ERICKA LEONARD-WHORTON

• Provide direct service and/or arrange for supporting service to assume and assist teenage moms and dads social and emotional adjustment through foster care
• Provide or refer teen parents to parenting programs to assist with parenting skills
• Encourage clients to maintain routine health care and updated immunizations for their children
• Provide education about the effects of drugs and alcohol on themselves and their unborn children.

• Support the Director in planning, organizing, and implementing strategies for program growth and success.
• Oversee daily operations, ensuring efficiency and compliance with policies and regulations.
• Oversee day-time crisis response, outcomes, and follow-up.
• Manage and mentor program supervisors, providing guidance and support to foster professional development.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to achieve common goals and enhance services
• Analyze data for completion/accuracy, and track trends to make informed decisions and recommendations for improvement.
• Assist Program Supervisors with oversight of budgets, allocating resources effectively, and monitoring expenses.
• Represent the organization at meetings, conferences, and other events, promoting its mission and values.

Pre – Trial Counselor-

• Conduct intake process and manage a case load in a confidential and private nature-
• Collaborate closely with Probation Officers, Social Workers, and Counselors-
• Help youth involved with the juvenile justice system remain arrest-free-
• Assisted youth to minimize risk-taking and delinquent behaviors-
• Monitor youth at home and in community to reduce recidivism and likelihood of re-arrest-
• Conduct home visits, school visits, and daily curfew checks-
• Attend court hearings to testify on compliance and ensure youth appearance

Teen Parenting Case Manager-

• Provide direct service and/or arrange for supporting service to assume and assist teenage moms and dads' social and emotional adjustment through foster care-
• Provide or refer teen parents to parenting programs to assist with parenting skills-
• Encourage clients to maintain routine health care and updated immunizations for their children-
• Provide education about the effects of drugs and alcohol on themselves and their unborn children

• The Program Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and oversight of mandated crisis intervention and counseling to youth and families who, because of their present situation, are assessed as being away from home without parent/guardian consent, ungovernable, or are being refused re-entry into their residence by parent/guardian
• The goal of the intervention is the reunification of the family
• The Program Coordinator is responsible for training new employees and crisis workers in their assigned area
• Train newly hired staff in Crisis Intervention with CCBYS onboarding
• Assist the Program Manager with all aspects of the CCBYS Program implementation including but not limited to coordination of team meetings, police training, community presentations, hiring and discipline of subordinate staff, etc
• Coordinate all crisis intervention services 24 hours a day, 7 days per week (with the exception of vacation or approved leave) within designated LAN or service area
• Monitor and ensure case assignments of MRAI’s and internal or external referrals
• Coordinate designated LAN’s team meetings on a monthly basis minimum
• Provide/conduct regular individual supervision and team meetings to designated LAN staff for purposes of program monitoring and professional development.
• Kept program-related data accurate, up-to-date, and easily accessible for accessibility.
• Created and delivered program training and education to keep participants knowledgeable about the program and provide the necessary skills to participate productively.
• Managed budgets and resources for the successful execution of multiple programs simultaneously.
• Monitored performance metrics closely to evaluate areas requiring intervention or adjustment, making data-informed decisions that contributed positively toward overall results.
• Cultivated a collaborative work culture by encouraging open communication channels among team members which led to increased job satisfaction rates among employees.

• The Crisis Responder provides crisis intervention services to youth who are absent from home without parental consent, unable to return home because the parents/legal guardian refuse to take custody or beyond the control of parents in circumstances which constitute a substantial or immediate danger to their physical safety and to divert them from care or entering the Juvenile Justice System
• My focus was to provide immediate crisis intervention services and reunification
• Provide crisis intervention services to referring source (hospital, school, police department) via phone w/in 15 minutes and on site within 60 (urban) 90 (rural) minutes of crisis call
• Serve as a responder for designated Local Area Network (LAN), which includes: Vermilion, Kankakee, South Cook, West Cook, Will/Grundy and Kane/Kendall counties
• Complete the Crisis Intervention Intake packet at the point of crisis
• Ensure all required crisis intervention documentation is complete and accurate
• Ensure the Crisis Team Lead receives all crisis intake documentation by 10:00 am of the next business day
• Provide and arrange for reunification, family generated placement or agency arranged placement at time of crisis, with a short term crisis plan
• Provide Linkage and Referral services specific to client and family needs during time of crisis.

• Obtain psychosocial history and make clinical assessments on high-risk patients
• Interpret specific information and collaborate closely with members of the healthcare team
• Counsel and educate patients/families to reduce stress and anxiety resulting from the emotional impact of illness, trauma or death and explore the need for follow-up care
• Coordinate discharge planning in collaboration with the health care team, patients, and/or families
• Participate in the development and implementation of inter-disciplinary, patient-driven care
• Provide consultation to the health care team regarding psychosocial management of patient problems and/or job-related stresses.
• Offered crisis intervention services to address urgent concerns related to mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence issues.
• Developed cultural competence through ongoing professional development opportunities, providing culturally sensitive services to diverse patient populations.
• Explained medical care options to help families make informed healthcare decisions.
• Improved patient outcomes by conducting comprehensive psychosocial assessments and developing individualized care plans.
• Supported ethical decision-making processes among healthcare teams by providing guidance on complex cases involving end-of-life care or medical ethics dilemmas.

• Provide direct service and/or arrange for supporting service to assume and assist in children’s social and emotional adjustment through foster care
• Facilitate visits between parents and respective children to aid in reunification of the family
• Make referrals to outside agencies to provide counseling and/or rehabilitation to the child’s biological parents.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANT

• Performed banking and accounting functions for the agency
• Created and maintained financial spreadsheets, maintained petty cash and audit records.

COUNSELOR

• Responsibilities included writing lesson plans, providing tutoring, and coordinating activities, meals, and field trips for over thirty foster care children.