Carolyn Givens
Focus Inc.
Jonesboro,AR
9
Years of experience
Discreet and highly organized House Manager with over 6 years of experience managing the daily operations of a residential care facility or group home. Skilled in balance administrative and supervisory responsibilities, scheduling, and budget management. Ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of residents. Recognized the natural ability to organically motivate individuals and promote wellness through coaching while providing them with the necessary resources to achieve the maximum level of independence.
Work History
Direct Support Professional
3 Years- Provided direct support and supervision to participants in home, community, and work settings, modeling appropriate behavioral and functional life skills to encourage greater independence.
- Assisted clients with daily activities: Helping individuals with tasks, life skills including personal hygiene, eating, and mobility and learning boundaries, cleaning, budgeting, and ways to become more independent.
- Providing emotional support: Offering companionship, encouragement, and a safe space for individuals to express themselves.
- Implementing individualized care plans: Following specific instructions and goals outlined in an individual's care plan.
- Promoting community integration:Encouraging participation in community activities and outings.
- Monitoring and reporting: Observing changes in an individual's condition or behavior and reporting them to appropriate personnel. The health and safety of the individual at all times. Keeping patients safe from potential health hazards in their surrounding environment.
- Administering medications: Providing medication as prescribed, following guidelines. Documenting keeping detailed records of medications administered, including the time, dose, and any observed effects.
- Documenting observations: Observe individuals for injury or bruises. Follow incident reporting procedures including documentation and submitting report to a supervisor.
- Record accurate and detailed documentation within required time-frames regarding each individual progress in meeting goals and objectives, personal care, behavior reports and health and safety as required by the program plan.
- Address challenging behaviors proactively and utilize positive behavior intervention to manage and promote improved behavior while remaining supportive of individuality.
- Always follow policy and procedure to ensure the health and safety of our individual.
- Planned and conducted monthly safety drills with participants to improve participant emergency readiness.
House Parent / Manager
1 Year 11 Months- Created a Safe and Supportive Environment: House parents ensure the physical and emotional safety of residents, providing a secure and stable environment conducive to growth and development.
- Provided Care: They offer guidance, support, and encouragement to residents, helping them navigate challenges and develop healthy coping mechanisms.
- Implemented Structured Programs: House parents often work within established programs, helping residents acquire life skills, social skills, and academic skills.
- Childcare and Supervision: Providing care and supervision for children, including overseeing their daily routines, activities, and well-being.
- Served as a Role Model: Function as positive role models, demonstrating appropriate behaviors, values, and life skills.
- Counseled and mentored at-risk adolescents of all age levels, from pre- teen to teenagers.
- Managing Daily Operations: This includes tasks like meal preparation, household maintenance, transportation, and documentation.
- Working as Part of a Team: House parents collaborate with other staff members, social workers, and therapists to provide comprehensive care.
- Safety and Security: Ensuring the physical and emotional safety and security of the children in their care.
- Maintained appropriate documentation. Required Mandated Reporter for suspected abuse/neglect. First Aid, CPR, CPI, Certified. Medication Assistant Certification.
Direct Support Professional
3 Years 9 Months- Provided support and services for individuals who are intellectually and developmentally and physically challenged, helping him/her to live with the greatest degree of independence possible, in a group home setting.
- Home Assistance- Supervised activities of clients living in adult group homes. Assisted as needed with daily living for individuals that include light housekeeping, feeding, meal preparation, eating with individuals, laundry, and linen change, helping their clients with personal hygiene tasks, bathing, and dressing assistance.
- Companionship – Provided safety and companionship and conversation by stimulating, kind and empathetic, encouraging and assisting individual to reinforce positive behaviors and to promote social interaction.
- Planned and Motivated, individuals to reach personal goals by assisting with recreational and social activities, within the community such as grocery shopping and other errands.
- One-on-one (DSP) Personal care plan restrains disruptive individuals to prevent injury to themselves and others. Observes and documents individuals’ behavior, medical needs, complete reports regarding accidents, seizures, unusual occurrences.
- Case Manager -facilitating patient care by assessing patient needs, evaluating treatment options, creating treatment plans, coordinating care, and gauging progress. Consulted with physicians, medical, dental, social workers, families, and human services providers. And psychiatric and accompany individuals on all scheduled medical appointments/consultations.
- Assigned, monitored, administered, and organized social work cases of over twenty individuals and families.
