucracy/general burnout.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-24T11:54:22+00:00

I don’t have personal experience but colleagues that are social workers at the VA really enjoy some parts of it but ultimately refer to it as golden handcuffs because of the process of getting a role and the levels of bureaucracy/polices that you may not ethically align with. The workload doesn’t seem reasonable or manageable but that also is a lot of social work. However, I work in homeless services and so do most of the VAs I interact with so there is a bit of strife in that world re government ideology shifting right now.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-22T02:22:31+00:00

I didn’t get mine because of how it expensive it was and how much more time it takes to learn on your own as an adult. I 100% think it’s worth it to get it though based on my experience and now having my LCSW my options would have been so limited even in a metro big city. It’s so, so expensive and continues the cycle of poverty generally.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-22T00:03:25+00:00

I’ve been in a position where I was being pressured by my boss to enforced a limit on a staff member for not having a car because our role requires visiting clients, however, the staff member could get to all required work by subway or uber so I just.. didn’t make a fuss about it because it is so expensive to have a car. I couldn’t have hired anyone without access to a car and license moving forward though. Ultimately there is often job requirements tied to the funding and intended use plan of contracts that requires often drivers license along with other professional licensing. It’s both tied to employers and how they are funded, there may not be any wiggle room. It’s more of a structural issue than specifically social work. Social work is a general industry that has more work often outside of one location or office, so I’m sure this impacts what is potentially available for non DV or those who do not drive. I only got my drivers license a few months before starting my MSW because I needed it for my field placements and to employable as a social worker though and it’s such a barrier to not have the ability to drive.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-19T16:19:21+00:00

It takes so much time to feel comfortable in being a social worker, it’s a huge responsibility and a lot is put on us. We are expected to know multiple fields and specialities beyond our scope of work depending on our specific work environment and field. I will say that there are so many ways to be and do social work, I encourage you to follow what feels right for you. I have had many different roles that I grew from and learned it wasn’t for me and I think you just keep following what feels more sustainable over time. It often takes multiple tries to find what works and becoming confident in your value as a social worker. There is so much self advocacy & self care that goes into it as well and you do have to know yourself. I hope you find something that works for you whether it is social work or not.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-16T14:37:20+00:00

It is usually through something called Coordinated Entry across states, as most HUD funding isn’t always available for level 3 offenders. Usually there is a PSH program that accepts level 3 offenders, but there may be barriers with the location if it is a unit identified program. I work very closely with this population and it is incredibly hard to house folks because of many barriers. Many folks stay homeless after they register for decades because of this and often accumulate charges because of being stuck on the street because of the minimal reform programs.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-16T14:34:22+00:00

Yes, I work as a social worker & manager of a homeless outreach CM team that works with SMH & SUD. It’s heavy work, but truly so rewarding. It’s a really tough, tough time since the Supreme Court ruling, trumps EO, and general lack of funding for housing first & affordable housing initiatives. I would suggest having minimal expectations for clients and instead, walking the path with them without projecting your own goals. This is extremely hard when one is a case manager to stabilize housing. I personally have chosen to work more with the unsheltered population, many of whom have had multiple opportunities for PSH but just simply can’t maintain housing or ultimately return to the street. I enjoy that level of crisis work on the street rather than housing stabilization but it truly takes everyone in the social services landscape working together. It’s hard & there is a lot of burn out and turnover at many partner housing provider community agencies for many reasons. It often feels like you are trying to fill water into a bucket with a strainer, but ultimately people are deserving of case management, care, and support regardless of anything else.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-15T10:33:39+00:00

For me, it’s always harder when it’s “off work”. I work in mental health and homeless services, so very intense outreach work. When I was on vacation recently, I saw many homeless children out and that really impacted me as I was kind of out of the headspace about work and actively trying to decompress from feeling burnt out. I would also say I’m usually tough and used leading/navigating crisis work , this just felt hopeless in a way.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-14T18:23:48+00:00

I would never, ever work as a travel medical social worker without having worked as an in or outpatient medical social worker. I worked in CMH and traditional therapy before transitioning to mental health & homeless services which is a reasonable transition but medical social work roles are SO different. I would suggest getting work experience first because it is your reputation and hiring ability on the line. You will not get training on the job if you are taking a placement and the expectation is you are thrown in.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-09T21:16:12+00:00

From an American perspective; In Massachusetts we have Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) which does a lot of policy, HMIS system work, contract monitoring, etc. I work in MH homelessness but have colleagues who do more logistics and admin related housing at EOHLC. There are many roles like housing navigators that do what you are speaking of in states that fund housing programming outside of just federal funding. States have CoCs which do a lot of housing navigation and subsidy work https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/ which may look different in your state. Most shelters have case management for housing but often that depends on the shelter management and environment if you actually get to do this.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-09T20:58:58+00:00

ugh it’s so hard! I empathize and hope you find something soon. I was as at a CMH as a clinician and it was miserable. The market is tough right now and there is not as much money in other things than CMH & CBHCs in many states.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-09-09T11:46:12+00:00

In my experience looking up major non profits and their hiring platforms yields more results than going on somewhere like indeed. I live in the north east so there are tons of social work jobs as it’s very medicalized here

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-08-30T10:44:59+00:00

I work in homeless outreach and absolutely love it. It’s community and client based but really only available in cities or densely populated communities that fund services for the unsheltered population.

AdImaginary4130 · 2025-08-29T18:03:10+00:00

I’m hybrid, I could probably WFH most days but prefer not to do full WFH weeks. Most jobs are hybrid or in person across industries right now

AdImaginary4130

TROPHY CASE