Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

ELIZABTH LOPEZ

Fort Worth,TX

Summary

Licensed Social Worker with over seven (7) years of experience demonstrating a strong commitment to advocating for mental health and at-risk children and families. Skilled in assessing and providing ongoing support to families. Track record for managing high caseloads in an efficient manner to successfully advocate for clients from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Overview

8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Assessment Specialist

Mesa Springs
10.2023 - Current
  • Receive inquiry calls and assist callers with scheduling a face-to-face assessment or triage to the appropriate community referral
  • Screen for medical and behavioral emergency conditions
  • Perform a comprehensive assessment and quality therapeutic care to patients seeking treatment of substance abuse, dual diagnosis or psychiatric or emotional disorders; coordinates with the clinical team/on-call physician to ensure these needs are met either at the facility or other appropriate community provider
  • Assess for signs, symptoms, and behaviors of abuse, neglect, exploitation when providing services to patients and caregivers and serves as a consultant regarding abuse, neglect, and exploitation to multi-disciplinary team members
  • Interpret treatment to patient and family to help reduce fear and other attitudes obstructing acceptance of care and continuation of treatment
  • Assists the patient and family to understand the contributing factors to the problem(s)
  • Discuss the pros and cons of possible short term and long-term solutions and encouraging them to make positive and lasting changes to reduce stressors
  • Complete the administrative processes of admission and precertification of care with external payers, as necessary.

Family Group Conference Specialist

Family Protective Services
01.2023 - Current
  • Create protocols for the development of Family Group Decision-Making within the targeted community, including the decision-making about the acceptance of a referral to the project, the preparation of family members, and the appropriateness of the resulting family plan
  • Works with the regional Family Group Decision Making Specialist and other Family Conference Specialists, and local advisory/steering committees in the development of services to respond to family needs that reduce family violence and increase family well-being
  • Assists in the review and evaluation of community services to identify issues and trends resulting from the family’s use of those services
  • Makes recommendations for improvements in services provided and in the family group decision making process to regional management and advisory/steering committees
  • Serves as the lead in the preparation and coordination of family participation in the process, and assures all proceedings occur in a manner that maintains the strength and integrity of the family group
  • Also, serves as a communicator to assist the family in understanding the concerns for child safety and reason for CPS involvement
  • Serves as the meeting facilitator to lead participants (family members, CPS and stakeholders) in creating an appropriate action plan, utilizing mediation and facilitation skills
  • Ensures the plan developed by the family addresses the areas of child safety, permanency, and well-being through the identification of services provided through available family resources and community services
  • Reports the details of the developed plan to all participants
  • Assists the FGDM Specialist in the preparation of administrative reports, the collection of regional data associated with the FGDM project to monitor performance outcomes and effectiveness
  • Collaborates with CPS regional staff and administration to create a process that encourages the identification of family strengths to resolve family issues and achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for the involved children
  • Prepares administrative reports to facilitate collection of region/district data associated with the FGDM model to monitor performance outcomes and the initiative effectiveness and makes recommendations for improvements
  • Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity among coworkers and all work-related contacts
  • Supervise and train additional staff to perform the facilitator function, as well as perform the roles of coordinator for preparation before and follow up after the meetings
  • Provide supervision to children without placement (CWOP) to ensure their daily needs are met, medications are administered, and provide crisis intervention when youth experience mental and emotional distress and behavioral issues
  • Supervised CWOP staff to ensure protocols are followed, and documentation for each child is compliant with policy.

Family, Safety Specialist IV

Family Protective Services
08.2016 - 01.2023
  • Provides time-limited in-home services to meet the specific needs of families by identifying insufficient protective capacities, developing treatment plans, and using appropriate and necessary resources to minimize risk and provide for the safety of the child; and maintains contact with parents and children to achieve treatment goals
  • Assesses child safety and takes the necessary actions to protect the child as appropriate
  • This could include removing a child from their family
  • Interacts objectively with “caretakers” who have abused and/or neglected children in their care
  • Discusses issues with families related, but not limited to income, money management, and personal relationships.
  • Assists parents to recognize behaviors that led to child abuse and/or neglect and empower parents to identify ways to make the necessary behavioral changes
  • Coordinated Services through contracted service providers or community resources
  • Incorporated ethnic and cultural factors to adjust intervention and treatment plans appropriately
  • Managed medical complex cases and worked closely with multidisciplinary teams and nurse coordinators to ensure the child's continuing treatment
  • Determines action to be taken to remove or to reduce an immediate threat to the safety of a child including working with families to identify family members who can assist with keeping the child safe, testifying in court to seek emergency protective services, placing children in substitute care, referring family for immediate crisis intervention therapy or other community resources
  • Maintains a balance of objectivity and empathic understanding when engaging families living in stressful and crisis situations
  • Maintaining detailed documentation of all contacts and effective case management
  • Develops and maintains effective working relationships with law enforcement officials, judicial officials, legal resources, medical professionals, and other community resources
  • Provide case management in a collaborative effort, to meet the agreed-upon goals, and include collaboration with community professionals regarding needed services for families
  • Participated in the mentorship program that provided training to incoming unit members
  • Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity and competency among coworkers and all work-related contacts
  • Provide supervision to children without placement (CWOP) to ensure their daily needs are met, medications are administered and provide crisis intervention when youth experience mental and emotional distress and behavioral issues
  • Supervised CWOP staff to ensure protocols are followed, and documentation for each child is compliant with policy.