- Maintained all relevant and necessary files, documentation, and paperwork regarding participating individuals and families. Accurate prescription medication documentation. First Aid, CPR, CPI, Certified. Medication Assistant Certification.
- Evaluated and recommended appropriate social programs, federal grants and refunds, and benefit packages.
- Trained and Guided Direct Support worker / new hires, mentoring, skills assessment, per mandated curriculum as required by state and Volunteers of America policy.
- Documented daily and completed all weekly, monthly, and quarterly documentation to assure compliance with ISP, LOPs and state regulations.
Substitute Teacher
2 Years 2 Months- Supervising and ensuring the safety of students after school hours, providing a nurturing environment, planning age- appropriate activities, assisting with homework.
- Serving snacks, maintaining communication with parents, and overall promoting a positive and engaging experience for children until they are picked up.
- Provided love and quality care for the children throughout the day to meet their emotional and physical needs.
- Planned and executed indoor and outdoor experiences appropriate to the developmental levels of the children.
- Interacted with children both physically and verbally throughout the day.
- Assisted children with their personal hygiene and cleanup of the classroom.
- Served and ate meals with the children.
- Met with parents, staff, and administration.
- Attended in-service and staff development training programs.
- Familiarity with state requirements and PESG policies.
Education
Associate of Science - Accounting
Certificate - Accounting
Skills
Medication administration
First aid and CPR
Crisis intervention
documentation
Empathy
patience
communication
teamwork
problem-solving
active listening
positive attitude
reliability
organization
ability to build rapport.
Communication (written and verbal)
computer skills.
Key Value Offerings
- Documentation, Information Verification
- Office Administration, Communication
- Organizational Skills, Team leadership
- Technical Proficiency, Problem-solving.
- Microsoft Office Suite, Customer Service
- Recruitment and Onboarding, Benefits Administration
- Account Management & File management.
- General Support, Adaptability, Strategic planning
- Data Entry, Attention to Detail
- Payroll Support, Employee Records
- Data management systems. Collections
- Policy and Procedure, Leave Administration
- Processing Loans, Negotiation
- Reconciling Customer Accounts
- Expense Verification, payment processing
- Knowledge of General Accounting Principles
- Vendor Management, Cash Flow, Reporting
- Financial budgeting and reporting, Payment Processing
- Compliance, Customer Relationship Management
- Financial Reporting, Data Entry, Record Keeping
Management
- Accounting/Financial: Reconciling cash drawers, bank deposits, PETTY cash, accounts receivable, and balance sheet reconciliation.
- Staff Leadership: Recruited, trained, and mentored team of five employees.
- Technical: Point of Sale (POS) system management, MS Excel, accounting software, and data entry.
- Managed front-end: supervising 2+ cashiers, including scheduling, training, and performance reviews.
- Customer Experience: Resolved customer issues, resulting in a 50% increase in satisfaction rates and higher repeat customer traffic. Managed customer escalations with a 95% satisfaction rate.
- Verified accuracy of daily cash reports and managed the safe.
- Operational Efficiency: Managed daily operations, including inventory control, scheduling, and cash management.
- Operational: Auditing, loss prevention, customer service, and inventory control.
- Loss Prevention: Implemented security measures that cut inventory shrinkage by 15%.
- Sales & Profitability: Drove a 20% increase in sales by implementing targeted merchandising and promotional strategies.
Administration
- Application Processing: Review, process, and verify applications for state/government assistance programs.
- Information Verification: Gather and confirm details like income, assets, household size, and residency.
- Client Communication: Interview applicants, explain requirements, provide updates, and answer questions.
- Record Keeping: Maintain accurate case files and process casework through automated systems.
- Attention to Detail: Critical for accurate data review and verification.
- Communication: Strong verbal and written skills for interacting with clients and preparing reports.
- Customer Service: Ability to assist and support applicants.
- Computer Proficiency: Data entry and use of case management software.
- General Office Duties include keeping office supplies stocked; sorting and filing documents; maintaining a clean work environment; various other duties as assigned.
Timeline
Direct Support Professional
Focus Inc.
07.2023 - CurrentRead More
House Parent / Manager
AG Compact Family Services
04.2021 - 03.2023Read More
Substitute Teacher
PESG Educational Staffing Solutions
01.2018 - 03.2020Read More
Direct Support Professional
Volunteers of America Southeast, Inc.
05.2017 - 02.2021Read More
Rowan Cabarrus College
Associate of Science from Accounting
Read More
Central Piedmont College
Certificate from Accounting
Read More