Christine Pontes, LCSWA
Raleigh,NC
Summary
Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate with 14+ years of experience across mental health and social services. Grounded in social work core values, with a client-centered, trauma-informed approach and a strong commitment to improving health and well-being while advancing meaningful, systems-level change.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
4
4
Certification
Work History
Mental Health Therapist
Harmony Bay Wellness
05.2024 - 11.2025
- Provide individual and couples therapy to adults using evidence-based approaches, including DBT, IFS, and Motivational Interviewing.
- Partner with clients to develop strengths-based, client-centered treatment plans aligned with their goals.
- Deliver crisis intervention and safety planning for acute mental health needs, including suicidal ideation, self-harm, and domestic violence.
- Collaborate with external providers to support coordinated, comprehensive care.
- Monitor progress through ongoing assessment and adjust treatment plans as needed.
- Offer clinical insight and client advocacy to inform program policies and workflows.
- Lead team presentations and share subject-matter expertise when needed.
- Maintain timely, accurate, and compliant electronic health record documentation.
Behavioral Health Care Manager
Steward Health Care Network ACO
04.2018 - 05.2024
- Delivered comprehensive care management for Medicaid members with mental health, substance use, and complex social needs, with a focus on reducing hospitalizations and improving outcomes.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams and community partners to coordinate high-quality, integrated care across medical, behavioral health, and social service systems.
- Provided clinical consultation and led care coordination meetings with providers, hospital teams, and community agencies to advocate for member needs.
- Conducted biopsychosocial assessments to develop strengths-based, individualized care plans and connect members to behavioral health and essential community resources.
- Responded to crises with timely intervention, safety planning, and connection to emergency or higher-level services.
- Ensured care management services met Medicaid quality measures and documentation standards, supporting regulatory compliance, performance benchmarks, and continuous quality improvement.
In-home Therapist (Master’s Level Clinician)
Northeast Family Services
08.2022 - 01.2023
- Delivered intensive, home-based therapy to children, adolescents, and families to address emotional, behavioral, and relational challenges within home and community settings.
- Developed individualized, client-centered treatment plans and implemented evidence-based, strengths-based interventions to build coping skills, improve communication, and promote stability.
- Provided clinical leadership and guidance to assigned Therapeutic Training & Support (TT&S) staff, offering structure, feedback, and coaching to support effective intervention delivery.
- Collaborated regularly with collateral partners, including schools, outpatient providers, and state agencies (e.g., DCF, DMH), to ensure coordinated care.
- Responded to crises with safety planning and intervention for high-risk clients and participated in ongoing clinical supervision and team consultation.
Behavioral Specialist
Crystal Springs
04.2016 - 04.2018
- Delivered high-level behavioral support within an integrated school and residential setting for children and young adults (ages 4–22) with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Designed, implemented, and monitored behavior support plans with the goal of managing maladaptive behaviors
- Provided leadership in crisis response
- Led training and ongoing coaching for direct care staff and educators on behavior plans, de-escalation techniques, and data collection protocols
- Collaborated with internal and external interdisciplinary teams
- Maintained thorough and timely documentation of behavioral progress, incident reports, required data collection, and treatment reliability.
Education
Master’s - Social Work
Simmons University
08.2022
Bachelor of science - Legal Studies and Communications
Roger Williams University
12.2012
Skills
- Expertise in mental health care and behavioral health systems
- Leadership and collaboration across interdisciplinary teams
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including proficiency in public speaking
- Proficient in treatment planning and comprehensive assessments
- Published writer with demonstrated proficiency in advocacy-based writing
- Knowledge of development and experience advocating for policy and workflow improvements
- Capable of working in high-pressure environments using strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Accomplishments
Civil Liberties & Advocacy
- Selected for and graduated from the ACLU of North Carolina Civil Liberties Action Program (CLAPback), a competitive pilot political education initiative focused on North Carolina government, civil liberties, grassroots advocacy, and community organizing (June 2025).
Policy Writing & Public Commentary
- Authored a published op-ed in NC Newsline examining the role of education in countering legislative attacks on the transgender community, contributing to statewide public discourse on civil rights and policy (July 2025)
Leadership & Professional Impact
- Demonstrated leadership in multiple roles by providing clinical guidance, consultation, and skills-based coaching to direct care staff to ensure effective, ethical, and consistent implementation of behavioral and therapeutic interventions.
- Supported and trained multidisciplinary and paraprofessional staff through modeling, feedback, and problem-solving to improve intervention fidelity, client engagement, and treatment outcomes.
- Selected as a subject-matter resource to deliver professional presentations and trainings on clinical topics, including the use of Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques in high-conflict, resistant, or confrontational client interactions.
Clinical Training & Credentials
- Trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Internal Family Systems (IFS), with extensive experience integrating these modalities through an eclectic, client-centered approach to develop and implement individualized interventions
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate in three states: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and North Carolina.
Affiliations
Member of National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter Legislative Committee (February 2025-Current)
- Advocate for policies that advance the social work profession and promote social justice in alignment with core social work values.
- Write opinion editorials and scripts to advocate for or against legislation as action that aligns with our legislative agenda
- Meet and communicate with state legislators to discuss key issues, provide expert insight, and support legislation that addresses identified priorities.
- Mobilize community support and build relationships with policymakers to strengthen advocacy efforts
Volunteer leader for ACLU-NC (June 2025-Current)
- Facilitate meetings and manage hub operations and organizing
- Build long-term people power through organizing at the state and local level
- Create and foster relationships in the community through hubs
- Offer political education, advocacy, and organizing tools to support sustainable action through mobilization
- Participate in and promote ACLU-NC events
Certification
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate in North Carolina License Number: P021762 Issue date: 2025-02-04 Expiration Date: 2027-02-04
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Massachusetts License number: LCSW229587 Issue date: 2023-08-01 Expiration date: 2025-10-31
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Rhode Island License Number: CSW03495 Issue date: 2023-09-29 Expiration Date: 2025-05-01
- Adult CPR/AED Certification American Red Cross Certification ID: 01RH16R
Timeline
Mental Health Therapist
Harmony Bay Wellness
05.2024 - 11.2025
In-home Therapist (Master’s Level Clinician)
Northeast Family Services
08.2022 - 01.2023
Behavioral Health Care Manager
Steward Health Care Network ACO
04.2018 - 05.2024
Behavioral Specialist
Crystal Springs
04.2016 - 04.2018
Bachelor of science - Legal Studies and Communications
Roger Williams University
Master’s - Social Work
Simmons University