Finding employees for mental health and substance abuse centers was a challenge even before the pandemic. With help from Dezmin Perez, founder of RTC Relief, these treatment centers can rely on his expertise to secure needed employees.  

RTC Relief, which stands for Residential Treatment Center, helps find staff for group rehabilitation facilities across the country. These staff include therapists, nurses, direct care workers, support staff and finance. Perez recognizes the limited budget these facilities have for recruitment and provides a risk-free approach; businesses only pay if they hire the potential candidate.

“It’s a very peace-of-mind approach for the clients. It’s like a back-pocket recruiter, a buddy that you can call just in case you need help,” Perez said. “It seems to work so far.”

Chalked Up To Experience 

Perez spent ten years in mental health and substance abuse care, serving first in direct care and then as a program manager and director.

“That’s how I was able to take these fundamental principles of hiring and put it into a recruiting firm,” he said. Having that insider knowledge has helped him understand the needs of these centers and gives him a better perspective of the requirements for each position.

On the flip side, to protect the employees, he ensures that he works with organizations that are run well, and those that people want to work for. By having this insider knowledge, he can recruit people for programs that are a good match.

“From experience, I know what good and bad programs look like in this particular field,” he said. “I try to reassure the candidates that I’m sending them to a program that they’re going to feel fortunate and lucky to have an opportunity to interview and hopefully work for.”

He’s careful about the types of clients he represents and prefers to focus on those that are sought by candidates.

“It’s really about quality over quantity,” he added.

Taking the Leap

Perez founded RTC Relief in California after analyzing what type of business he would like to create. With a decade of experience at these types of treatment centers, he thought back to his many roles and decided that recruiting was his most successful and enjoyable.

A year after his business started, in late 2020, he decided to move to his hometown of Massachusetts which also necessitated a business address that didn’t belong to a family member. Venture X Holyoke provided that with the Virtual Office plan, which also allows Perez to work remotely from the common areas of Venture X Holyoke.Having a dedicated workspace at Venture X Holyoke – and space away from home - has proven valuable in providing structure to his day.

“You’re there, so you want to spend some time there and get everything done,” Perez said. “Being around people with the same vision fuels you to get the work done.”

He’s exploring the option of moving into a private office in Venture X Holyoke which would allow him more privacy and a dedicated workspace. 

His next goal is to coordinate with other Venture X Holyoke members and find ways to further benefit his clients. Discovering VentureX by chance during a trip to the Holyoke Mall, he felt the staff listened to his needs and found the best membership level for him.

“You have nothing to lose by stepping in and chatting with them,” he said.

Venture X Holyoke

- Great location – at the Intersection of I-90 and I-91
- On the Access Road to the Holyoke Mall.
- High tech air filtration systems
- Touchless bathrooms
- Keyless entry systems
- Free Internet
- Free Coffee
- High tech conference rooms
- Event and Networking space
- Virtual Offices
- Concierge business services
- Shared and Dedicated space

Venture X Holyoke is a modern business center with 65 private offices and coworking space offering its members a shared, flexible workspace with a community of like-minded business professionals. With boutique hotel-style hospitality, you and your team are going to love working here!

Contact us to book a tour!