March is National Social Work Month, and we’re celebrating our amazing team members! Every Camber employee (clinicians and beyond) contributes to creating a significant positive impact in our community and the lives of children and teens. 

Clinical support is integral to clients’ success here at Camber, from case management to individual and family therapy. Let’s take an inside look at what makes our social work team members’ work so meaningful. 

Social Work at Camber

At Camber, our team is dedicated to working with clients from ages six to 18. Our team of social workers ensure those we serve receive all the support they need to feel safe and empowered. Whether a child receives inpatient or residential treatment, they will receive the following at Camber:

• Full medical, clinical and nursing assessment
• Psychiatric evaluation and medication management (if medication is needed)
• Care coordination
• Support and supervision from our trained nursing staff
• Innovative treatment and education to teach youth about their brains and how to regulate their emotions
• Individual, family and group therapy sessions

Beyond these direct interactions with children, Camber employees spend much of their time in treatment calls with the clients’ “team” for when they leave our care. This can include their caregivers, a foster care caseworker, a local mental health center, teachers, coaches and anyone else in their everyday support system. The goal is to ensure that when it is safe for the child to return to their community, they will have a network of support ready for them outside of Camber.

A Day in the Life of a Camber Social Worker

For Taylor P., a typical day includes sessions with children and families, as well as treatment calls and check-ins. Camber social workers dedicate their time to children and families to help kids through emotional and physical dysregulation. “Many children and teens have significant trauma in their past that prohibits them from controlling their physical and emotional reactions,” explains Taylor P., a PRTF (Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility) Therapist at Camber. Our staff works with youth to take charge of their emotions and regulate themselves when they become overwhelmed. 

Taylor P.

Taylor focuses much of her work on self-love when working with her clients. Sometimes, untreated traumas can lead to children responding with aggression, and Taylor is dedicated to helping them seek another outlet. 

“When the kids come in,” she explains, “they are not safe in their current home environment or community, and we work with them to ensure that when they leave, they are safe to go home, and that they have better skills to cope with what life throws at them.” By working with one of our therapists, these children can develop stronger coping skills and behaviors. The work our team provides clients has a ripple effect that extends beyond therapy sessions.

The Ripple Effect of Social Work

While social work may seem to focus on one person or one family unit, it truly has a positive ripple effect. Our team at Camber loves to witness how our clients’ work in therapy sessions has a far and wide-reaching impact. Since Taylor’s office is directly across from the classrooms at Camber, she gets to observe her clients during the day and enjoys seeing the real impact her work has on their day-to-day schoolwork. This ranges from a better focus on the lessons they’re learning, to successful hygiene routines that aid clients with their personal and social engagement.

Trauma doesn’t start and end with children, nor does social work. Even at Camber, where children are the primary focus, our team helps parents learn valuable coping and regulation skills as well. This makes the home environment even more safe and stable for the child to return to when they leave our care, and helps equip parents to handle unexpected situations in the future. 

The Evolution of Social Work

The field of social work continues to evolve, and at Camber we aim to be forerunners of positive change. Having worked as an adoption worker, reintegration worker and supervisor in the child welfare field before shifting her focus to mental health therapy, Taylor has had first-hand experience watching the field evolve. Today more than ever, Taylor sees the field trending more towards compassionate, person-first care.

“My code of ethics has always been really important to me, and it’s something I get to utilize daily here at Camber,” she says. “It’s an opportunity to lead with empathy and compassion. I get to practice my values every day at Camber.”

Taylor also appreciates the advancements she has seen in collaboration in social work. “We work as a team here,” she says. “I have great relationships with my fellow therapists, and if we’re encountering a challenging situation, a lot of brainstorming happens. I feel very supported by the people on my team.”

Why Social Workers Love Camber

If you are in the social work field or considering a career in social work, Camber is the perfect place for you to thrive. Social workers and therapists love Camber because of the amazing management team, supportive partnerships with their fellow staff and the opportunities to grow and use their personal code of ethics when caring for a client.

Our Camber social work team strives to meet the unique needs of each child to help them achieve mental wellness so they can live happier lives full of hope. With treatment centers in Kansas City, Wichita and Hays, our inpatient hospitals and residential treatment programs provide modern, safe and youth friendly environments that encourage positive interactions and creativity.

In addition to the opportunity to make a life-transforming impact in a great culture, benefits for Camber social workers include:

• Competitive pay for the industry
• Medical plans with generous employer contribution
• Free employee dental insurance
• Tuition, CEU and licensure reimbursement
• Generous paid time off
• Parental leave
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with immediate company match and only a one-year vesting period requirement
• Employer-paid group life and disability coverage
• Free Employee Assistance Program for therapeutic, legal and financial services, plus personalized work-life resources
• A strong focus on promoting internally
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Fun employee celebrations, including meals, parties and casual get-togethers

Our team is constantly growing, and we would love for you to be a part of it! Join Camber Children’s Mental Health to be part of the life-saving work we do each day, making a difference in the lives of children and families.