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Job Placement This section includes reflections from graduates from our Counseling and Human Services, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, and School Counseling Programs and are now in the workforce. They reflect on how our department helped them start in their profession, most important take away, and advice for graduates to be! As you read through their stories, you can see what the Department has taught shining through as the former students show how we, as a counseling profession, are united as University of Scranton CHS Department graduates who are passionate about caring for others! These success stories contribute to the positive outcomes that our programs continue to create.
CHS Graduate Kenneth Tong
My name is Kenneth Tong, Class of 2015 Counseling and Human Services and Women Studies Double Major. During my time at The University, I had the pleasure of making a lot of relationships with others both in the University and in the Scranton Community. Starting with my internships, I was introduced into the world of homeless prevention and transitional housing. After graduation, I was employed at Scranton Counseling Center (SCC) as a Blended Adult Case Manager, working with 25-35 consumers (age 18+) with severe mental health, and coordinating with treating outpatient services to better increase their independence and self-determination. As time went on, I was offered the opportunity to also work part time for Lackawanna County and Susquehanna County as a Mental Health Crisis Worker, assessing patients and issuing 302 and 201 for patients who need inpatient mental health services, or deescalate the crisis, and create a safety plan with outpatient referrals for follow-up. Throughout my time as a Case Manager at SCC, I worked a lot in coordinating treatment with outside agencies, which leads me to where I am today. Through my work at SCC and collaborating with Community Intervention Center, a homeless day shelter and drop in recovery center, I was recruited to the Case Manager for the Safe Haven Program. The Safe Haven is a government funded facility where I work with 4 individuals who are homeless with severe mental health (schizophrenia, personality disorders, etc.) and no income. They are placed in my facility where I assist with their transition from homeless to permanent housing. This is achieved through referral and advocacy to increase self determination and independency, and obtain a source of sustainable income. While I have a lot of different stories, the biggest take away in all of this is “relationships.” Had it not been for the CHS program, and the wonderful relationships I have made through both the department, and through my internship experience, I would not have the experience or skills to be doing what I am doing. As a parting message to you all, don’t forget the relationships you make here in CHS. If you do decide to move forward in this field, whether it is here in Scranton or elsewhere in the US, you have a huge support system from everyone, including myself.
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