DENISE EDWARDS
Newark,DE
Summary
Experienced Manager with excellent client and project management skills. Action-oriented with strong ability to communicate effectively. Organized clinician, supervisor, and Case management. Supervision has multiple priorities while maintaining a strong work ethic and exhibiting a positive attitude. Over 20 years of collective work in mental health, social services, and the criminal justice fields, in addition to being educated in working with individuals with co-occurring disorders. Healthcare Administrator is proven to deliver exemplary levels of healthcare service delivery to patients. Coordinate admission and discharge of patients. Plan and implement strategies for developing improved health care management. Proven problem solver and excellent communicator. Strong organizational skills, superb understanding of data collection and performance metrics. Recognized for staff development leading to high performing teams.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Therapist
Holistic Harmony Inc.
10.2024 - Current
- Built strong rapport with clients, fostering trust and open communication for effective therapy sessions.
- Maintained detailed case notes and documentation, ensuring effective tracking of progress and continuity of care across providers.
- Assessed clients' mental health needs, developed treatment plans and monitored progress.
- Provided individual and group therapy sessions to patients suffering from mental health issues.
- Coached clients on effective coping strategies, empowering them to manage symptoms independently outside of therapy sessions.
- Conducted therapy sessions focused on trauma recovery, facilitating patient healing and empowerment.
Substance Use Disorder Program Clinical Supervisor
Vitalcore Health Strategies
10.2024 - Current
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate care for clients with complex needs, ensuring comprehensive support was provided across all domains of life functioning.
- Enhanced team collaboration through regular staff meetings,and training sessions.
- Managing substance abuse issues among the incarcerated patient population. Their responsibilities involve a combination of clinical supervision, treatment planning, and administrative tasks. They provide proper training and a supportive atmosphere to help employees succeed.
Director of Act Services
Apis
12.2020 - Current
- Responsible for oversight of 6 regional ACT teams to ensure regulatory compliance, fiscal viability and excellent client care
- Will supervise all Team Leaders and licensed staff as needed and will act as Team Leader in absence of such
- Ideal candidate must be outcome oriented in fast paced environment with deadlines and take initiative and pride in execution of job responsibilities
- Directors assist with screening, interviewing, and hiring staff, provide clinical and administrative support to teams, responsible for staff development, ensure funder/contractual compliance and incident reviews, analyze data to achieve program goals and seeks trends
- Introduced and implemented new testing and interpretation procedures to maintain standards of care and meet quality assurance benchmarks
- Developed and updated policies and procedures, maintaining compliance with statutory, regulatory
Pre-licensed Therapist
2 MPACT
12.2023 - 10.2024
- Specialize in providing therapy to individuals and couples
- Complete treatment plans, Biopsychosocial assessments
- Focus patient care that is tailored to their unique circumstances
ACT Team Leader
Connections CSP
01.2018 - 12.2020
- Team manager and clinician with administrative and clinical responsibility to manage multidisciplinary team of professionals and paraprofessionals whose ultimate goal is to encourage and facilitate recovery of over 100 individuals living with severe and persistent illness
- Manage team of 12 employees, supervise, complete weekly time sheets, training which includes; motivational Interviewing, assess, medication education, and crisis interventions
- Monitor program compliance, and ensure compliance to TMACT fidelity scale, and SE fidelity scale
- Participates in fidelity reviews with the Chief Administrative Operating Officer and in IMR
- Develops and ensure compliance with monthly staffing schedule, including of around-the-clock face-to-face availability for crisis response
Master Clinician
Connections CSP
03.2016 - 01.2018
- Developed comprehensive treatment plans that focused on accurate diagnosis and behavioral treatment of problems
- Taught clients anger management techniques, relaxation skills, impulse control, social skills, emotional coping skills and functional living skills
- Consulted with psychiatrist about client medication changes, issues with medicine compliance and efficacy of medications
- Organized treatment projects that focused on problem solving skills and creative thinking
- Referred clients to other programs and community agencies to enhance treatment processes
- Created and reviewed master treatment and discharge plans for each client
- Evaluated patients for psychiatric services and psychotropic medications
