Andrea Cruse, LCSW
Social Worker
Arnold,MO
Summary
Dedicated School Social Worker with experience providing individual and group social work services within school and clinical environments. Focused on helping students excel in academic and social situations by working with teachers, families, and outside resources to build support networks.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
District Social Worker
Fox C6 School District
08.2023 - Current
- Receive and respond to all referrals from staff, students, parents and community members seeking information and connections to resources designed to address student needs.
- Provide individual social work services to students in effort to remove barriers to education.
- Prepared and facilitated professional development seminars for faculty and staff.
- Educated families on available community resources, connecting them with essential services such as housing assistance, financial aid, or healthcare providers.
- Supervised interns, providing direction on best practices in social work and contributing to their professional growth as practitioners.
- Developed and maintained strong relationships with community resources for successful referrals.
- Partner with district McKinney Vento liaison to provide services and materials to students and families in transition.
- Work collaboratively and perform casework with school student success teams.
School Social Worker
Sherman Elementary School
8 2021 - 05.2023
- Provide classroom social emotional education in K-4 classrooms utilizing Second Step Curriculum.
- Provide group and individual counseling to address identified needs.
- Serve as liaison between school, families, and community resources.
- Coordinate Angel Tree program and other charitable activities
- Work with administration to address discipline and truancy issues.
- Collaborate with building staff to determine social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students.
- Assist in development and monitoring of behavioral intervention plans.
- Conduct ELL screenings and annual testing.
- Serve as district McKinney Vento liaison.
- Comply with federal, state and local standards relating to child protection, client confidentiality, risk assessment and reporting and documentation.
Paraprofessional
Sherman Elementary School
08.2018 - 05.2021
- Worked one-on-one in general education classroom and within structured settings with individual students.
- Oversaw students in classroom and common areas to monitor, enforce rules, and support lead teacher.
- Implemented behavior management techniques effectively to maintain a structured learning environment conducive to student success.
- Improved classroom management by assisting teachers with behavioral interventions and monitoring student progress.
- Prepared instruction materials, constructed bulletin boards, and set up work areas.
- Performed classroom maintenance and instructional duties as assigned.
- Reported on student progress, behavior, and social skills to parents.
Social Skills & Counseling Manager
Autism Services Group (formerly Skill Sprout, LLC)
02.2016 - 08.2018
- Responsible for coordination of services and trans-disciplinary care for children and adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities.
- Served as liaison between clinicians and parents providing support, advocacy, and linkage to community resources.
- Responsible for clinical services provided in Social Skills Treatment program.
- Provided individual and family counseling services.
- Facilitated weekly Pre-K social skills play group.
- Provided direct supervision and management of Social Skills client caseloads, including social skills assessments, treatment plan development, direct therapy, data review, and progress reports.
- Planned and facilitated weekly team meetings with team of 6-7 employees.
- Provided direct therapy service as outlined by assigned productivity goals.
Mental Health Therapist
Wabash Community Health Center
08.2010 - 09.2013
- Provided individual, group, and family therapy for children, adolescents, and adults.
- Performed client assessments and developed treatment plans.
- Provided clients with recommendations to community resources.
- Monitored client progress and maintained documentation in confidential files.
- Facilitated weekly substance abuse treatment group.
- Participated in pediatric psychiatric appointments per request.
- Responded to crisis calls, providing face-to-face assessment of individuals in crisis.
- Collaborated with emergency room staff and psychiatric hospitals to develop plan to resolve crisis situations.
Residential Therapist
Webster Cantrell Hall
07.2007 - 05.2010
- Conducted individual, group, and family therapy for 10-13 adolescents on residential treatment unit.
- Responsible for development and evaluation of Mental Health Assessments, Individual Treatment Plans, and Individualized Behavior Treatment Plans.
- Served on social service team to take part in planning and evaluating activities and programming.
- Consulted with interdisciplinary teams to enhance coordination of care, establish medical clearance and determine optimal timing of further interventions.
- Maintained ongoing contact with parents/guardians and DCFS and/or contract agency case workers.
- Supervised family visitation and phone calls when therapeutic intervention was determined necessary.
- Participated in psychiatric appointments, IEP meetings, and court hearings to promote continuity of care.
- Provided crisis intervention services, ensuring safety and well-being of clients in distressing situations.
Education
Post MSW PEL: School Social Work Endorsement - School Social Work
Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville, Illinois 06.2020 - 12.2020
Master of Social Work - Social Work
Brown School At Washington University
St. Louis, Missouri 01.2004 - 04.2006
Bachelor of Science - Human Services
Missouri Baptist University
St. Louis, Missouri 01.2000 - 04.2003
Skills
Counseling services
Confidential case documentation
Multidisciplinary team collaboration
Crisis Intervention
Verbal and written communication
Social Skills Training
Resource Navigation
Staff Development
Intervention Planning
Timeline
District Social Worker
Fox C6 School District
08.2023 - Current
Post MSW PEL: School Social Work Endorsement - School Social Work
Southern Illinois University
06.2020 - 12.2020
Paraprofessional
Sherman Elementary School
08.2018 - 05.2021
Social Skills & Counseling Manager
Autism Services Group (formerly Skill Sprout, LLC)
02.2016 - 08.2018
Mental Health Therapist
Wabash Community Health Center
08.2010 - 09.2013
Residential Therapist
Webster Cantrell Hall
07.2007 - 05.2010
Master of Social Work - Social Work
Brown School At Washington University
01.2004 - 04.2006
Bachelor of Science - Human Services
Missouri Baptist University
01.2000 - 04.2003
School Social Worker
Sherman Elementary School
8 2021 - 05.2023