Myself and every case manager I asked all experienced the same issues. Being at least a month behind on documentation, receiving no support aside from constant emails reminding you you're behind. There's no pre-established organizational structure for the position - so if you struggle with organizing you will drown. This is a program that depends on resources, and the agency doesn't even have an established list. Each case manager is on their own to find help for client's, while lacking the time to actually do so. So client's receive inconsistent care. To have any balance in this position you will need to set boundaries, such as setting expectations to schedule out appointments and expecting a return call within 2 days if it's not an emergency. Homefull will not respect that however. Client's will call in every day and complain if you don't answer the phone immediately. Homefull responds to this by sending critical emails instead of reinforcing boundaries with client's an setting professional tone. The training is long, tedious and does not prepare your for the actual work. That time would be better spent walking through your caseload, and assisting you with steps for organization to balance the unrealistic workload. Caseloads for this field should max at 30. Although it's common in this field to have caseloads of 50-60, you are held to an extreme level of pressure and responsibility for non-responsive client's. The position is outbound so you are expected to go to people's homes. There is a high rate of infestation, other sanitation and safety issues. Documentation should only reasonably consist of casenotes and logging outreach attempts. The compliance is one outreach attempt or meeting per month. You will be in reality however, be hounded and held responsible for client's that don't answer your the door, calls, or respond to letters. That's billable hours lost after all! You will have time sensitive reporting and documentation projects thrown at you - which you will not have time for. You will receive excessive pressure with these projects and told to prioritize them over everything else. You will not have time for it, so in order to get that work done something will have to give, creating a cycle of backlog paperwork. Homefull understands very well this position has unrealistic workloads, however that understanding will not be extended to you. You will be expected to be superhuman, and though they say no one works after 5pm, every single case manager does. You will not receive support. If you have a disability it will be ignored and weaponized against you. If you take this job I highly recommend you do what I did and record everything from day one. You will be criticized for struggling and will need irrefutable evidence to hold the agency accountable for their systemic issues, or to file a complaint .
