Charlene Harris
Newport News,VA
Summary
To obtain a position that will allow me use my background in human services and knowledge of working in mental health/behavior management programs to assist the criminal justice population with planning and preparing for transition in least restrictive environments.
Professional counselor equipped to guide clients through challenges and foster personal growth. Strong background in providing emotional support, conflict resolution, and developing coping strategies. Proven ability to collaborate effectively within team to achieve impactful results. Adaptable and dependable with focus on active listening, empathy, and problem-solving skills.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Counselor I
Pinnacle Treatment
01.2025 - Current
- Assisted clients in setting realistic goals, developing action plans, and monitoring progress towards achievement.
- Worked closely with families to support clients in their recovery process and strengthen relationships among family members.
- Maintained accurate documentation of client interactions, assessments, and progress notes for effective case management.
- Improved client satisfaction through consistent communication, empathy, and understanding of their unique challenges.
- Developed individualized counseling plans for clients to incorporate short-term and long-term goals.
- Communicated regularly with other professionals involved in the client''s care for coordinated service delivery efforts.
- Established trusting therapeutic alliances with clients through empathetic listening, validation, and unconditional positive regard.
- Coordinated referrals between agencies to ensure seamless transitions for clients receiving multiple services.
- Utilized motivational interviewing techniques to encourage positive change in clients'' lives.
- Used cognitive behavior therapy to assist clients in recognizing and redirecting poor habits.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive care for clients with complex needs.
- Conducted assessments to determine progress and performance and report findings to relevant authorities.
- Participated in ongoing professional development trainings to remain current on best practices within the counseling field.
- Improved client self-esteem and communication skills through targeted therapeutic techniques.
Substance Abuse Counselor
Pinnacle Treatment Centers
10.2020 - 07.2022
- Provide interventions to individuals experiencing illicit substance use
- Individual counseling
- Relapse Prevention
- Care coordination
- Advocacy
Psychology Associate I
Eastern State Hospital
08.2018 - 08.2020
- Responsible for providing behavioral services to clients with challenging behaviors, which includes implementation of behavioral programs; designing data collection systems and collecting behavioral data; training staff in behavioral programs for individual clients
- Assisting in conducting sophisticated assessments and analyses of challenging behaviors
- Participates in developing behavioral programs based upon assessments and analyses providing facility wide behavioral consultation and technical assistance to interdisciplinary teams
- Observe patient's behavioral progress according to their therapeutic plan and document patient's response to therapy
- Assisting in the development of facility behavioral training and policies
- Assisting in transitioning patients with challenging behavior into community settings
- Teaching coping skills to help patients manage their emotions and illness in a healthy way
Recovery Specialist
Gateway Homes Recovery
12.2017 - 08.2018
- Provide clients who are transitioning from jail or mental health facilities who have mental health issues with mental health support skill building in a transitional living setting
- Develop and execute programs to treat substance abuse, combat mental disorders, and improve family and social skills
- Demonstrate interpersonal communication and leadership skills in counselling and coaching clients in individual and group settings
- Monitor, evaluate, and measure client progress with respect to treatment goals
- Educate clients on the use of certain medications and their benefits towards their recovery process
- Facilitate therapeutic groups, daily documentation, and medication management
- Provide and advocate for effective recovery-oriented services, assisted clients in obtaining services that fit that individual's recovery needs
- Inform clients about community and natural supports and how to utilize these in the recovery process
- Assist clients in developing empowerment skills through self-advocacy
ID/DD Specialist
Colonial Behavioral Health
08.2015 - 04.2018
- Provide coordination of service treatment documentation for individuals receiving services in ID Day Support
- Participation in treatment team planning for service delivery that is focused on a person-centered approach
- Assure quality of the services with documentation, focusing on accuracy and performance outcomes
- Develop and implement Person-centered plans for individuals
Director
The Brambles
12.2015 - 10.2016
- Overseeing daily operations of residential and day support programs
- Hired and trained staff, coordinated staff schedules, provided staff supervision
- Oversee the financial management of the agency, develop budgets
- Evaluate staff performance
- Participate in conferences, workshops, trainings to enhance skills
- Provided ongoing staff education
- Collaborated with outside agencies representing the agency in the external professional community
Program Manager
Heart Havens Inc
08.2014 - 12.2015
- Responsible for the management of assigned programs and service delivery of the organization
- Facilitated the planning, development, and implementation of person-centered plans
- Developed individuals' goals and outcomes with people supported, coordinating, and participating in individual plan meetings
- Coordinated communications with other service agencies to ensure individual outcomes were met
- Managed personnel by interviewing, hiring, evaluating, supervising
- Provided effective and efficient scheduling of staff to meet the needs and goals of individuals supported and provided on-call 24-hour staff assistance during emergencies
- Ensured current state licensing and certification rules and regulations, accreditations requirements and agency policies and procedures were followed
- Monitored physical upkeep of service sites, vehicles, and personal property
- Coordinated, implemented, and participated in direct support professional staff training and in-services by orienting new staff, scheduling staff for trainings, and maintaining training records
