Does Ponessa Behavioral Health pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Ponessa Behavioral Health employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.0 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Ponessa Behavioral Health. This rating has decreased by 8% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Ponessa Behavioral Health?

61% of Ponessa Behavioral Health employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Ponessa Behavioral Health 3.3 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.5 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Ponessa Behavioral Health?

Tss (30) , Therapeutic Staff Support (17) , BSC/MT (15) , Behavioral Health Technician (15) , BHT-behavioral Health Tech (9) , TSS Worker (9) , Therapist (7) , Behavior Consultant (6) , Outpatient Therapist (6) , BC/MT (5) , Behavior Technician (4) , Intern (4) , Support Staff (4) , Behavior Specialist (2) , MT/BSC (2)

What are the pros of working at Ponessa Behavioral Health according to real employee reviews?

"Great coworkers and rewarding working with families and teachers who appreciate you" ((in 12 reviews)); "The supervisors who ran the weekly supervision meetings were also amazing." ((in 12 reviews)); "Thorough training" ((in 11 reviews)); "The staff is great and welcoming!" ((in 10 reviews)); "Flexible schedules to meet educational and personal pursuits" ((in 9 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Ponessa Behavioral Health according to real employee reviews?

"Low pay for having a BS and being a long term employee." ((in 19 reviews)); "No benefits of any kind for less than full time therapists" ((in 13 reviews)); "No communication, management is all about themselves, low pay, management doesn’t care about employees." ((in 12 reviews)); "I dont have much to say con wise except better parking." ((in 5 reviews)); "Upper management DOES NOT care about the pions." ((in 5 reviews))

What are the top reviewed Ponessa Behavioral Health locations?

Lancaster , Harrisburg , Exton , York , Carlisle , Lebanon , Forest Hills , Camp Hill , Mechanicsburg , Holtwood , Mount Joy , Chester , West Chester , Lancaster Junction

Ponessa Behavioral Health reviews

3.3

61% would recommend to a friend

(224 total reviews)

Catherine DeGuire, MS, JD, MBA, LPC

64% approve of CEO

47% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

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Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Ponessa Behavioral Health has an employee rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 224 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Ponessa Behavioral Health employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Healthcare industry (3.4 stars).

Reviews by job title

224 reviews

1.0

Aug 5, 2025

Emotionally exhausting work with no structure or resources to suceed

Therapeutic staff support

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

You get a firsthand look at the mental health challenges in the community and develop compassion.

Cons

The caseloads were overwhelming, and you're basically thrown into situations without adequate training or tools. There was no clear supervision, and communication from the top and compounded by a system that seemed more interested in billing hours than actually helping clients. Staff turnover was high because no one felt valued.

Ponessa Behavioral Health Response

10mo

We agree that the work we do in IBHS can be challenging. Our staff provides services and support directly in natural settings, which can result in a need for more intentional outreach and support. The Therapeutic Staff Support role transitioned to Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) approximately 5 years ago; so my guess is your experience was under different regulations. With that transition came increased training and supervision. Before even working with a client, we provide new staff with over 60 hours of training, which includes on-site training with prospective clients. New staff are enrolled in a weekly Mentor Group for 3 months, which provides additional support and training as they adjust to their new role. We also provide weekly group supervision, individual monthly supervision, and ongoing on-site training for BHTs with Master’s level clinicians. BHTs work closely with their assigned clinician on their case for frequent guidance and treatment direction. We are proud to say that our leadership team (IBHS Director and County Coordinators) are all very dedicated, knowledgeable, and experienced supervisors in IBHS specifically; who have been invested with Ponessa Behavioral Health for many years, and some decades.

1.0

Jun 13, 2025

Management promised a lot of things to which turned out be lies!

Behavioral health technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Not much, but training was paid and health coverage was average.

Cons

The $20/hr start rate is terribly cheap for a degree holder! I accepted because management promised a lot of things to which turned out be lies! After a year, I still get the same amount, unacknowledged, unappreciated, and most of all, completely stressed and exhausted!!!

Ponessa Behavioral Health Response

1y

We are disappointed to hear your feedback. We agree that the work can be challenging. As a result, BHTs are offered multiple opportunities for support through individual, group, and on-site supervision with a Master’s level professional. In addition, mentor groups are provided for additional support when acclimating to the position. In terms of pay, this is clearly presented during the application process and official job offers, prior to an applicant accepting the position. Additionally, all employees receive annual performance reviews, which result in a rate increase opportunity. While we can’t be certain what promises you believe were miscommunicated, we are confident that we do our due diligence with communicating and training about policies and procedures consistently. We wish you well in your future endeavors.

2.0

Apr 18, 2025

Management couldn't even preten

Behavior consultant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

I see employees working really hard but still going nowhere.

Cons

Management obviously only cares about themselves! They're disrespectful, manipulative, and doesn't know boundaries! They couldn't even pretend to care! That's how terrible they are!

Ponessa Behavioral Health Response

1y

We take negative feedback very seriously and strive to provide our employees with a fulfilling and supportive experience. That said, we don’t have any data of employees who left, for quite some time, matching your job description and location; and certainly not on terms as strongly suggested as the ones noted. If you would like to discuss the grievances of your employment further, we encourage you to contact the department head by calling the main office at 717-560-7917. Thank you

Viewing 13 - 15 of 224 Reviews

Jobs at Ponessa Behavioral Health

Licensed Mental Health Outpatient Therapist

Co-Occuring Substance Use Disorder Outpatient Therapist- Lancaster

School-Based Outpatient Therapist (Licensed or Associate License)

Child/Adolescent Behavioral Health Technician (BHT)- Harrisburg

Child/Adolescent Behavioral Health Technician (BHT)- Exton