Ann Billington LCSW

My current role is in assessment, intervention, providing psychoeducation to clients and loved ones and providing referrals based on level of care needed. My experience and knowledge as a Clinical Social Worker allow me to provide an in-depth assessment using ASAM & LOCUS criteria and diagnostic skills. My role is a leadership position that supports the CEO and a multi-disciplinary team. I am a compassionate person who is determined with the goal of being the best client advocate I can be. I enjoy helping people grow and overcome crises. I am a leader in the field of Dual Diagnosis Assessment and Treatment.

· Director of Admissions and Utilization Review Departments for an all-female, dual diagnosis, trauma specialized facility with a 26-bed capacity.

· Licensed Clinical Social worker, renewed in April 2023.

· Manage Admissions and UR Team.

· Train Clinical Team in ASAM dimensions, LOCUS dimensions and EMR documentation.

. Quality Assurance monitoring for EMR.

· Assess potential clients for appropriate level of care or provide referrals based on acuity, symptoms, and motivation.

· Initial point of contact for families, provide psychoeducation and guidance throughout admission process.

· Manage financial components associated with admission, fees, and insurance co-payments.

· Liaison for clients and their contracting insurance provider, requires clinical skills and strong client advocacy.

· Build relationships with referral sources, community resources and providers across the United States.

· Participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings focused on client care, treatment planning and discharge planning.

. Lead a team of Case Managers and built a resource data base.

· Assist in crisis management, milieu management and team building.

· All UR duties including insurance verification, authorization, and financial tracking.

· Participate in all clinical meetings providing consultation.

· Assisting with group therapy, family work and treatment planning as needed.

My role at Golden Gate Recovery was a consultation role in their early program development stage. I facilitated groups for adult men in early recovery that focused on evidenced based modalities like CBT, DBT, Narrative therapy, Family Systems, Conscious Recovery and Trauma Based coping tools. I assisted in assessment of clients, participated in treatment teams and helped train staff as needed. I obtained a year of clinical hours as a consultant under the supervision of Angela Hopper, LMFT Clinical Director.

· Client Assessment

· Group Therapy

· Program Development

· Treatment Planning

My role at Bayside Marin allowed me to work back in my field of education and calling to help people as a social worker. I enjoyed being the starting point, the sounding board and entry for individuals seeking dual diagnosis treatment to the facility. I took pride in the care provided and benefited from the training I received from Acadia during this time.

· Admissions screening and assessments both on phone and in person

· Client advocacy and treatment planning

· Entering information into Salesforce and Medhost for documentation and billing purposes

· Consulting with Director of Admissions and other Clinical and Medical Practitioners

· Creating Admissions documents and completing paperwork for new clients and families

· Verifying health insurance benefits with major insurance providers

· Competing pre-certifications, concurrent authorizations, and discharge reviews with insurance companies

· Financial Counseling with clients/families and collections of payment for services rendered

· Providing clients with referrals and continuation of care as required

· Brokered a contract with a local sober transportation service to assist clients with travel

· Vetted out insurance companies for viable contracts and out of network services

· Worked as a part of a multi-disciplinary team to provide total client care and aftercare planning.

Developed Clinical care programs to assist mental health patients improve daily functioning and return to society.

Recruited, trained and managed clinical staff of 10.

Researched and developed comprehensive data base needed for discharge planning.

Conducted individual, group and family therapy sessions with adults, adolescents and children in an acute care facility.

Supplied crisis intervention, substance abuse services and medication management plans to patients in the community.

Educated families on coping with and managing mental illness.

Attended weekly meeting with executive staff to improve hospital performance and development.