Evelyn Mendez
Madera,CA
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Placement Social Worker
Focus Forward
Fresno, CA
05.2023 - Current
- Coordinate, facilitate and document Child Family Team Meetings and staffing
- Assess Probation case plans for youth and their family for a successful transition of the youth from juvenile incarceration to their placement/home in the community
- Supports youth as they transition from the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Campus Facility to the community, to their placement, or STRTP working alongside a multi-disciplinary team of partner agencies to ensure a smooth transition
- Work with the youth's family, when possible, to stabilize the household, provide resources that can support family reunification or to preserve placement
- Conduct assessments and aggregate information and/or enter into data system
- Provide support services such as assessments, case management parenting classes and resources as needed to remove barriers
- Identify needs and provide support with community referrals to ensure all needs of youth and families are being met (For example: counseling, job training, substance abuse treatment, life skills, workforce, etc.)
- Track all services rendered, client demographics, and child outcomes
- Cross-screen all clients for eligibility in other Focus Forward and partner agency services
- Maintain up to date, well organized and accurate case file notes and records in the database
- Assist in coordinating in-custody and out-of-custody programming for participants
- Supervise and leverage the support of interns and volunteer case managers/mentors
- Attend required team meetings, relevant training, workshops, and community meetings
- Assist or lead special projects or services, as needed
- Ability to use a nonjudgmental, trauma informed and culturally competent approach with all clients
- Effectively communicate and engage participants in services
- Ability to work with youth, young adults and families who face multiple risk factors and barriers and have had justice and/or child welfare involvement including serious criminal offenses
- Excellent group facilitation skills including de-escalation and consensus building
- Knowledge of available resources within the community for the client population
- Active participation in trainings, seminars and webinars for continued personal growth and development as are available
- All other duties as assigned
Intern - (MSWI)
PESA, Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action
Panorama City, CA
05.2023 - 12.2023
- Worked with the Peer Solution Diversion program where my focus was to encourage youth who are experiencing their first interaction with the law, to reflect on what led to negative interaction with law enforcement, and reduce the possibility of recidivism that could lead to further legal interaction
- Utilized a strength-based approach under the direction of PESA staff, utilized assessments and other tools to determine the root cause of the youths decision making, while also focusing on understanding personal strengths and how they can be used to create positive outcomes
- Case management with average of 12 to 14 clients referred to PESA from the District attorney's office and/or various police departments throughout all of Los Angeles County
- Practiced skills such as effective listening, motivational interviewing, problem solving therapy, family an individual counseling, S.M.A.R.T goals, and other tools as needed
- Conduct Biopsychosocial Assessments to gather information, begin rapport and understand how to meet the client where they are at
- Identify needs and provide support with community referrals or doing 1-1 sessions to ensure all needs of youth and families are being met (For example: counseling, job training, substance abuse treatment, anger management, life skills, or group counseling, practice mindfulness, workforce, etc.)
- Conduct assessments and aggregate information and/or enter into the data system, Track all services rendered, client demographics, and child outcomes
- Maintain up to date, well organized and accurate case file notes and records in the database
- Provide support services such as assessments, case management, group or individual counseling, parenting classes and other resources as needed to remove barriers
- Participated in Teen Panel, which is similar to teen court, using a holistic and comprehensive approach to determine if a client is culpable or not culpable, and determine what court mandates the client will need to do such as community service, letter of apology, individual or family counseling, substance abuse, to name a few
- Participated in Teen Court to report to the judge what the client has been doing since the initial law enforcement interaction
- Encourage clients to complete court mandates required and to work towards removing the initial charge from the system and lead towards a more positive path than criminogenic behaviors
- Attend required team meetings, relevant training, workshops, and community meetings
- Assist or lead special projects or services, as needed
- Ability to use a nonjudgmental, trauma informed and culturally competent approach with all clients
- Effectively communicate and engage participants in services
- Ability to work with youth, young adults and families who face multiple risk factors and barriers and have had justice and/or child welfare involvement including serious criminal offenses
- Excellent group facilitation skills including de-escalation and consensus building
- Knowledge of available resources within the community for the client population
- All other duties as assigned
Senior Student and Family Success Coach
Pacific Oaks College
Pasadena, CA
11.2021 - 07.2023
- Provide administrative support as needed for CCSI programs, grants and community engagement activities as needed
- Develop relationships and build rapport with students and families at the direction of the Student Success Manager
- Partner with the Director of Community Engagement to support CCSI programming and implementation as directed
- Promoted to Senior student and family success coach within eight months of hire
