Pros
This job is not for the faint of heart. Devereux accepts the challenge of treating the most abused and desperate kids in the country, those who everyone else has turned their back on, and instead of thanks, appreciation and understanding, often get unbelievably unfair ridicule. I spent nine years as a direct care professional/mental health worker and eight as an administrator at Devereux and owe more to that company than I can ever repay. You get the chance to impact the lives of kids and families and build lifelong friendships with coworkers at the same time. Again, this isn't a day care or boarding school for troubled children. It is a high end residential treatment center that will stretch you physically, spiritually and emotionally. You will experience unbelievable success, as well as gut wrenching failure. That's the truth and it takes nothing less than complete commitment, work ethic, courage and positivity to succeed. If you really want to do the tough work and make a real difference in someone's life, I guarantee you an amazing experience. Direct care specifically, is and I can't help believe always will be, the best job of my life. "The greatest opportunity life has to offer is the opportunity to work hard at work worth doing." Theodore Roosevelt This is a great job if you are looking for that opportunity.
Cons
It can be dangerous. Children who have experienced severe abuse can be volatile. (Understandably so). It doesn't pay that great. (Mental Health funding is abysmal, write your congressman.) But again, that really isn't the point. As someone once said to me early on, "You'll never be rich, but you'll never be unemployed." The buildings are old, (See Mental Health funding in America) and can sometimes be messy and stinky. (They do house around 100, 10-18 year olds 24/7/365...) This job isn't for everyone. In fact, it isn't for most people. It can be exhausting dealing with the negativity of people who aren't cut out for the work.
