CHRISTIONA HARRIS
Human Services Specialist
Baltimore,Maryland
Summary
Program Operations and Human Services professional with 8+ years of experience supporting vulnerable populations through healthcare, behavioral health, child welfare, education, and community-based programming. Experienced in government-funded programs, case management operations, crisis intervention, stakeholder engagement, compliance documentation, courtroom support, and multidisciplinary coordination. Recognized for thorough courtroom testimony, strong client engagement, crisis response, and ability to navigate complex family systems while maintaining compliance with state regulations and confidentiality requirements. Proven success collaborating with government agencies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, legal professionals, and community partners to improve service delivery and client outcomes.
Overview
5
5
Certifications
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Family Support Worker II
Maryland Department of Human Services – Baltimore County Department of Social Services
01.2024 - Current
- Coordinate services supporting child welfare, foster care, family reunification, and visitation programs throughout Baltimore County.
- Facilitate supervised family visitation while ensuring child safety, crisis de-escalation, and positive parent-child engagement.
- Deliver parent coaching and life-skills instruction designed to strengthen family stability and improve reunification outcomes.
- Provide crisis intervention and emergency support for families experiencing medical, behavioral, and placement-related emergencies.
- Collaborate with social workers, medical professionals, educational institutions, courts, foster care providers, and community organizations.
- Conducted assessments to identify family needs and strengths, guiding appropriate interventions.
- Prepare detailed case documentation, service records, and compliance reports within established agency deadlines.
- Supported families in locating and utilizing community resources and services.
- Assisted families in accessing community resources and services to enhance well-being.
Administrative Manager & Lead Rehabilitation Counselor
Steps 2wards Success
01.2022 - 01.2023
- Supported administrative and operational management functions for a community-based behavioral health and psychiatric rehabilitation program serving adolescents and families.
- Coordinated intake, eligibility review, referral processing, service enrollment, and client onboarding activities.
- Assisted with PRP authorization and reauthorization processes, including collection of supporting clinical documentation, medical necessity information, rehabilitation assessments, and treatment planning requirements.
- Ensured compliance with Maryland Medicaid, behavioral health, confidentiality, and documentation standards to uphold program integrity.
- Collaborated with therapists, psychiatrists, case managers, community providers, schools, and family members to coordinate service delivery and continuity of care.
- Facilitated development, implementation, and monitoring of Individual Rehabilitation Plans (IRPs) to enhance client outcomes and service documentation.
- Managed client intake systems, reducing administrative errors and improving processing efficiency.
- Conducted crisis intervention and stabilization support for youth experiencing behavioral health challenges.
- Facilitated psychoeducational groups, life-skills programming, and rehabilitation services for adolescents ages 11–17.
- Created and launched program activities that engaged participants and drove 40% growth in program enrollment within first 90 days.
- Connected clients and families to community resources, behavioral health services, educational supports, and social service programs.
- Participated in multidisciplinary case reviews and provided recommendations regarding client progress, service needs, and treatment goals.
Contractual Instructional Coordinator
Youth Ambassador Leadership Academy
01.2023 - 2023
- Delivered educational workshops and training sessions to support youth leadership development.
- Coordinated program schedules and stakeholder communications to enhance participant engagement.
- Delivered educational workshops and training sessions, fostering youth leadership development.
- Analyzed student performance data to identify areas for improvement in instructional practices.
- Coordinated program schedules, stakeholder communications, and participant engagement activities.
- Analyzed student performance data, identifying critical areas for improvement in instructional practices.
Independent Transportation Professional
01.2022 - 01.2024
- Provided safe and reliable transportation services throughout the Baltimore metropolitan area while maintaining exceptional customer satisfaction.
- Utilized GPS navigation systems and real-time traffic monitoring to ensure efficient route planning and on-time arrivals.
- Maintained detailed awareness of local roadways, hospitals, medical facilities, and community resources throughout the region.
- Assisted elderly, disabled, and mobility-limited passengers with entering, exiting, and loading personal belongings while ensuring safety and professionalism.
- Demonstrated strong time-management skills while managing multiple pick-up and drop-off schedules.
- Maintained accurate trip records and adhered to transportation safety standards.
- Managed confidential passenger information with professionalism and discretion.
- Consistently exercised independent judgment and problem-solving skills in rapidly changing transportation environments.
Education
Human Services & Counseling Coursework
Grand Canyon University
High School Diploma - Health Sciences Magnet Program
Milford Mill Academy
Skills
Child Welfare Systems
Family Support Planning
Crisis Intervention
Case management
Client Advocacy
Stakeholder Engagement
Policy Adherence
Service Evaluation
Risk Assessment
Resource Allocation
Service Optimization
Community Education
Local Resource Networking
Microsoft Office Suite
Accomplishments
- Recognized by leadership and legal professionals for thorough, professional courtroom testimony.
- Supported multidisciplinary teams responsible for child safety, permanency planning, and family reunification outcomes.
- Managed complex stakeholder relationships across government, healthcare, education, and community systems.
- Demonstrated success in crisis intervention, compliance documentation, and service coordination.
Certification
Certified Life Coach
Timeline
Family Support Worker II
Maryland Department of Human Services – Baltimore County Department of Social Services
01.2024 - Current
Contractual Instructional Coordinator
Youth Ambassador Leadership Academy
01.2023 - 2023
Administrative Manager & Lead Rehabilitation Counselor
Steps 2wards Success
01.2022 - 01.2023
Independent Transportation Professional
01.2022 - 01.2024
High School Diploma - Health Sciences Magnet Program
Milford Mill Academy
Human Services & Counseling Coursework
Grand Canyon University
ADDITIONAL RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
- Home Health Aide
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Phlebotomy Technician
- Live-In Caregiver
- Transportation Services Professional
- Combined experience supporting healthcare operations, patient advocacy, crisis response, documentation, transportation logistics, confidential information management, and customer service in high-pressure environments.