ELIZABETH TAPIA RODRIGUEZ
San Antonio,TX
Summary
Experienced Unification Specialist working for the office refugee resettlement for more than three years with solid history of managing complex caseloads and providing comprehensive support to diverse client populations. Proven ability to assess client needs and develop tailored action plans that drive positive outcomes. Demonstrated strong communication and problem-solving skills in high-pressure environments.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Unification Specialist
8-Koy
06.2024 - Current
- Initiate, coordinate, and maintain direct contact with unaccompanied child refugees and their family members while the minor is in ORR care, while efficiently working to safely release the minor from client care and reunify the child with its family.
- In conjunction with program staff, communicate reunification updates to the minor.
- Participate in case staffing with the program and field as needed to discuss reunification progress.
- Facilitate the timely release or discharge of minors to identified family members or authorized caregiver/custodians and document the provision of services in each minor’s case file.
- Report significant incidents in accordance with client policies and procedures.
- Maintain the minor’s case file and case management portal in accordance with client policies and procedures.
- Conduct initial program intake of minors to verify information, identify family/sponsors and make initial contact.
- Act as the facilitator of communication between minors, sponsors, staff, and others as appropriate.
- Complete all assessments with minor and family/sponsors, in accordance with policies and procedures.
- Identify and process potential sponsors.
- Help sponsor to complete all required forms and submit documentation.
- Maintain communication with the minor and their family/sponsors through meetings and phone calls.
- Refer minor for additional services or programs, as needed, within the current program and after release, including documenting/reporting serious incidents through required communication channels.
- Confirm the children are receiving all required services, meeting regularly with the minors to ensure their wellbeing.
- Attend all case staffing discussions, training, and other meetings as part of the minor’s care team, provide status updates and collaborate with other stakeholders.
- Handle crisis intervention, conflict, confrontation, or other complex people situations with compassion and decisiveness.
- Work with traumatized/exploited minors and minors with behavioral problems.
- Support a diverse group of clients, including refugees or other minority families.
- Work cross-functionally with TPG personnel and social services agencies to deliver the highest quality of work under extreme pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
- Operate technology high level of comfortability and learn new software applications quickly to complete required data entry tasks.
- Work independently in the field and exercise a high level of confidentiality.
- Utilize knowledge of state, community, and agency resources for victims of abuse.
- Assist in vetting sponsors nationwide.
- Duties are performed via a government approved computer system. Employees are required to possess strong computer skills in MS Word and Excel.
- Perform related duties as assigned, within your scope of practice – management reserves the right to revise these duties as necessary.
Case Manager
ORR Upbring TFC
02.2023 - 06.2024
- Oversee all aspects of the Unaccompanied children (UC) case and provide release recommendations for safe and timely release
- Maintain case file documentation in accordance with ORR requirements
- Maintaining confidentiality when gathering, documenting, consulting or consolidating information necessary for the case management assessment and the plan of care
- Maintaining regular contact with each UC, UC’s family, and established service providers to communicate case planning and progress in a timely manner to the minor`s, sponsors and foster parents
- Provide client services as needed, including but not limited to making consulate requests for document verifications purposes, communicating with foster parents about the minor’s adaptation to the home and overall wellbeing of the minor, finding resources for the sponsors, etc
- Gather historical and current data relative to the minors health history and family interactions and minors journey experiences in order to have a comprehensive case management assessment including, but not limited to, all-around wellbeing of the minor during the stay under our care, medical records for a safe and healthy reunification, working closely with the clinicians to ensure the mental health needs of the minors are being met during the minor`s stay in the program, legal status and court involvement, social and family strengths and needs, support systems, and specific cultural issues
- Present case to federal stakeholders as requested
- Participate in team meetings, staff in-service training and department meetings
- With a case load of up to 12 clients, varying on program census
- Completing Child Level Events (CLEs), per federal policy requirements
- Conducting internal chart reviews to monitor documentation compliance
Grant Administrator and Social Services Shelter Supervisor
Salvation Army
07.2022 - 02.2023
- Company Overview: Texas Veterans Commission (TVC)
- Interview applicants or recipients to define eligibility for TVC grant benefits
- Interprets and explains rules & regulations of eligibility grants, methods of payment and legal rights to applicant or recipient
- Records & evaluates personal financial data obtained from applicant or recipient for defining initial or continuing eligibility
- Initiate procedures to grant, modify, deny, or terminate eligibility
- Authorizes amount of grant, based on determination of eligibility for amount of money
- Identifies need for social services, and makes referrals to various agencies community resources available
- Prepares regular special reports as required, and submits individual recommendations for consideration by supervisor
- Prepares keeps records of assigned cases
- Plan, direct, coordinate and monitor the day-to-day operations of all transitional, emergency, crisis intervention needs, and residential services; supervise all residential services staff, and ensures work conducts is in compliance with established policies and procedures as well as local, state and federal regulations; monitors assigned caseload of clients participating daily in a short-term life management program
