Reconciling diverse clientele with non-diverse staff
Our public agency serves individuals who are primarily African American. Yet we do not have enough African American therapists to see everyone who requests one. We offer to have them see another therapist in the meantime, but most prefer to wait. I am concerned that a person with a behavioral […]
When reasonable accommodations lead to unreasonable behavior
An employee in my department has a verified reasonable accommodation which allows for a reduced case load and more time to do documentation. The employee does good work. But, whenever I present something new to the team, the employee reminds everyone about the accommodation. When I say that there are […]
Challenges and Solutions to Implementing Electronic Health Records (EHRs) with Non-Clinical Staff Members
The following question was presented to us by a manager in the behavioral health field. My employer has implemented electronic health records (EHRs) in several departments but not in my department which includes direct care, day hospital, and residential services. Senior management says it will be too disruptive to operations […]
People find jobs, but they build careers
A graduate student asked me for advice about job hunting. He had responded to many different position postings.
The Parent Trap: When Employees act like Children they don’t need Supervisors who act like Parents
I am standing in an employee’s office asking for the documentation that the employee completed last week. The employee says, “I turned it in.” I know the employee completed it because I reviewed it, made some edits and gave it back to the employee to make the changes. I say, […]
The Post-traumatic Organization
Even before the pandemic and other troubling events, trauma has been a world-wide problem. In response, organizations that provide health services have developed trauma informed workplaces and approaches to care. Trauma informed practices involve creating an awareness of trauma and its impact on individuals, creating a sense of safety, and […]
Authentic Leadership: Self-disclosure
A lot of attention is focused on authenticity. A leader must be authentic. But what does it mean to be an authentic leader?
Authenticity can mean that something is real or representative of a category. “We had a meal in an authentic English pub.” Authenticity can mean adherence to an enduring value. “She is authentic. She does not pretend to be someone she is not.”
Community based learning; leveraging opportunities in Africa
December 10, 2021: Community based learning; Leveraging opportunities in Africa presented to Prikkle Academy, Nigeria. Prikkle Academy is a unique learning community based in Nigeria which inspires children and youths through alternative education to create innovative solutions to community problems using personal, relevant and anticipated learning. On December 10, 2021, Paul […]
Mental Health issues resulting from Gender Based Violence
Gender based violence (GBV) is a pervasive and traumatic experience for many women. To raise awareness of the issue, the Tunaweza Foundation; Kachem Young Initiative and Nkechinyere Melva Uguru, a legal advocate, initiated Brave Voices 16 days of activism which included daily presentations about GBV.
Young Persons with Visual Impairments coping with Mental Health challenges
As a follow-up to his September 2021 presentation about visual impairments and technology, Paul Sachs was invited back to the Initiative for National Growth Africa to speak about mental health challenges faced by individuals with visual impairments. The event took place on November 10, 2021.