‘Sometimes people just need to be heard’
2017 Employee of the Year honored for going above-and-beyond
When someone needs to talk, Brittney Collins is there to listen. When something needs to be done, she takes care of it.
That simple, faithful approach to her workdays at Oxford Treatment Center has helped earn Collins the honor of 2017 Employee of the Year. She received the award from CEO Billy Young at January’s all-staff meeting at the Etta campus.
Employee of the Year Brittney Collins
“Brittney is very much a team player, as shown by being selected by her peers,” Young said. “What impresses me most about Brittney is her solution-focused attitude and approach to her job. Anyone can indentify problems and barriers. Brittney finds solutions.”
As a behavioral health technician, Collins’ official duties include tasks like transporting clients and making sure they get to all therapeutic activities on time. But beyond the structured schedule of group and individual therapy sessions, she and other BHTs are always present as an additional layer of support for clients.
“Sometimes people just need to be heard,” she said. “If I have the time, I will sit down and listen. I can encourage them on what I think the right path would be. But I do a lot more listening than talking.”
For Collins, working in the addiction treatment field is an opportunity to witness powerful changes first-hand.
“My favorite part of my job is getting to see the difference between how a person is when they arrive for detox, and where they are after 30 or 45 days here,” she said. “To know I had a small part in that recovery process makes it worth it.”
Collins has been a member of the OTC staff since January 2016. She previously worked in property management and completed training as an occupational therapy assistant.
Addiction had long been an interest for her, stemming from personal relationships. She responded to a job posting at the Etta campus and has since embraced a career path in addiction treatment.
Collins is currently enrolled in the Mississippi Addiction Counselor Training program. Oxford Treatment Center’s Oxford outpatient location is the north Mississippi training site for the program, through the Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals.
Collins said the training and education she has received through her job have already transformed her understanding of addiction.
“Before I came here, I had the same ideas that most people do: ‘If they wanted to, they could just quit,’” she said. “Through my training here, I’ve learned about ‘the hijacked brain’ and about the physical effects of addiction. It’s not as simple as making a choice to stop. Addiction is a truly a disease.”
At Oxford Treatment Center, Collins works closely with fellow BHTs as well as with clinical therapists, medical staff and other departments.
“Everyone here is great to work with, and most of them have been here since I’ve started,” she said. “It’s good to know and trust the people you work with.”
In 2017, Collins was named Employee of the Month for both March and November. Other staff honored as Employee of the Month in 2017 included:
Transporter Brandon Gille (January)
Discharge Planner Amanda Ladner (February)
Mental Health Technician Rebecca Skidmore (April)
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner John Kirkpatrick and Clinical Therapist Amy Woodward (May)
Maintenance Technician Devin Mooneyham (June)
Behavioral Health Technician Jason Lane (July)
Transporter Jamie Lee (August)
Outpatient Receptionist Laken Prather (September)
Maintenance Technician Pete Potts (October)
Resolutions Nurse Vicki Bratton (December)
“She goes above and beyond to help her coworkers and the patients. She is always smiling and helping.”
“Brittney is a very hard-working individual who goes beyond her job duties. She is a kind and compassionate person who cares about her patients and coworkers. She is a pleasure to work with, and we are blessed to have her on our team.”
“Brittney is incredibly professional and detail-oriented in carrying out her responsibilities — all with a positive attitude. She takes time to listen to and assist her fellow staff as well as those currently residing with us. She performs her duties thoroughly and has a depth of understanding about her role within the greater OTC system.”
“She routinely takes on additional roles to ensure that exceptional treatment is being provided. Oxford Treatment Center is truly fortunate to have Brittney on our team.”
“You can look at her and see her determination to accomplish all of her tasks, even when she is faced with problems. She has amazing leadership skills and is very supportive and fair with patients and staff.”
“She is truly here because she loves what she does. You can see it not only in her work ethic, but also in how she carries herself and how she treats others.”
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