- Managed, and implemented program budgets; provided input for budget development; ensured programs stayed within allocated budget
- Completed audits of program and consumer finances
Residential Supervisor
Hampton Newport News CSB
09.2009 - 07.2014
- Responsible for daily operation of assigned residential programs, including treatment and managerial processes
- Handled crisis intervention as necessary including but not limited to conflict resolution, one on one or group counseling at the group home
- Counsel, monitor, and support clients in achieving their treatment goals
- Managed the daily structure and functioning of residential programs to assure compliance to DBHDS regulations and agency policies and procedures including licensing requirements
- Communicated the needs of the residential program to Clinical Director
- Interpreted agency philosophy, objectives, and program goals
- Monitored clinical and managerial functioning of program staff and provided direct supervision of Residential counsellors, as well as other program and support staff where necessary
- Responsible for written evaluations of assigned staff
- Provided 24-hr on-call coverage
Clinician Assistant
City of Portsmouth Behavioral Health Services
04.2009 - 08.2009
- Supported individuals with developmental disabilities in day support programs
- Implemented individual service plans, recorded individual's behaviors while in the community
- Provided individuals with a safe and supportive environment for therapeutic and/or recreational treatment
- Supported individuals with medication administration, activities of daily living which included assisting with meals and assisting with bathroom training
- Interpersonal and observational skills of the individual's behavior required to capture accurate documentation for reports and plans
- 1:1 constant observation for safety, supervising patients during recreational activities, assisting group
Residential Supervisor
The ARC of Virginia Peninsula
02.2000 - 02.2009
- Responsible for daily operation of assigned residential programs, including treatment and managerial processes
- Managed the daily structure and functioning of residential programs to assure compliance to DBHDS regulations and agency policies and procedures including licensing requirements
- Communicated the needs of the residential program to Clinical Director
- Interpreted agency philosophy, objectives, and program goals
- Monitored clinical and managerial functioning of program staff and provided direct supervision of Residential counsellors, as well as other program and support staff where necessary
- Responsible for written evaluations of assigned staff
- Provided 24-hr on-call coverage
Care Coordinator II
BrightView Health
07.2022 - 12.2024
- Connect patients and families with available resources and follow-up to document use/success of referrals
- Complete detailed reports on needs assessments and care coordination activities
- Input accurate and complete case management data into electronic patient database
- Assist patients in accessing appropriate medical, social, educational, and employment resources
- Monitor and ensure patients are seeing health care professionals outside of Brightview when required by the BrightView treatment team
- Provide crisis and de-escalation techniques
- Assure documentation is completed in compliance with contract regulatory agency requirements and best practices
- Ensure patients have reliable, consistent transportation to BrightView and other care providers
- Coordinate patient care with other BrightView team members
- Complete documentation within specified timeframe using Electronic Medical Records
- Attend required meetings including individual and group supervision, treatment team meeting, and quarterly in-service
Education
MS - CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Saint Leo University
Newport News, VA12.2017
BA - PSYCHOLOGY
Saint Leo University
Fort Eustis, VA12.2012
Skills
- Strong Interpersonal Skills
- Behavioral Health
- Profiler
- Cerner
- Therap
- Kronos
- Familiarity with social, economic, health and cultural factors
- Developmental disabilities experience
- Individual / Group Counseling
- CPR Certified
- Mental Health
- Case Management
- Microsoft Excel
- Customer Service
- Remarkable experience to supervise professional staff
- Mental Health Counseling
- Supervising experience
- Provided ongoing staff education
- Documentation
- Interviewing
- Addiction Counseling
- Microsoft Office
- Participate in conferences, workshops, trainings to enhance skills
- High computer application use skills
- Exceptional ability to maintain confidentiality and security
- Group Therapy
- Excellent familiarity with local, state laws
- Superior skills in building strong working relationships with community
- Motivational Interviewing
- Collaborated with outside agencies representing the agency in the external professional community
- Medication Administration
- Crisis Intervention
- Behavioral Therapy
Certification
- QIDP Certification, 06/23 to 01/28
- Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Supervisee, 12/21 to 12/26
- QMHP-A, 06/18 to 06/25
- First Aid Certification, 03/22 to 03/25
- First/CPR certification
Personal Information
Work Permit: Authorized to work in the US for any employer
Timeline
Counselor I
Pinnacle Treatment
01.2025 - Current
Care Coordinator II
BrightView Health
07.2022 - 12.2024
Substance Abuse Counselor
Pinnacle Treatment Centers
10.2020 - 07.2022
Psychology Associate I
Eastern State Hospital
08.2018 - 08.2020
Recovery Specialist
Gateway Homes Recovery
12.2017 - 08.2018
Director
The Brambles
12.2015 - 10.2016
ID/DD Specialist
Colonial Behavioral Health
08.2015 - 04.2018
Program Manager
Heart Havens Inc
08.2014 - 12.2015
Residential Supervisor
Hampton Newport News CSB
09.2009 - 07.2014
Clinician Assistant
City of Portsmouth Behavioral Health Services
04.2009 - 08.2009
Residential Supervisor
The ARC of Virginia Peninsula
02.2000 - 02.2009
BA - PSYCHOLOGY
Saint Leo University
MS - CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Saint Leo University
Similar Profiles
Stacey CallowayStacey Calloway
Registered Nurse at Pinnacle TreatmentRegistered Nurse at Pinnacle Treatment
Ariel FreemanAriel Freeman
Residential Aide House Manager at Pinnacle TreatmentResidential Aide House Manager at Pinnacle Treatment
Logan CookLogan Cook
Medical Assistant at Pinnacle Treatment Center (Martinsville Treatment Services)Medical Assistant at Pinnacle Treatment Center (Martinsville Treatment Services)
Kaylee JacksonKaylee Jackson
Dining Room Server at Williamsburg LandingDining Room Server at Williamsburg Landing
TIKIRA MARTINTIKIRA MARTIN
Tier 1 Technical Support Specialists, SMIT Program at SAICTier 1 Technical Support Specialists, SMIT Program at SAIC