I have a question for social workers...

I know there are a few of you that read this board. I just started a service coordination position with the developmentally disabled community on monday. I have a ma in forensic psych but my background is in insurance. Besides a 300 hr externship with former inmates I've never worked in the mental health field before. Anyway, I was "trained" for 4 days this week. Today I'm on my own and next week I'm completely on my own and they want me to facilitate ISP's as well as other things I don't think I feel comfortable doing on my own just yet. My question for you is is this normal? Is it normal to have this little training and then be sent out on my own? What should I do? I've been having 3 am anxiety attacks all week and I'm double thinking taking this position. Thanks for listening/helping.

Re: I have a question for social workers...

Unfortunately, yes, I have seen this time and time again. This is why when I was in hiring roles I would only hire people who had a lot of case management experience already. I knew I would have limited time to train. I am a SC but for the TBI waiver program. I have been doing it four years and I am STILL getting used to the paperwork aspect of it. I am sorry you are going through this. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. I am sure our forms are somewhat different, but my supervisor used to be a RRDS so has provided us with a ton of great training material, especially in terms of writing the ISPs/RSPs.

Re: I have a question for social workers...

Posted by mzsocialworker1

Unfortunately, yes, I have seen this time and time again. This is why when I was in hiring roles I would only hire people who had a lot of case management experience already. I knew I would have limited time to train. I am a SC but for the TBI waiver program. I have been doing it four years and I am STILL getting used to the paperwork aspect of it. I am sorry you are going through this. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. I am sure our forms are somewhat different, but my supervisor used to be a RRDS so has provided us with a ton of great training material, especially in terms of writing the ISPs/RSPs.

Re: I have a question for social workers...

I am a SWer so I dont get involved in service coordination but I do work amongst service coordinators and yes this does sound typical. Honestly, when I first became a SWer I also had to go to these big mtgs and run them and I was in "shellshock". I also felt like i was going to puke at the start. To make it easier for myself, I positioned myself in a way that I wasnt giving a speech in the mtg. In other words I never sat at the head of the table but rather the side. I had no contact with the door where I would be distracted etc... I skimmed my work prior to the mtg so that when I went in I could talk about it rather then give a speech about it. 5 yrs later and I am perfectly fine. I actually find them boring and wait for my turn so I can give my spiel and be done...LOL It does get better ...give it time!

Re: I have a question for social workers...

How are things going?