New Hope Hero – Ms. Jennifer Mantei
If you’ve ever made a referral to New Hope, you’ve probably talked to Jennifer Mantei. You might have trouble spelling or pronouncing that last name, but you’ll never forget her. Every referral that passes through New Hope crosses her desk. Somehow, she manages to navigate the numerous bureaucracies from every State that we regularly work with. And believe us when we tell you that they all have different rules and regulations. Our telephones ring off the hook from the beginning to the end of each day! Jennifer regularly takes calls, collects information, schedules admissions and makes sure our doctors and clinicians have the most up to date information on each new youth who enters our doors. That’s multi-tasking on a level rarely required in most jobs! Since COVID became a household word, we’ve started to receive referrals from States we never expected to hear from. This of course, added to the “other duties as assigned” workload that Jen manages on a daily basis.
Jennifer has held several positions while at New Hope, but she’s approaching year 12 with our agency and is now our Director of Referrals and Admissions. It’s not unusual for us to receive hundreds of referrals monthly. She does this while providing our stakeholders the highest level of customer service. Stakeholders include payer sources, referral sources, parents, kids and internal New Hope staff. An 8-hour workday rarely occurs for her, and quite often, she manages cases on her PTO. This level of commitment to the kids and families we serve is admirable, and not taken for granted.
In her own words, Jen states: I got into this field because I wanted to serve youth and families. I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. Although I started in direct care with another agency where I saw a more immediate impact, my gifts and talents were pulling me in another direction. So, I moved toward a more administrative position. I believe I am good at what I do. I am efficient, detailed, and have a critical and clinical eye. Although in my current role, my impact is more indirect, I still feel like my work matters. This position allows me to reach even more kids and more families.
Additionally, I love the pace of the job. Things move and change quickly. I love the flexibility of the job, working remotely with some flexibility to my hours. I also love working for great people! Working for people you can trust in this industry makes a huge difference!
And finally, I love my job because it supports my family. I am giving back not only to strangers, but I am providing for my family, and that keeps me going as well.
We thank you for everything you do Jennifer!
