) decided to create the job of wellness director for its over 400 employees, Flores, who had been working as a community mental health counselor serving low- and no-income clients, was intrigued.
The novelty wasn't the only reason Flores was interested in the position, though:"My own personal passion for working in mental health is offering accessible and approachable services for people who don't usually get them, either for socio-economic or cultural reasons," she says, noting that many un- or underinsured clients have never had positive mental health care experiences — either because they've never been able to obtain care at all, or they've had awful...
"It's very hands-on," she continues, adding that she's not just handing out phone numbers of therapists or copies of She puts in time with clients to help them determine what they are looking for in a therapist, and refers them to clinicians in her professional networks. As anyone who's worked in a restaurant knows, schedules, staffing and volume can change on a dime, and Flores says she's had weeks when she's had ten appointments and just a few with none.
Flores says she wouldn't have taken on the role if she felt it compromised her professional ethics."I still have to stay true to my own ethical code. ... For the first six months, that was my mission: to determine the lines between what's clinical [practice and ethics] and HR. I made sure to onboard a clinical consultant, especially because there's no other model for this job.
Moffett concurs that"all we can do is try to be unwavering" in support of employees."There’s not a lot of consistency [in the restaurant world]," she notes."We’re trying to be consistent." She points out that the restaurant group surveyed its staff about workplace priorities before creating the wellness director position, and the number-one request was for mental health services. She also notes that Bonanno's restaurants are currently 98 percent staffed.