In a company that provides a variety of opportunities for career development, sometimes a well-timed nudge from a mentor can be the inspiration to find a new fulfilling path. That is how Kristin Rice discovered a fit on the Performance Improvement (PI) and Staff Education teams.
Rice, a Rosecrance Central Illinois team member for the past eight years, joined the company as a crisis mental health clinician. She worked with a crisis residential facility and the Access team, then was promoted to supervise Champaign’s residential facilities for several years. During those first years, she found mentors while working closely with the PI, Compliance, and Staff Education leadership teams.
When a position became available that would allow her to have a greater impact on clinical operations, the opportunity almost slipped by. It took a conversation with a trusted mentor to point out the new career path. This role, a Performance Improvement and Staff Education Specialist, placed her in a key position to impact daily operations by continuously evaluating operations and providing trainings to strengthen staff as leaders in recovery.
“It was a really great opportunity that I almost missed because I already was so familiar with the position and the teams I’d be working with,” Rice said. “I really looked up to those leaders and was honored when asked to apply to work more closely with them. I’m grateful they saw my abilities and trusted me to move in this direction.”
Working in both the clinical and support worlds brings out a unique blend of talents developed by experiences in social work. A strong commitment to solving problems and supporting others is vital to the role’s dual focus. As part of the PI team, Rice looks comprehensively at the ways clinicians work with clients and obstacles that may prevent them from providing the best care. When she’s wearing the Staff Education hat, she delivers engaging educational materials beneficial to all Rosecrance staff.
“I transitioned my clinical focus on direct care of clients to direct care of staff, so I’m still a clinician at heart,” she said. “I love helping our teams become the best they can be by finding creative solutions to barriers and making sure they have the best information available when they need it. This focus on excellence truly does make an impact at the everyday level as our staff champion hope for clients.”