Gloriam Mercado-Justiniano
Tacoma
Summary
Qualified Clinical Social Worker in the State of Washington with six years of solid experience in providing therapeutic support and developing individualized treatment plans. Adept at crisis intervention, patient assessment, and evidence-based therapy techniques. Strong focus on collaborative team efforts and achieving positive outcomes. Known for adaptability and reliability, with skills in communication, empathy, and problem-solving.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
NOC Mental Health Professional Crisis Intake
Kitsap Mental Health Services
Bremerton, WA
11.2025 - Current
- Coordinated with residential staff to ensure efficient completion of intakes for brief-residential care in high-pressure environments.
- Partnered with Law Enforcement, KMHS MCOT/DCR Team, EMS, and other First Responder Departments/Agencies in Kitsap County during "drop offs" to create, assess and review emergency referrals for residential stabilization of vulnerable populations with co-occurrent disorders (COD/Dual Diagnoses).
- Partnered with in-county and out-of-county clinics, emergency departments and social workers to create, assess and review referrals and collaterals provided for brief residential care.
- Conducted crisis interventions and risk assessments to ensure client safety and stability. This included Pro-Act Training for client restraint.
- Implemented systematic improvements in documentation practices, focusing on accuracy and regulatory compliance per company policy.
- Evaluated client needs and streamlined connections to community resources, ensuring timely coordination of primary care, dental services, and adult outpatient program enrollment with KMHS.
- Fostered collaborative relationships with community organizations to ensure comprehensive resource availability for clients' ongoing care needs.
- Facilitated training and support for junior staff and interns, emphasizing evidence-based methodologies and compliance with company policies.
- Focused on supporting client's experience at Crisis Triage Center by providing ongoing care, advocacy and coordination of services during client's residential stay through a compassionate approach and open communication.
- Assumed informal leadership as MHP Lead during Clinical Lead's absence, coordinating and delegating workload among team members, ensuring timely completion of documentation during day shifts.
- Executed independent operations with minimal leadership guidance during night shifts in a high-risk environment, demonstrating proactive decision-making and strong ethical clinical judgment.
Clinician III
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington - WISe Program
University Place, WA
01.2025 - 10.2025
- Managed a caseload of 8-10 families providing intensive outreach care for youth and their families through weekly appointments, addressing a variety of complex mental health challenges and supporting emotional and behavioral growth.
- Conducted Family Therapy sessions in-home to strengthen family dynamics, improve communication, and promote therapeutic goals in a real-world setting.
- Supported families by attending 504 Plan and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings to advocate for necessary educational accommodations and collaborated with school staff, Tribal Liaisons and other parties, to ensure youth’s care plan's protections and advocacy.
- Coordinated with other professionals, including psychiatrists and case managers, to ensure holistic, wraparound care for the youth, attending psychiatric appointments and facilitated communication across service providers.
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans tailored to each client’s needs, in collaboration with the family and multidisciplinary treatment team.
- Maintained strict adherence to Washington State codes and regulations, ensuring all time-sensitive documentation and progress notes are completed accurately and on schedule.
- Engaged in crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques as needed, while providing emotional support and guidance to families. Crisis services were provided 24/7 on weekdays. On Call Crisis were also provided by Therapist. Therapist attended all crises that lead to ER/ED and actively collaborated with ED SW and medical staff to develop and complete a safety plan for youth.
- Next accomplishment: Complete Certification for Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP).
- Contact: Kamara McMichaels, Clinical Supervisor
Mental Health Therapist III
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
Tacoma, WA
02.2023 - 01.2025
- Managed a mixed case load of teenagers between the ages of 13 – 17, young adults and adults with a strong collaborative approach between parental support (if applicable), psychiatric medication management, primary care physicians, and social/educational institutions to expand access of care outside of school settings.
- Coordinated services with DSHS case managers, Share & Care Programs, Adult Home Facilities/Residential Treatment Facilities.
- Supported clients with “pre-admit” via phone call for voluntary Psychiatric Inpatient Hospitalizations, as well as Patient Care Post-Inpatient.
- Directly collaborated with safe institutions and organizations to provide behavioral services to Spanish-Speaking communities with and without legal status in the USA, such as Tacoma Housing Community, Coordinated Services and Project Access.
- Achievement 1: Assisted in formalizing an LRA for an acute client in need of mandated services by Probation in collaboration with Care Team and Probation Officer.
- Achievement 2: Completed Comprehensive MH Evaluation compiling 26 years of Psychiatric records assisting client to retain housing, medication management and SSDI through strong parental collaboration. Clinician provided intensive care through weekly appointments overseeing client’s ongoing legal proceedings.
