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bwana -

Thanks for your kind words. They are definitely a boost.

As far as what you were saying about working with the state directly, this is something I have thought about also, once I have my MSW. Most counties in NY provide considerable stipends to youth placed in SILPs - Supervised Independent Living Programs. I have been quietly looking into what it takes to get one of these up, running, staffed, insured, licensed, etc. But this is for a ways down the road - I am still very young and I think some supervisory experience in my current agency would go a long way towards preparing me for that.

In the meantime, a little background. My new boss is a really trustworthy, very honest guy. He has always been straight with me on the administrative-level issues that influence these decisions. He told me today that my current boss backed me very strongly for the salary he offered me, and that his boss is genuinely doubtful that the big boss at the top is going to sign the paperwork at that price. Our agency is going through seriously difficult financial times.

Long story short, my new boss is doing his best to work at the uppermost levels to get me my asking price, and at least the intermediary guys are not standing in the way (and some, who I thought might not have my back, apparently do). I brought up the possibility of getting an extra week or two of vacation to compensate (which I would gladly accept, I need it) and that might be on the table.

To those who said get a new job, this agency is not trustworthy - you're right, the way they do things at some levels is really not to my taste. However, when I interviewed at another agency closer to home, I would have had to take a pay cut from my CURRENT salary (which is poor as it is) AND have to pay 40% of my own health insurance. From what I've been told it's the same at most of the other places around here. My current job is frustrating, but they pay head and shoulders above the competition, and the population is really needy. Also, I'll be moving under the supervision of someone I trust, someone who is on their way up in the agency and someone who has gone to bat for me repeatedly. So I'm going to take my chances.

NT