Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Languages
Timeline
Generic

DEBORAH DEDICKSON

Portland,OR

Summary

Dynamic leader in behavioral health management with a strong focus on quality assurance and crisis line operations. Achieved high service levels and compliance through effective data analysis and contract management. Demonstrates exceptional decision-making and relationship-building skills to foster collaboration and drive initiatives that enhance organizational capacity. Committed to advancing service delivery standards in the behavioral health sector.

Overview

37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Director of Quality Assurance

Lines for Life
Portland, OR
09.2022 - Current
  • Provide strategic direction and oversight of the Quality Assurance Department at Lines for Life to ensure that the organization’s prevention, intervention and postvention services maintain a high service level
  • Monitor HIPAA compliance
  • Provide clinical supervision for QA specialists and the Contract Relationship Manager
  • Conduct data analysis to identify performance trends that inform training strategies
  • Exceeded Vibrant’s quality standards for 988 National Backup Centers throughout service contract
  • Collaborated with the Lines for Life Data Team to launch a QA Data Dashboard that provides easy visibility into scoring trends for clinical supervisors, quality assurance specialists and the Human Resources Department
  • Completed 988 MOU’s with 30 County Mental Health Providers is Oregon in compliance with Oregon Administrative Rule 309-072-0140
  • Integrated ReflexAI software into the array of tools used to offer clinical feedback for crisis counselors, creating an invaluable resource for acknowledging and validating strong skills as well as catching patterns of weak skills that need to be addressed

Director of Crisis Line Operations

Lines for Life
Portland, OR
06.2021 - 08.2022
  • Manage all aspects of Crisis Line Operations, including supervision of Operational Staff and Quality Assurance Department
  • Analyze call center data and collaborate with HR, Staffing, IT and Training Departments to ensure proper staffing levels to meet contractual requirements
  • Lead strategic initiatives designed to increase functional capacity needed for 988
  • Launched 24/7 Crisis Text/Chat Program for 988
  • Co-wrote successful grant proposals for Healthy Oregon Workforce Grant, Boeing Grant, Clackamas County Contract Renewal and 988 National Backup Center Contract
  • Organized Crisis Line staffing for Full Shutdown of VCL in April of 2022, receiving high accolades from VCL leadership for highest call answer rate ever achieved during an outage
  • Guided QA Department through overhaul of procedures needed to meet VCL 2.0 quality standards
  • Achieved high ratings during 2021 AAS Re-accreditation process

Assistant Director, Crisis Line Program

Lines for Life
Portland, OR
09.2008 - 06.2021
  • Provide clinical and operational oversight for team of 150+ crisis intervention specialists and 120+ volunteers
  • Manage 24/7 call center to provide supportive counseling, crisis intervention, resource and referral services in accordance with agency’s philosophy of humanistic, strength-based, trauma-informed care
  • Ensure quality service delivery for three dozen contracts, including the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Drug and Alcohol Helpline, Military Helpline, Veterans Crisis Line, Senior Loneliness Line, Youthline, and multiple after-hours crisis lines for local behavioral health agencies
  • Monitor compliance with agency policy as well as contractual and accreditation requirements
  • Provide direct clinical supervision for Adult Volunteer Coordinator, Adolescent Acute Care Coordinator, and Contract Lines Shift Supervisors
  • Expanded crisis line program from 5 contracts in 2009 to 36 contracts in 2020
  • Facilitated 43 ASIST workshops (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and 19 Mental Health First Aid Trainings from 2010 through 2020
  • Built program capacity from 36,000 calls answered in 2010 to 148,000 calls answered in 2021
  • Graduated from Lines for Life’s Leadership Institute in July of 2019

Program Director

Blazers Boys & Girls Club
Portland, OR
01.1998 - 01.2000
  • Design and implement all aspects of service and educational programming at inner-city club serving 200 children daily, promoting resiliency in at-risk youth
  • Develop and maintain positive relationships with members, families, and community
  • Enhance program content, delivery, and impact
  • Hire, train and supervise staff

Individual Services Director

Boys and Girls Club of Hudson
Hudson, MA
01.1995 - 01.1998
  • Plan social and educational programs to help youth ages 6-17 achieve full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens
  • Counsel at-risk youth and refer to appropriate social services
  • Lead weekly psychoeducational support groups
  • Hire, supervise and train staff, interns and volunteers
  • Maintain discipline and develop behavioral plans
  • Sparked revitalization of programming in the area of arts and education, initiating the Fine Arts Exhibit Program, the Summer Enrichment Program, and a re-designed after-school homework program
  • Tripled membership over 17-month period by increasing structure, expanding program offerings, and improving staff supervision, restoring stability to a Club that had experienced declining membership

Dual Diagnosis Clinician

Advocates, Inc.
Framingham, MA
01.1994 - 01.1995
  • Treat men and women with substance abuse and mental health issues through individual psychotherapy
  • Conduct intake interviews and psychosocial evaluations
  • Lead chemical dependency group for people in early stages of recovery
  • Present cases and provide consultation on adult treatment team
  • Wrote court-ordered substance abuse evaluations for clients with DUI convictions

Youth Development Counselor

Advocates, Inc.
Framingham, MA
01.1993 - 01.1995
  • Develop substance abuse and conflict resolution curricula and lead adolescent drug and alcohol education groups
  • Evaluate youth in need of substance abuse services in conjunction with student assistance program at local high school
  • Design and deliver workshops
  • Completed needs assessment on violence in the community

Assistant Manager

Advocates, Inc.
Dedham, MA
01.1992 - 01.1993
  • Hire, train and supervise staff for group home of adults with dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse
  • Provide counseling and case management for residents
  • Prepare and manage staff schedules
  • Review and monitor client files to insure adherence to Department of Mental Health standards

Counselor and Caseworker

Advocates, Inc.
Dedham, MA
01.1989 - 01.1992
  • Counsel dual diagnosis adults in a residential setting
  • Develop and implement individual treatment plans

Education

M.A. - Counseling Psychology

Boston College
Boston, MA
06-1994

B.A. - Psychology and Women’s Studies

Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
06-1986

Skills

  • Decision-making
  • Relationship building
  • Change management
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • Report writing
  • HIPAA compliance
  • Data analysis
  • Contract management

Websites

Certification

  • Intentional Peer Support, Folktime, 2020
  • Mental Health First Aid - Youth, Adult, Veterans, AOCMHP, 2012
  • Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, Oregon Partnership, March 2008

Languages

Spanish
Elementary

Timeline

Director of Quality Assurance

Lines for Life
09.2022 - Current

Director of Crisis Line Operations

Lines for Life
06.2021 - 08.2022

Assistant Director, Crisis Line Program

Lines for Life
09.2008 - 06.2021

Program Director

Blazers Boys & Girls Club
01.1998 - 01.2000

Individual Services Director

Boys and Girls Club of Hudson
01.1995 - 01.1998

Dual Diagnosis Clinician

Advocates, Inc.
01.1994 - 01.1995

Youth Development Counselor

Advocates, Inc.
01.1993 - 01.1995

Assistant Manager

Advocates, Inc.
01.1992 - 01.1993

Counselor and Caseworker

Advocates, Inc.
01.1989 - 01.1992

M.A. - Counseling Psychology

Boston College

B.A. - Psychology and Women’s Studies

Wellesley College

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