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Ponessa Behavioral Health

Engaged Employer

TSS - Tss Ponessa Behavioral Health Employee Review

2.0
Aug 8, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The kiddos for sure! And I liked the weekly supervision meetings! Well.... I liked them once I got out from under a terrible BSC who was favored by office staff! And my supervisor was awesome though she left shortly before I did!

Cons

Pay was ridiculous! Parking and travel for training was expensive and frustrating especially considering you are already getting paid 3.50 less an hr to be at the training instead of with a client! Made trainings miserable! The benefits where terribly expensive... They were 300 a month for medical only and that was for a single employee! That is unacceptable not to mention not even do-able on a salary under 30k! For full time! Probably what upset me the most was I went to ponessa so that I could fulfill my graduate practicum and internship as discussed in my interview all to find out later when it was time that the intern supervisor won't take anyone unless they have a 4.0 GPA? I had a 3.75 while holding a full time job and being a wife and mother! A 3.75 with all that is pretty darn good! But not good enough for him! I had to run quick to find another job to fulfill my requirements in time! Also there's a 1 yr waiting list for intern supervision they don't tell you that till it's too late either!

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Ponessa Behavioral Health Response
9y
We would like to thank you for taking the time to share your review with us. It is only through feedback such as yours, that we are able to maintain and when necessary, improve upon our practices here at the company. Therapeutic Support Staff team members are required by the state of Pennsylvania, to obtain at least 20 hours of training per year, including the CPI training, which is only required every two years. Some monthly trainings are offered on Saturdays and on days that school is not in session, which may be considered non-client days for some TSS’s. Over the last year, we have begun offering trainings for TSS’s, in our individual counties, rather than requesting that they come to our corporate headquarters for training. We do have a formal internship program for graduate level, pre-doctoral, and post-doctoral students, with a minimum GPA of 3.5. Master’s level interns are required to attend departmental, group, and individual supervision sessions, which are guided by multiple supervisors, including the Internship Director. Our internship program is a popular destination for students across the state, from various universities, which often leads to a full intern roster, sometimes months in advance. We appreciate your feedback, and we will continue to look for ways in which we can improve upon on Internship program and its accessibility to prospective students. We are thankful that you took the time to share your opinion here, and we wish you the best of luck on your future endeavors. Thank you

Explore other reviews about Ponessa Behavioral Health

5.0
Mar 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I enjoy how there are many opportunities for BHTs and others who work for the comany to create a positive work community. My higher-ups have been very helpful, informational, firm and kind. I enjoy working with my client and it has been a good transition into working in a school setting

Cons

I cannot think about any cons right now.

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Ponessa Behavioral Health Response
3mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We’re so glad to hear that you’ve found a supportive and positive work community, and that your supervisors have made a meaningful impact through guidance and support. It’s wonderful to know your transition into the school setting has been a smooth and rewarding one, and that you’re enjoying your work with your consumer. We truly appreciate the important role our BHTs do each day—thank you!
1.0
Feb 10, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The rapport within the department was generally good, people are very supportive of one another. Supervisors could be helpful too depending on the issue. You do get to make your own schedule (somewhat). It's a nice building, I liked my individual office.

Cons

It completely wrecked my mental health; I was literally always burnt out and dealt with several severe depressive episodes while employed, as well as trauma symptoms afterwards. Granted I know this is partially due to the state of community mental health in general; however, I was in a state of constant anxiety regarding my productivity hours and always felt like I was being gaslit. If you don't meet your quota, you start losing PTO hours or sometimes even your salary. I worked 11 hour days and would still have to bring work home with me. I never felt good enough no matter what I did to get ahead. The business focuses more on quantity of clients rather than quality of their care; it sometimes felt more like I was working in a factory than in a therapy office. I feel bad because the clients are really the ones that suffer for it.

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Ponessa Behavioral Health Response
3mo
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear you experienced a supportive team environment during your time with us. We do want to clarify that expectations around productivity and scheduling are clearly communicated throughout the hiring process and regularly reviewed with staff to ensure transparency. We strive to provide consistency and support so clinicians understand what is required and have the resources to be successful. We recognize that community mental health can be demanding work and may not be the right fit for everyone. We remain committed to maintaining a supportive workplace while delivering high-quality care to our clients. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.
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