Local Permanency Specialist

Family Protective Services
01.2020 - 08.2020
  • Provide direct support services to meet the specific needs of the child; monthly contact with the child, attend case staffings, educational meetings, medical appointments, therapeutic appointments
  • Assess placement to ensure appropriateness regarding the child's health and well-being
  • Documents monthly narratives, and communicates with the primary worker to assist in the completion of the child's plan of service, common application, and court report
  • Develops and maintains effective working relationships between CPS staff, community providers, kinship/relative caregivers, law enforcement officials, judicial officials
  • Communicated case planning activities, changes, and updates to caregivers, primary caseworkers, and other necessary stakeholders
  • Coordinated services and provided resources to ensure their ability to meet the needs of the children
  • Attend every medication psychiatric review, as well as participate in appointments related to the child's needs when required.
  • Conducted thorough assessments of potential adoptive families, ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for the child.
  • Provided ongoing support to adoptive families post-placement, addressing challenges and celebrating successes in the new family dynamic.
  • Developed strong rapport with clients by demonstrating empathy, cultural sensitivity, and professionalism throughout all interactions.
  • Advocated for children's best interests during court proceedings, ensuring their voices were heard in determining their futures.
  • Presented comprehensive reports on client progress at team meetings, contributing valuable insights to inform decision-making processes.
  • Maintained accurate documentation of all case activities in compliance with agency policies, state regulations, and federal laws.

Child and Adolescent Therapist

Millwood Hospital
06.2019 - 12.2019
  • Provided therapeutic skills to children and adolescents with mental/emotional disorders and/or substance use to achieve optimal levels of emotional health
  • Utilized a solution-focused approach to conduct group therapy
  • Provided crisis intervention when youth experience mental and emotional distress and behavioral issues
  • Assisted patients in developing attainable goal plans and provided them with skills to continue their rehabilitation
  • Developed discharge plans with families to help ensure the continuation of the patient’s medication and therapeutic treatment
  • Referred patients to outpatient mental health facilities as part of the discharge plan as well as any community resources.
  • Enhanced client progress by implementing evidence-based therapeutic interventions tailored to individual needs.
  • Improved communication within families by facilitating group therapy sessions and encouraging open dialogue.
  • Increased client engagement in therapy by incorporating creative and interactive techniques such as art, music, and roleplay.
  • Reduced risk of self-harm among clients by closely monitoring their behavior and implementing appropriate safety protocols.
  • Fostered healthy coping mechanisms in adolescents by teaching cognitive-behavioral strategies for managing stress and emotions.
  • Empowered adolescents to make positive life choices through psychoeducation on topics such as substance abuse prevention and healthy relationships.
  • Optimized treatment outcomes by staying current on best practices in adolescent therapy through ongoing professional development opportunities.
  • Strengthened rapport with clients by maintaining a supportive, non-judgmental therapeutic environment conducive to growth and change.
  • Boosted client motivation for change by utilizing motivational interviewing techniques during individual therapy sessions.
  • Promoted a sense of community among clients by organizing group activities focused on building social skills and interpersonal connections.
  • Alleviated symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescent clients through the implementation of mindfulness exercises into regular therapeutic practice.
  • Assisted adolescents in navigating complex emotional issues by providing empathetic support, guidance, and psychoeducation.
  • Cultivated resilience in clients by helping them develop effective problem-solving skills and adaptive coping strategies for dealing with life challenges.

Intake Specialist

Haven for Hope
05.2016 - 08.2016
  • Engaged families and individuals experiencing homelessness to conduct eligibility and needs assessments
  • Assessed individuals referred by mental health agencies to be admitted into the inpatient program for recovery or mental health
  • Assisted clients in setting and carrying out goals to help them reach self-sufficiency
  • Connected families with various programs and resources in the community for housing, medical, etc
  • Incorporated ethnic and cultural factors to adjust intervention for Veterans, mental health and substance use clients.

Education

Master of Social Work -

The University of Texas
Arlington, TX
12.2020

Bachelor of Arts - Sociology

The University of Texas
San Antonio, TX
08.2016

Skills

  • Child Welfare Expertise
  • Client Advocacy
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Trauma-Informed Care
  • Case Management
  • Multicultural Competence
  • Mental Health
  • Substance Use Disorders
  • Treatment Planning
  • Psychosocial Assessments
  • Psychotherapy
  • Bilingual - Spanish

Certification

  • Licensed Master Social Worker - Expires 2025
  • Crisis Prevention Institute - Expires 2025
  • Basic Life Support (CPR & AED) - Expires 2025

Timeline

Assessment Specialist

Mesa Springs
10.2023 - Current

Family Group Conference Specialist

Family Protective Services
01.2023 - Current

Local Permanency Specialist

Family Protective Services
01.2020 - 08.2020

Child and Adolescent Therapist

Millwood Hospital
06.2019 - 12.2019

Family, Safety Specialist IV

Family Protective Services
08.2016 - 01.2023

Intake Specialist

Haven for Hope
05.2016 - 08.2016

Master of Social Work -

The University of Texas

Bachelor of Arts - Sociology

The University of Texas

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ELIZABTH LOPEZ