By Sarah Hanchett, LCSW, Vice President of Clinical Services
Mental health therapists are deeply committed to helping people grow. If only the behavioral health industry showed this same commitment to its therapists.
Did you know? A shocking 64% of aspiring therapists who obtain a master’s degree in counseling never become licensed. Unfortunately, the burden is often put on therapists to find a supervisor and pay out-of-pocket for supervision hours. This disappointing lack of support drives many therapists out of the profession at a time when a huge shortage of mental health providers already exists. The industry must do better.
That’s why I’m proud to lead a team of therapists at a company that supports them both personally and professionally. Part of evolvedMD’s people-centric culture is our intentional commitment to growing our therapists, offering clinical supervision and reimbursement on the path to licensure, as well as other wraparound support to make them the best integrated clinicians in the industry.
We believe that good culture drives good business. By recruiting talented behavioral health professionals, providing best-in-class training and professional development opportunities, we support their health and happiness, and they then deliver greater patient care. In fact, offering clinical supervision is one of our most popular and talked-about perks that makes us a Best Place to Work.
In traditional mental health settings, many employers either don’t offer clinical supervision or their programs don’t happen consistently, so therapists must create their own paths to success. Depending on where they live and work, the state may require anywhere between 100 to 250 hours of supervision to obtain licensure. At an average $100 per hour for individual supervision, this can get quite expensive, and for many, simply not a viable option.
At evolvedMD, we provide clinical supervision to therapists no matter where they are without charge – it’s part of their professional development package from day one, and part of our commitment to creating a culture of excellence not just for evolvedMD, but the industry as a whole.
Sofia Ahmed, one of our Utah-based Behavioral Health Managers, shared that, “evolvedMD invests in your growth by offering consistent weekly supervision with experienced Clinical Supervisors.” She mentioned her supervisor, Jeff Ainsa, challenged her in ways she said she’d take with her throughout her professional career.
This rings true even for people who are no longer employed at evolvedMD. "I developed more as a therapist at evolvedMD than any other company," said one previous employee. Whether therapists stay with us or change jobs, we’re committed to their long-term success.
At evolvedMD, our Behavioral Health Managers report to Clinical Managers who also serve as Clinical Supervisors. Clinical Managers are independently licensed clinicians (LCSWs, LPCs, and LMFTs) who are qualified by the licensing board to provide clinical supervision. Typically, supervision hours involve weekly one-on-one sessions focusing on developing clinical skills, including assessment and diagnosis, treatment plan development and guidance, ethical practices, documentation feedback, and continuing education opportunities.
A few of our therapists shared their experiences with the program:
1. Nothing Is “Too Good to be True”
We often hear from applicants that working at evolvedMD seems “too good to be true.” Lydia Jones, one of our first Behavioral Health Managers and now Training Manager, figured the clinical supervision perk was “too good to be true” during her interview. Prior to evolvedMD she had a brief stint in community mental health where clinical supervision was considered a luxury. And therapists were only qualified to receive supervision after completing the 90-day probationary period.
Once she accepted the job with evolvedMD, she immediately began meeting with me weekly to gain her supervision hours. As evolvedMD rapidly grew, Lydia transitioned to work with Clinical Manager Leslie Stumpff. “Leslie was a great cheerleader until the day I tested and passed my clinical exam. Obtaining licensure is no small feat, but the quality of supervision at evolvedMD is what makes it special. Not only do we have top notch clinical managers, but we also have a huge advantage learning and working in an innovative model that is foreign to many but leading the way in reimagining behavioral health for all.”
2. Becoming a Confident Clinician
Some of our high-impact clinicians came to us with no therapy experience, just a master’s degree. Kristy Geiszler said, “My supervisors are supportive and always willing to provide clinical support when needed. I never feel that I am on my own. They have been very consistent providing the hours I need to elevate my skills and have had no problems getting my hours approved by the board.”
Kristy now has all her required hours and is scheduled to take the licensure exam on December 28th. “I am incredibly grateful to my supervisors for the time and care they’ve provided me.”
3. Professional Development + Career Growth
Committed to elevating our therapists, several of our Behavioral Health Managers have obtained licensure through evolvedMD’s supervision program, and subsequently promoted to Clinical Manager – including Leslie Stumpff. “In previous jobs, it was such a struggle to obtain independent licensure. Either it was not offered or the program in place lacked consistency and support,” she said. “Coming to evolvedMD I was hopeful but not optimistic. However, I was delighted when clinical supervision started immediately and worked into my regular schedule.”
With evolvedMD’s support, she obtained all necessary hours required to take the test and passed. “Now I am proud and honored to be a Clinical Manager and provide the same level of high-quality supervision for my team.” Leslie now leads and trains a team of seven therapists embedded at primary care practices in the East Valley.
If you want to join a radically different company that prioritizes your personal and professional development as a clinician, I encourage you to join our fast-growing team at evolvedMD. Our clinical supervision program is uniquely designed to support you with hopes you elevate with us or be the best integrated care provider out there. Your personal and professional growth is our top priority, and as you train with us you can become the best therapist patients deserve.
Want world-class training and supervision on the path to licensure?
Join evolvedMD.
About Sarah: Sarah Hanchett is a well-rounded and collaborative mental health professional with expertise in facilitating a compassionate and supportive care environment. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), she is committed to delivering exceptional integrative care to both individuals and families in need. As evolvedMD’s Vice President of Clinical Services, Sarah leads and supports a team of engaging and effective providers to ultimately deliver critical behavioral health services to practices nationwide. As the first employee of evolvedMD, Sarah’s experience and expertise helped establish the company as a national leader in behavioral health integration. Her attentive, engaging persona carries well beyond office and clinic hours as she enjoys spending time with her partner, supporting both of her children’s athletic pursuits, volunteering for her church and winding down with a good mystery novel.