Preschool Page: EI possibly most frustrating setting!

EI possibly most frustrating setting! - need to vent

Posted by speechie1974 on April 10, 2012, 4:32 pm
24.164.168.147

Hi All, JUST VENTING. First, let me say that I absolutely LOVE EI...the population, the therapy, the quick progress. I did EI for several years full-time before I couldn't take all the negatives (if you don't see a client for whatever reason, you don't get paid...gas and wear and tear on the car...going into some crazy homes...no vacation time...). I had to switch to a school district job a few years ago due to all the negatives, but have kept a few after-school EI kiddos because the population is just where my heart is. Budget cuts have resulted in a DECREASE in pay (after working for years with no increase) which is so disheartening...and now we are being told that the Department of Health is going to be making "surprise" visits on our sessions to ensure IFSP goals are being carried out and to check on the quality of our family training. Excuse me? Since when is the DOH an SLP? We are professionals, working under OUR licenses (which are no picnic to earn!) This is yet another frustrating thing that we SLPs have to grin and bear, and it's driving us away from EI in large numbers (at least in our state). I worked for a mid-size agency, and I know of so many therapists who started at full-time and quit after a year or two because the burnout is so high. The killer is that the burnout has NOTHING to do with the clients or the workload and EVERYTHING to do with politics. It's such a shame because EI WORKS and so many of our kids need it. The negatives being a service provider in EI are causing so many talented, creative therapists to pack up and seek alternate settings, leaving the children who need it with limited access and longer waiting lists. It's just so FRUSTRATING. OK, I'm done venting. Thanks for listening!

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