Bernita Thomas-Bishop
Chicago,IL
Summary
To obtain a social service management position in a progressive growing company where I can utilize my knowledge, experience and skills to benefits the company and customers.
More than 7 years of supervisory experience. Excellent human relations skills having dealt with a variety of customers and employees. Superior ability to achieve immediate and long-term goals. Ability to execute a number of projects simultaneously. Proven ability to analyze, plan, manage and motivate. Solid writing and oral communication skills. Conduct staff trainings regarding new policies and procedures.
Compassionate School Social Worker with experience in providing emotional, social and academic support to school-aged students. Strengths include effective communication, crisis management, and implementation of intervention strategies for at-risk youth. Significant impact made in previous roles by promoting student well-being and fostering positive relationships between students, families, and school staff.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
School Social Worker
Chicago Public Schools
09.2008 - Current
- Provide social work counseling to students and parents
- Coordinate activities from many sources for the benefit of an individual student
- Provide leadership skills in working with individuals and groups (i.e
- Initiating individual or group discussions)
- Provide psycho-social assessments and diagnosis to behavior disabilities
- Participates in case conferences involving cooperation with other pupil personal, school personnel and community agencies
- Make recommendations and/or environmental manipulations in the school setting with periodic reevaluations
- Make referral to public private agencies with appropriate follow-up
- Serve as a liaison between school, family and community resources
- Maintains appropriate school records and provides written reports and communications
- Participates in the Individual Educational Plan (IEP) process as required
- Prepares social and family histories and cooperate on the formulation of individualized plans
Parent Involvement Coordinator
Chicago Public Schools
02.2006 - 08.2008
- Coordinate all of the Parent Involvement activities and meeting for Head Start Families in the south area Chicago Public School System
- Provide service to Head Start parents at 34 schools on a monthly basis
- Provide Monthly meetings and trainings to parents in various social service topics
- Prepare and coordinate all city-wide parent fairs, activities and field trips
- Participate in the annual Program Review Information Report and summary
- Serve as a liaison to the Social Worker, Nurse, Education Coaches and Mental Health Coordinator
- Assist in the recruitment and retention of families in the Head Start Program
- Serve as a representative on the Parent Policy Council and the bi-monthly Area Delegate meeting
- Prepare memos, report and activity registry within a specified time frame
Social Worker III
City of Chicago, Department of Children and Youth Services
04.2003 - 02.2006
- Provided direct supervision to Social Service content area team
- Supervise and coordinate all aspects of the Social Service component of the Head Start/Early Head Start program at the grantee level
- Provide training and technical assistance to city-wide delegate agency staff in the areas of Family Partnership, Community Partnership, Parent Involvement and Mental Health
- Participated in the grantee interview team during the tri-annual federal review process
- Participate in annual Head Start/Early Head Start Self Assessment to ensure quality services and regulation compliance
- Serve as one of the primary trainers for the Child Outcome Planning Administration (COPA) web-based system
- Serve as co-chair for Parent Involvement/Social Services/ Mental Health Early Childhood Health Advisory Committee
- Support Assistant Director in ensuring that all Head Start, Early Head Start and Child Care grant training objectives are met
- Process and share information with area teams about feedback on program implementation as they develop
- Act as liaison between the department and public as well as other community based agencies
- Provide individual training to delegate agency social service staff when needed
- Assist delegate agencies in completing action plans and quality improvement plans
- Conduct site visits to ensure Head Start compliance and grantee compliance
- Prepare memos, letters and report within a specified time frame
Master Assessment Specialist
Riveredge Hospital
02.2004 - 11.2005
- Provide telephone triage, clinical assessment services, referral services, and process inpatient hospital admission within required time frame
- Provide quality documentation for inquiry calls, clinical assessments, consent for treatment, court papers, business office paperwork and medical records within required time frame
