Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Chigozie Avugara

East Hampton,CT

Summary

Friendly and engaging counseling professional offering 7years of experience providing behavioral interventions staff training, individual counseling, and mental health group discussion Skilled in team management and clinical assessments and interventions. Passionate about providing support and resources for patients with substance abuse issues and other mental health disorders.

Overview

8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certificate

Work History

Substance Abuse Counselor

Root Center For Advanced Recovery
Willimantic, CT
12.2020 - Current
  • Supported and assessed clients struggling with addiction or relationship issues and devised strategies based on client needs.
  • Developed goal-oriented psychoeducational and activity therapy groups to improve clients' level of functioning.
  • Displayed sensitivity to cultural and linguistic needs of clients and families served.
  • Guided clients in effective therapeutic exercises integrated from Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
  • Directed family-centered, strengths-based, culturally competent and individualized intakes and assessments.
  • Facilitated group and individual therapy in outpatient setting.
  • Provided comprehensive case management services, created treatment plans and connected clients and families to appropriate resources.
  • Provided counseling and support to clients with drug and alcohol abuse issues.
  • Completed required documentation for continued therapy coverage by insurance companies to meet deadlines.
  • Developed individual treatment goals based on history and diagnosis.

Behavior Support Therapist

Residential Management Services
Meriden, CT
10.2019 - 12.2021
  • Developed intervention support plans for students to build behavioral skill capacity and preserve student access to instruction.
  • Delivered evidence-based behavior curricula to students while maintaining high levels of behavioral and academic expectations for students.
  • Utilized variety of methods, skills and tools to provide direct behavior support to students on caseload.
  • Delivered mental health support for female patients suffering from post-partum depression and generalized anxiety disorder.
  • Worked with clinical psychiatrist and primary care physician to review patient progress and update treatment plans.
  • Effectively maintained caseload of 50 sessions per week using alternative therapies.
  • Completed full behavioral assessments to determine best courses of actions.
  • Quickly learned new skills and applied them to daily tasks, improving efficiency and productivity.

Project Coordinator (Contract)

Veterans Affairs Medical Center
West Haven, CT
08.2018 - 11.2019
  • Sourced, vetted and managed vendors needed to accomplish project goals.
  • Built successful project plans covering objectives, resources and staffing to meet schedules.
  • Maintained open communication by presenting regular updates on project status to customers.
  • Scheduled and facilitated meetings between project stakeholders to discuss deliverables, schedules and conflicts.
  • Verified quality of deliverables and conformance to specifications before submitting to clients.
  • Obtained needed resources by strategically negotiating with stakeholders and outside suppliers.
  • Tracked project and team member performance closely to quickly intervene in mistakes or delays.
  • Reported regularly to managers on project budget, progress and technical problems.
  • Recruited and oversaw personnel to achieve performance and quality targets.
  • Adhered to budget requirements with excellent planning and consistent expense monitoring.
  • Managed on-site evaluations, internal audits and customer surveys.
  • Carried out day-day-day duties accurately and efficiently.
  • Oversaw daily operations to ensure high levels of productivity.

Clinical Case Manager

Hartford Healthcare
Meriden, CT
08.2015 - 08.2018
  • Increased referral rates by providing excellent service and building meaningful relationships with patients and caregivers.
  • Participated in professional growth programs to support special education improvement efforts.
  • Identified care needs of individual patients and coordinated responses based on physician advice, insurance limitations and procedural costs.
  • Complied with applicable program research and evaluation procedures.
  • Participated as member of multi-disciplinary team providing on-going case management services to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
  • Provided crisis intervention and risk assessments.
  • Participated in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program meetings and in-service trainings.
  • Assisted with outreach and engagement services to engage clients and maintain working relationships.
  • Educated patients and loved ones about different treatment options and outside care approaches to reduce burden on hospital resources.
  • Managed support services and fostered communication among social workers, therapists, hospital staff and patients.
  • Improved staff performance by recreating disciplinary procedures commensurate with level of infraction.
  • Conducted training for educational staff to properly identify learning disabilities and remediation strategies.
  • Managed caseload of 70 clients in welfare system to provide comprehensive, community-based care.

Education

Master of Science - Applied Behavior Analysis

Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
01.2022

Ph.D. - Counseling And Traumatology

Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA
08.2019

Master of Science - Counseling Psychology

Southern New Hampshire University
Hooksett, NH
11.2016

Skills

  • Providing community referrals
  • Specimen testing
  • Individual counseling
  • Clinical assessment
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Clinical Documentation
  • Analytical and Critical Thinking
  • Written Communication
  • Cultural Awareness
  • Organization and Time Management
  • Data Entry
  • Problem-Solving

Accomplishments

  • Trained a team of 10 staff members.
  • Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets.

Certification

Certified in Public Budgeting

Timeline

Substance Abuse Counselor

Root Center For Advanced Recovery
12.2020 - Current

Behavior Support Therapist

Residential Management Services
10.2019 - 12.2021

Project Coordinator (Contract)

Veterans Affairs Medical Center
08.2018 - 11.2019

Clinical Case Manager

Hartford Healthcare
08.2015 - 08.2018

Master of Science - Applied Behavior Analysis

Arizona State University

Ph.D. - Counseling And Traumatology

Liberty University

Master of Science - Counseling Psychology

Southern New Hampshire University

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Chigozie Avugara