- Monitored patients prescribed psychotropic medications to assess medications' effectiveness and side effects
- Developed comprehensive treatment plans for patients diagnosed with opioid addictions
- Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment
- Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping them to develop insight into themselves or their relationships
- Guide clients in development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems
- Develop and implement treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge
- Collaborate with other staff members to perform clinical assessments or develop treatment plans
- Refer patients, clients, or family members to community resources or to specialists as necessary
- Act as client advocates to coordinate required services or to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations
- Modify treatment activities or approaches as needed to comply with changes in clients' status
- Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting clients or patients
- Monitor clients' use of medications
Entry Case Manager/ICMS Team Leader
Jail Re, Cumberland County Guidance Center
07.2013 - 03.2016
- Responsible for assisting inmates with reintegration upon release from jail into the community and accepted into the Jail Re-entry's program
- Participates in the development and implementation of individual consumer treatment plans
- Complete assessments and enroll eligible consumers into the Jail Re-entry program
- Assists consumers in development of social, and daily living skills
- Link consumer to appropriate programs to assist with reintegration
- Assists with data collection for monthly program reporting
- Keep all relevant documentation up to date
- Presented case history material to review and discussion with other staff members
- Involved clients' family members in planning social service programs
- Consult with trained and highly skilled mental health and medical professionals
- Strategized with clinical team to inhibit consumer's condensation and recidivism
- Connected clients with community service and resource agencies
- Kept abreast of new and developing information in the mental health field by regularly attending professional conferences and workshops
- Met with Warden and correctional staff on a weekly basis
- Managed 6 employees as a team to provide integrated services for individuals living with co-occurring disorders, and those released from psychiatric institution
Counselor
Gaudenzia
06.2012 - 06.2013
- Developed and implemented treatment plans and modified when needed
- Conducted therapeutic individual and family therapy sessions
- Directed family-centered, strengths-based, culturally competent and individualized intakes and assessments
- Facilitated a smooth discharge by encouraging and reassuring clients throughout their transitions
- Trained in substance abuse, co-occurring disorders, and the effect of employment and housing issues on mental health
- Connected clients with community service and resource agencies
- Provided comprehensive case management services, including creating treatment plans and connecting clients and families to appropriate resources
- Displayed sensitivity to the cultural and linguistic needs of the clients and families served
- Guided clients in effective therapeutic exercises integrated from Cognitive Behavior Therapy
- Kept abreast of new and developing information in the mental health field by regularly attending professional conferences and workshops
- Managed a caseload of (5) patients with substance dependence and co-occurring
Counselor
Salvation Army
01.2011 - 06.2012
- Connected clients with community service and resource agencies
- Presented case history material to review and discussion with other staff members
- Managed a caseload of [28] residences
- Led [3] group therapy sessions each week
- Conducted (15) one-on-one counseling sessions per week
- Explained available substance abuse treatment services to clients from a holistic and spiritual perspective
- Consulted with clients when developing long term treatment plan goals and objectives
- Counseled clients to help them understand and overcome personal, social issues
Mental Health Specialist
10.2010 - 02.2012
- Obtained the necessary signatures on 'Release of Information' forms to obtain medical and treatment records from other service providers
- Encouraged clients to get involved in social, recreational, and other therapeutic activities to enhance interpersonal skills and develop social relationships
- Consulted with and trained highly skilled mental health and medical staff
- Worked with incarcerated individuals with mental health
- Made assessment of inmate's psychological history, assess inmates for risk of suicide attempts
- Assessed inmates in crisis
- Collected information about inmate through interviews, and observation
- Evaluated clients' physical and mental condition, based on review of client information
- Assessed inmates for mental health diagnoses, work closely with psychiatrist and psychologists to refer inmate for further treatment
