Ashley J. Pruitt
Summary
I possess a strong passion and commitment to serving the needs of disadvantaged youth, parents, and families, including the homeless, victims of domestic violence, families in crisis, abused individuals, emancipated youth, and special-needs populations. I excel in providing support, treatment, and resources to youth and families dealing with crisis and trauma. I am skillful in program and organizational planning with documented success in overcoming challenges of limited resources and financial constraints to design high-quality, cost-effective and comprehensive treatments and programs. Also skilled in building community support and backed by solid educational skills.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
988 Text/Chat Shift Lead
Volunteers Of America Western Washington
04.2023 - Current
- Supported team members as they provided timely assistance to individuals in crisis, utilizing active listening skills and empathy to establish rapport quickly.
- Enhanced client support by conducting thorough safety assessments and developing personalized treatment plans.
- Responsible for planning and hosting weekly team meetings
- Responsible for monitoring chats and offering live feedback to online crisis counselors
- Provide weekly transcript reviews for online crisis counselors
- Build and maintain a psychologically safe online work environment
- Collaborate with other leads to enhance quality of team interactions, chat interactions, etc.
- Reduced involuntary police intervention by streamlining safety assessment protocols and implementing efficient de-escalation procedures.
- Ensure timesheets are correct and submitted
- Oversaw crisis counselor annual trainings
- Trained new employees on company policies, procedures, and best practices for optimal performance.
- Collaborated with management to develop strategies for improving overall chat/text operations.
Online Crisis Counselor
Volunteers Of America Western Washington
07.2022 - Current
- Used skills such as active listening and collaborative problem-solving daily to connect with clients and address concerns.
- Evaluated risk to client or others by gathering information and conducting assessments.
- Responsible for answering chats and texts on the National Suicidal Prevention Backup LifeLine/988
- Built safety plans to lower risk of crisis and intervened in specific manners outlined by procedures.
- Provided emergency response in crisis situations to diffuse tensions and prevent violence.
- Responsible for offering empathetic, compassionate, non-judgmental, and emotional crisis support with clients as well as assessing for safety and utilizing crisis intervention strategies.
- Responsible for providing police intervention or mandated reporting procedures for clients in need.
- This position was responsible for completing documentation for any police reports or child protection services reports filed, as well as the counselor reports that are generated with each chat/text.
- The position required monthly supervision meetings and bi-weekly staff meetings with the shift lead. Chat self-reviews were also required monthly.
Crisis Hotline Responder
Youth Villages
07.2020 - 03.2021
- Responsible for responding to crisis hotline calls and dispatching crisis counselors to the youth and family if needed.
- Served Children, adolescents, and their family with counseling services while also offering de-escalating and calming techniques via phone
- Developed and implemented clinical assessments, safety plans, and treatment plans and modified according to clinical supervisor
- Completed follow-up calls and provided resources to youth and families
- Worked with family members to develop support networks and multifaceted coping techniques focused on client needs.
Lifeset Specialist
Youth Villages
03.2020 - 03.2021
- Worked with current and former foster care adolescents as well as juvenile delinquents to help them identify, set, and reach goals associated with completing high school and post-secondary education, employment, health care, housing, transportation, money management, etc.
- Responsible for case management, opening/discharging clients, completing necessary clinical assessments, maintain confidentiality while completing documentation for each client etc.
- Developed and implemented treating and safety planning while also guiding clients through crisis and trauma.
- Responsible for connecting youth with needed resources.
- Responsible for answering crisis calls and conducting follow-up calls during my 48 hour on call shifts that occurred monthly
- Attended training programs to deepen professional skillset and assisted in training on existing and new training programs.
Office Manager for Academy and Teaching Services
Antioch High School
12.2017 - 12.2018
- Responsible for managing student records, grades, transcripts, school history, etc
- Also responsible for scheduling student-principal meetings and other clerical work
- Additionally, I assisted in organizing student programs and student-counselor meetings
- Responsible for scheduling and sitting in on parent-teaching meetings.
Site Director
YMCA Fun Company
10.2012 - 10.2017
- Responsible for the day to day operation of Fun Company before and after school program
- Required to supervise staff, handle accounts receivable, complete and submit expense reports, create and implement lesson plans for youth, and train new staff.
- Facilitated effective communication between internal and external stakeholders.
- Hosted and attended staff meetings and trainings
- Occasionally traveled to different sites to help prepare for 5 star state ratings evaluation
- Developed, implemented , and supervised summer camp program
- Developed work schedules for team members to maximize shift coverage.
Program Specialist
City Of Murfreesboro
10.2009 - 10.2012
- Assisted in coordinating and supervising city-wide events
- Created -field trip itinerary and supervised all field-trips
- Developed, implemented and supervised summer camp program
- Organized and managed youth and family program development from conception through successful execution.
- Orchestrated smooth and efficient program development by collaborating cross-functionally across departments.
- Worked alongside other professionals to outline and implement program plans and objectives.
Education
Ph.D. - Crisis Intervention, Trauma Response, And Disaster
National Univeristy
San Diego, CA12.2026
Master of Science - Child and Adolescent Psychology
Capella University
Minneapolis, MN (online)06.2023
Bachelor of Science - Child Development And Family Studies, Social Work
Middle Tennessee State University [MTSU
Murfreesboro, TN12.2009
Skills
- Client advocacy
- Mental health assessment
- Community Resources
- Treatment planning
- Team-building
- Problem-Solving
- Dependable and Responsible
- Critical Thinking
- Decision-Making
- Active Listening
- Written Communication
- MS Office
- Training and Development
Certification
Crisis Intervention, Trauma Response, and Disaster Relief Post-Graduate (Doctorate) Certification (in progress). National University.
Trainings
- Drug prevention training
- Crisis Intervention Training
- Suicide Prevention Training
- Sexual abuse prevention training
- Drug and suicide safety plan training
- Professional youth development training
Accomplishments
Graduated Summa cum laude at Capella University with my Master's Degree
I was accepted into the National Honor Society (National Society of Leadership and Success NSLS) due to my 4.0 GPA for 6 consecutive semesters. I plan to utilize this organization to further my skills in leadership
Additional Information
- Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Middle Tennessee State University. Currently on President's List at Capella University Currently.
Timeline
988 Text/Chat Shift Lead
Volunteers Of America Western Washington
04.2023 - Current
Online Crisis Counselor
Volunteers Of America Western Washington
07.2022 - Current
Crisis Hotline Responder
Youth Villages
07.2020 - 03.2021
Lifeset Specialist
Youth Villages
03.2020 - 03.2021
Office Manager for Academy and Teaching Services
Antioch High School
12.2017 - 12.2018
Site Director
YMCA Fun Company
10.2012 - 10.2017
Program Specialist
City Of Murfreesboro
10.2009 - 10.2012
Ph.D. - Crisis Intervention, Trauma Response, And Disaster
National Univeristy
Master of Science - Child and Adolescent Psychology
Capella University
Bachelor of Science - Child Development And Family Studies, Social Work
Middle Tennessee State University [MTSU
Crisis Intervention, Trauma Response, and Disaster Relief Post-Graduate (Doctorate) Certification (in progress). National University.
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