- Communicate and coordinate with the Social Services director to identify and establish short- and long-range plans, goals and objectives for all residential services; establishes operational mission statements and objectives for all areas related to residential services; provide leadership, motivation and direction to thirteen residential services staff members in achieving these goals and objectives
- Interview applicants to determine eligibility for program enrollment based on established guidelines and requirements; conduct needs assessment, obtains pertinent information and establish program goals for eligible clients; refers applicants to other agencies if not appropriate for program
- Develop client intake and case plans for clients, instruct clients in completing necessary paperwork including goals and/or budget forms; completes orientation check-off form and obtains release of information forms when appropriate; completes social history on new clients each week
- Prepares and maintains case records and logs on all assigned clients; ensure the accuracy and completeness of the same
- Ensure clients comply with house rules; check client’s baggage for drugs, alcohol, weapons and pornography; records incidents and notifies supervisor of any special circumstances or unusual problems; ensure security of facility and clients; arms and disarms alarms in accordance with lodge policy; locks and secures area inappropriate for client entry
- Texas Veterans Commission (TVC)
Child Services Director Administrative Assistant
Chenega Healthcare
07.2021 - 04.2022
- Company Overview: ORR EIS Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas
- Emergency Influx Site (EIS) for Unaccompanied Children (UC)
- Schedule the daily activities, of up to 4000 children housed in a variety of specialized dormitory settings, to ensure they receive required and supplemental services, i.e., case management, educational, medical, legal, recreational, spiritual, special events and other wellness activities
- This scheduling requires the careful orchestration of secure and succinct movements throughout the EIS, that avoid the co-mingling of female and male UC, and minimizes potential encounters with UC from other dorms to enhance timely flow
- While scheduling is conceptualized for a daily program of activities, it is carefully scrutinized and published daily in order to adjust for unplanned incidents such as construction, health considerations, COVID-19 spread prevention, severe weather, outside visitors, special events, etc
- The scheduling of UC daily activities, and subsequent tracking and reporting of daily participation, involves substantial daily communication and coordination with all entities (civilian contractors, direct care, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, volunteer core, etc.,) providing UC services at the EIS
- ORR EIS Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas
- Emergency Influx Site (EIS) for Unaccompanied Children (UC)
Case Manager
Insight Global
03.2021 - 07.2021
- Conduct investigative activities such as interviewing, gathering of information from public and governmental sources, obtaining evidentiary documents from UC sponsors and others, fingerprints etc., in order to ascertain relationship of sponsor to UC and make suitability recommendations
- Additionally, conduct UC assessments and ensure clinical, educational, and medical assessments are completed and contain the adequate information required to establish or recommend UC services while at EIS and/or post release services
- Provide information to UC about the process, listen to his/her concerns and provide updates on the status of the case
- Document findings and submit for approval the reunification of the UC with sponsor or transfer to another facility pending reunification with a sponsor
- Record in detail any information that may call into question the suitability of the sponsor to ensure safety and wellbeing of UC
National English Program Coordinator (PRONI)
PRONI
09.2017 - 08.2019
- Company Overview: Agua Prieta Son, Mex
- Developed and implemented the curriculums, Plan, organize, and conduct teacher training, conferences, or workshops
- Analyze students' test data, Assess and discuss the curriculum standards with school staff
- Review and suggest textbooks and other educational materials, Recommend teaching techniques and the use of different or new technologies
- Develop procedures for teachers to implement a curriculum, Train teachers and other instructional staff in new content or programs
- Mentor or coach teachers to improve their skills
- Evaluated the effectiveness of curriculums and teaching techniques established by school boards, states, or federal regulations
- Observe teachers in the classroom, review student test data, and discuss the curriculum with the school staff
- Based on their research, they may recommend changes in curriculums to the school board
- Conducted training for teachers related to teaching or technology
- For example, instructional coordinators explain new learning standards to teachers and demonstrate effective teaching methods to achieve them
- Program planning, development, and evaluation, related-class instruction, job instruction and coordination, guidance and advice, program administration and management, community, and public relations
- Agua Prieta Son, Mex
Education
BACHELOR’S DEGREE - Education
IDESA
Sonora07-2019
Skills
- Bi-lingual in Spanish and English
- Knowledge of Federal, State and agency regulations
- Knowledge of adolescent developmental issues
- Knowledge of trauma
- Knowledge of abuse and neglect
- Knowledge of substance abuse and dependence
- Knowledge of delinquency
- Knowledge of peer influence
- Related group and individual interventions
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Interpretation
- Public speaking
- Tutoring
- Computer skills
- Excel
- Adobe Acrobat
- Early childhood education
- Customer service
Certification
- ESOL Certification
- ESL Certification
- TKT
- TOEFL
- CAL
- TESOL
Languages
Spanish
Full Professional
English
Professional Working
Timeline
Unification Specialist
8-Koy
06.2024 - Current
Case Manager
ORR Upbring TFC
02.2023 - 06.2024
Grant Administrator and Social Services Shelter Supervisor
Salvation Army
07.2022 - 02.2023
Child Services Director Administrative Assistant
Chenega Healthcare
07.2021 - 04.2022
Case Manager
Insight Global
03.2021 - 07.2021
National English Program Coordinator (PRONI)
PRONI
09.2017 - 08.2019
BACHELOR’S DEGREE - Education
IDESA
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