- Provides excellent customer service by promoting communication and maintaining relationship with internal and external customers
- Complete insurance per-certifications on inpatient admission and transfers
- Maintain records on admission, discharge dates, discharge planning and cases that require extended review
- Establishes therapeutic relationship with clients and families
Clinical Coordinator Supervisor
Universal Family Connection
Chicago, IL
12.2002 - 04.2003
- Plan and coordinate weekly clinical staffing
- Provided daily supervision to the clinical team
- Conducted clinical assessments on clients
- Assign and monitor the progress of cases assigned to agency
- Provide individual, group and family counseling to at-risk population
- Instrumental in the developing and coordination of daily function of the clinical unit
Foster Care Supervisor
Universal Family Connection
Chicago, IL
06.1999 - 12.2002
- Provide regularly scheduled and documented supervision with case management staff
- Facilitate professional development and training opportunities for case management staff
- Ensure that complete, accurate, and current documentation is maintained for all children
- Emphasis on the timely completion of all DCFS required paperwork, including 906
- Facilitate and participate in family and team meetings
- As needed, provide consultation to foster parents to ensure adequate understanding of case dynamics
- Prepare for and attend required case meetings, ACR’s, court dates, and staffing as required
- Monitor foster homes in accordance with DCFS 402 standards and act as liaison to the DCFS Foster Home Licensing Agent
- Participate in the agencies annual Foster Parent Law Implementation Plan
- Develop relationships and coordinate with DCFS, LANS and other community agencies for the maximum utilization of available resources to address all service goals
- Submit reports as necessary
- Perform on-call duties as needed
- Complete all mandatory DCFS, agency and job specific training
- Comply with all policies, state, federal, county and city laws, rules and regulations
Mental Health Consultant
Universal Family Connection
Chicago, IL
09.1998 - 06.1999
- Assisted children participating in the Chicago Public School Head Start Program in developing cognitive and social skills
- Provided prevention, early identification and intervention to problems that interfered with the child’s development
- Provide workshops to Chicago Public School Head Start parents
Community Service Worker
Pathways
07.1998 - 06.1999
- Provided services to clients between the ages of 16-21 years of age
- Provided services to clients who were 'stepped down' from institutional, group homes, residential treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals and out of state programs
- Assisted clients with obtaining adequate housing, employments, educational goals and budgeting
- Performed a variety of casework duties
Foster Care Case Manager
01.1997 - 07.1998
- Carried a selected caseload of 25 clients under supervision
- Provided direct service with an emphasis on meeting the environmental and psychosocial needs of the clients
- Obtained, analyzed and evaluated data necessary to implement client services
- Maintained contact with the courts, schools and other social service agencies regarding specified client situation
Education
Ed. Specialist - Play Therapy
University of Mississippi
Oxford, MS12.2024
Post MSW Type 73 Certification -
Chicago State University
Chicago, IL12.2007
Master of Social Work -
Chicago State University
Chicago, IL06.2002
Master of Science - Human Service Administration
Spertus College
Chicago, IL05.1998
Bachelors of Art - Social Work and Humans Services
Lewis University
Romeoville, IL05.1996
Skills
- Solution-based interventions
- Multidisciplinary team collaboration
- Confidential case documentation
- Crisis intervention
- Resilience
- Mental health assessment
- Social skills training
- Referral coordination
- Parent education
- Counseling services
License
- License Social Worker # 150.115712
Timeline
School Social Worker
Chicago Public Schools
09.2008 - Current
Parent Involvement Coordinator
Chicago Public Schools
02.2006 - 08.2008
Master Assessment Specialist
Riveredge Hospital
02.2004 - 11.2005
Social Worker III
City of Chicago, Department of Children and Youth Services
04.2003 - 02.2006
Clinical Coordinator Supervisor
Universal Family Connection
12.2002 - 04.2003
Foster Care Supervisor
Universal Family Connection
06.1999 - 12.2002
Mental Health Consultant
Universal Family Connection
09.1998 - 06.1999
Community Service Worker
Pathways
07.1998 - 06.1999
Foster Care Case Manager
01.1997 - 07.1998
Ed. Specialist - Play Therapy
University of Mississippi
Post MSW Type 73 Certification -
Chicago State University
Master of Social Work -
Chicago State University
Master of Science - Human Service Administration
Spertus College
Bachelors of Art - Social Work and Humans Services
Lewis University