- Provide ongoing information, referrals, linkages, and advocacy for identified needs
- Actively outreach to Pasadena Unified School District students/families to inform and invite to participate in program by phone, email, or text
- Creatively use and develop community resources to broker and link clients to services needed such as mental health, tutoring, preparation for after high school, and more depending on individual needs
- Develop relationships and build rapport with community assets to support successful outcomes
- Meet with individuals and families in person and/or remote on a regular basis to review, evaluate, and support goal completion with ability to actively listen to needs and concerns
- Document results and submit documentation in accordance with identified plans and procedures
- Provide case management services
- Effective listening to understand the individual or family concerns, needs and goals
- Positive and compassionate attitude
- Provide tools for student success by encouraging strategies for success such as using SMART goals, time management skills, how to be an effective listener, improve communication skills, and how to utilize and strengthen personal strengths identified using Gallup Strengthsfinder/Strengths explorer
- Work alongside parents and youth to work towards removing barriers, creating new and positive norms within the household dynamic, and encourage positive communication between members within the household through case management, referring to resources, and practicing new vocabulary
- Participate/facilitate staff meetings
- Effectively manage time and prioritize needs
- Work independently and as part of the team
- Actively seek opportunities to stay updated on new processes, evidence-based practices, and other requirements within the field
- Create opportunities to build rapport with clients through interpersonal communication, active listening skills, and provide continued opportunities for clients to feel safe and heard during each session
Intern/Volunteer
Focus Forward
Fresno, CA
07.2021 - 05.2022
- Develop relationships and build rapport with youth and families at the direction of the Re-Entry Program Family Support Specialist who have been touched by the Juvenile Justice center and child welfare systems
- Work with individuals with mental health - ADHD, ODD, High Function Autism, depression, Auditory Processing Disorder
- Work with individuals who have had substance abuse struggles, trauma, and gang affiliation
- Make phone calls to organizations within the community to locate resources needed to help families and youth such as mental health, substance abuse, food insecurities, job skills training, and more depending on the individual need or court appointed requirement
- Assist Focus Forward staff with evidence-based classes such as nurturing parents and life skills offered to youth in the juvenile justice and within the community
- Meet with youth assigned on a regular basis to review, evaluate, and support goal completion, build rapport to create trusting relationships
- Regularly contact youth and families in the community currently assigned to support goals, identify, and overcome barriers, and check in with family (rapport building)
- Document conversations, interactions, support provided by entering information into Zoho CRM
- Participate in staff meetings and trainings as assigned by field supervisor or Re-Entry program Family Support Specialist
- Assist with Case Management
- Participate in voluntary professional trainings recommended for ongoing learning opportunities within the field
- Other duties as assigned
Intern
Therapeutic Play Foundation
05.2021 - 06.2021
- Connect with community organizations by phone to request donations for an event, and to contact prospective vendors to participate in upcoming events to educate the community about Juneteenth
- Participate in planning and implementing activities for Juneteenth event hosted by TPF
- Create a health and awareness activity for community members to do during event
- Participate in staff meetings and trainings as assigned by field supervisor
- Work with staff in other tasks as assigned
ECE Preschool Teacher/Site Supervisor
Madera County Office of Education
Madera, CA
05.2013 - 07.2020
- Supervision of 25 - 50 students and 3 staff
- Established and enforced rules and expectations for behaviors and procedures to maintain a safe and healthy environment for learning opportunities
- Improved disruptive behaviors by teaching skills needed to get needs met in a positive manner, encouraged, and provided opportunities for student practice
- Conducted assessments
- Create/plan/execute weekly lesson plans
- Create/plan/execute monthly Parent activities to do with children in classroom
- Communicate and build rapport with families and students in classroom
- Work with staff to collaborate ideas, thoughts, and opinions to best meet the need of the child (ren)
- Participate in monthly meetings with the director, other lead teachers, and staff
- Ability to pivot when the lesson plan doesn't match the feel of the classroom
- Ability to make modifications based on the need of the child/group
- Continue ongoing education opportunities through trainings and meetings
- Collaborate with colleagues when working with challenging behaviors to focus on student success by using evidence-based strategies and skills to best support individual student needs
- Maintain paperwork, writing progress notes, daily anecdotal and record keeping for each student
- Work as a support and teacher with Instructional Aides and college students to prepare for future
- Plan activities that will encourage each child's growth in the area of social, cognitive, physical, and emotional development that are developmental and age appropriate
- Other duties as needed
Timeline
Placement Social Worker
Focus Forward
05.2023 - Current
Intern - (MSWI)
PESA, Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action
05.2023 - 12.2023
Senior Student and Family Success Coach
Pacific Oaks College
11.2021 - 07.2023
Intern/Volunteer
Focus Forward
07.2021 - 05.2022
Intern
Therapeutic Play Foundation
05.2021 - 06.2021
ECE Preschool Teacher/Site Supervisor
Madera County Office of Education
05.2013 - 07.2020