The Director: Has been at the school 12 years, and was hired into this position. Is a clinical social worker with 30 years of experience in child and family mental health services. Has leadership experience, but no sustained leadership training.
The Educational Director: Has been at the school 35 years, started as a classroom teacher and has been in her current position for the past 20 years. Has had only sporadic leadership training.
The Clinical Director: Has been at the school for 7 years, is leaving; has a Ph.D. Has sought out leadership training on their own.
The Milieu Director: Been at the school for 15 years, has been in this role for three years. They started as a milieu classroom counselor and then was a coordinator for one of the floors before going to get their MSW. They then returned to work at the school as a clinician for a number of years. Then the former Milieu Director was let go and they took that position. No formal leadership training.
The senior leadership of the school consists of the director, educational director, clinical director, and milieu director. The director leads this group with all others reporting to them. The Educational director oversees teachers, assistant teachers, and educational specialists, they are responsible for ensuring that the curriculum of the school is in line with state guidelines and that educational components of their IEPs are being met. The milieu director oversees all milieu staff and is responsible for the overall running of the behavioral components of the floor and ensuring that all staff is trained and following the restraint protocols. And the clinical director oversees the clinicians and interns in the clinical department. This role also provides oversight as to the clinical direction of the school. This team is highly dysfunctional. While the director is a likable person they struggle with holding the other directors and staff in general accountable for their actions. This has resulted in inconsistent policy and procedures adherence across the school, which has become confusing and overwhelming to staff.