- Monitored clients' use of medications and recommend clinical intervention when needed
Operations Counselor
Community Educational Center
06.2009 - 10.2010
- Enforce rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and orderly operation of dormitory programs
- Provide emergency first aid and summon medical assistance when necessary
- Mediate interpersonal problems between residents
- Make regular rounds to ensure that residents and areas are safe and secure
- Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students
- Worked with inmates to aid with addictive and criminal behavior
Correctional Officer
Correctional Facility
09.2004 - 02.2008
- Conducted routine and emergency head counts
- Directed the activities of inmate crews working on maintenance, operations, and farming and construction projects
- Inspected work sites and crew trucks for contraband, cleanliness and safety
- Made rounds at specified intervals and conducted head counts and roll calls
- Received and accounted for personal possessions and determined inmate work assignments
- Searched the building and grounds, living quarters and work areas for contraband
- Prepared, processed, and maintained forms, reports, logs, records and activity journals
- Tracked inmates through head counts, visitor logs and scheduled activities
- Escorted inmates to and from cells, court, hospitals, and medical appointments
- Received and inspected mail, property, and funds from visitors on behalf of designated inmates
- Determined and assigned inmates to appropriate housing
- Responded to inquiries from the public, other staff, inmates and visitors
- Observed behavior of residents individually and in groups
- Built solid relationships with staff and residents to help keep the institution safe and secure
- Established healthy relationships and maintained professional boundaries with resident offenders in the institution
- Took prisoners into custody and escorted to locations, education and training
Police Detention Officer
City of Philadelphia
06.1994 - 09.2004
- Maintained the custody and control of inmates housed in maximum security unit
- Conducted routine and emergency head counts
- Made rounds at specified intervals and conducted head counts and roll calls
- Booked new inmates into facility and processed inmates for release
- Prepared, processed, and maintained forms, reports, logs, records and activity journals
- Participated in defendant arraignments; work closely with judges and public defenders
- Prepared court documents for transfer of defendant to county or state prison
- Worked intake, enter prisoner's information into the computer system to update detainee information
- Photographed and fingerprinted and searched prisoners for contraband
Education
Ph.D. Candidate - Industrial And Organizational Psychology
Walden University
Minneapolis, MNMaster of Science - Forensic Psychology
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN05.2012
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN05.2010
Associate of Science - Program Development and Applications
Peirce College
Philadelphia, PA11.2007
Skills
- Activity monitoring
- Skill-Building Exercises
- Patient Care
- Case Management
- Crisis Intervention
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Treatment Planning
- Infection Control Understanding
- Documentation skills
- ADLs Assistance
- Substance abuse experience
- Conflict resolution
- Clinical interventions
- Psychotropic medications knowledge
- Individual and group counseling
- One-on-one sessions
- Crisis intervention
- CBT techniques
- Multicultural competence
Certification
- Certification Advance Alcohol and Drug counseling
- Certified Mental Health screener
- Licensed Master Social Worker
- License Chemical Dependency Professional
Affiliations
- Honor Society
- Cum Laude
- Dean's List
Timeline
Therapist
Holistic Harmony Inc.
10.2024 - Current
Substance Use Disorder Program Clinical Supervisor
Vitalcore Health Strategies
10.2024 - Current
Pre-licensed Therapist
2 MPACT
12.2023 - 10.2024
Director of Act Services
Apis
12.2020 - Current
ACT Team Leader
Connections CSP
01.2018 - 12.2020
Master Clinician
Connections CSP
03.2016 - 01.2018
Entry Case Manager/ICMS Team Leader
Jail Re, Cumberland County Guidance Center
07.2013 - 03.2016
Counselor
Gaudenzia
06.2012 - 06.2013
Counselor
Salvation Army
01.2011 - 06.2012
Mental Health Specialist
10.2010 - 02.2012
Operations Counselor
Community Educational Center
06.2009 - 10.2010
Correctional Officer
Correctional Facility
09.2004 - 02.2008
Police Detention Officer
City of Philadelphia
06.1994 - 09.2004
Master of Science - Forensic Psychology
Walden University
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Walden University
Associate of Science - Program Development and Applications
Peirce College
- Certification Advance Alcohol and Drug counseling
- Certified Mental Health screener
- Licensed Master Social Worker
- License Chemical Dependency Professional
Ph.D. Candidate - Industrial And Organizational Psychology
Walden University
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