- Achievement 3: Attended 18 hours of CEU’s of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Training, with intense weekly DBT Group Consultation while co-facilitating a weekly DBT Group of 5 Participants, and sustaining a personal case load. Actively engaged 4 clients in this modality.
- Contact: Jim Presson, Program Manager & Nathaniel Simmons, Clinical Supervisor
Mental Health Therapist
Sound Integrated Health
Tacoma, WA
01.2022 - 02.2023
- Therapeutic alliance was formed in an informal setting. All sessions were conducted with a highly multicultural demographic population referred to the following programs within the facility: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), Mental Health, Psychiatric Medication, and Substance Use Disorder (Outpatient & Intensive Outpatient Services).
- Developed expertise managing referral systems for individuals connected with multiple correctional facilities (ex: SCORE, Pierce County & King County jails/prisons, community courts and resource rooms available throughout WA’s Judicial System) or under correctional supervision through probation.
- Familiarized with Jail Re-Entry Programs and Mandated Treatments (LRA’s/LRO’s/AOT). Responsible for completing Mental Health Assessments and Co-Occurring Evaluations for court-ordered individuals, as well as completing reviews for discovery for DUI’s, DV-Assault Charges, Malicious Mischief, and other felonies that require further evaluation and therapeutic interventions.
- Contact: Trent Gray, LMCH & Jeremiah Dunlap, SUDP
Therapist, MHP for Adult Outpatient
Comprehensive Life Resources
Tacoma, WA
02.2020 - 01.2022
- Accountable for a caseload of 56 young adult and adult clients between the ages of 18 -55 from multicultural backgrounds and diverse sociodemographic settings.
- Engaged clients in Evidence-Based Interventions, such as CBT, Mindfulness, TF-CBT and Crisis/De-escalation Interventions related to the primary theoretical frame and therapeutic model for clients suffering from PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Grief, as well as other DSM-V criteria.
- Relied on Motivational Interviewing and the Transtheoretical Model of Change to engage challenging clients in navigating the ambivalence towards change when faced with mandated treatment.
- Contact: Andrea Bekkers, LMCH
Advanced Clinical Internship: Therapist at Young Adult Shelter at Beacon
Comprehensive Life Resources
Tacoma, WA
02.2020 - 12.2020
- Provided provisional mental health services to young adults at a homeless shelter between the ages of 18 – 26 years old. This included, but was not limited to, crisis de-escalation interventions, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills to address healthier relationships while understanding substance use disorder, brief grief counseling and other brief therapeutic needs. Total hours: 1,792
- Contact: Hank Balderrama - Field Instructor and Supervisor for Internship
Case Manager for Adult Outpatient
Comprehensive Life Resources
Tacoma, WA
01.2019 - 03.2020
- Provided direct community services and resources to clients relying in clinical tools, such as DLA-20, for clinical assessment. Conducted Suicidal Risk Assessments to determine levels of risk and created Crisis/Safe Plans.
- Conducted 1 – 1 therapeutic sessions with adult population facing Immigration, Homelessness, unemployment, family issues, mental health illnesses and drug abuse. Evaluated client’s needs and goals for Life Connections services and created Treatment Plan with them.
- Contact: Robin McCarthy, MA, LMHC
Foundations Internship: Clinician for Life Connections Program
Comprehensive Life Resources
Tacoma, WA
05.2019 - 12.2019
- Facilitated 8 therapeutic sessions (weekly) addressing clients’ needs through a Wellness Plan created collaboratively from a client-centered perspective. Client’s progress was monitored weekly during sessions and activities/dynamics were integrated to motivate client participation into their own recovery process.
- Maintained high levels of confidentiality and professional rapport. Theoretical Frameworks and Models of Intervention utilized: CBT, Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Strengths-based Approaches, which also include Empowerment Perspective and Model of Intervention, as well as Feminist Perspective.
- Long-term services were referred to full AOP through Beacon Health Options to provide financial aid for behavioral services.
Immigration Case Specialist for Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) for ICE
BI Incorporated, a GEO Group Company
Tukwila, WA
06.2018 - 04.2019
- Managed over 100 cases with extreme confidentiality and securing Personal Identification Information (PII), providing continuous supervision to Participants enrolled at ISAP and ensured Participant compliance and transition from detention centers to reporting State.
- Aided multicultural vulnerable populations, such as Mexicans, Central Americans, Russians, Brazilians, Armenians, Koreans, and others. Most of them homeless; unemployed with several children; refugees; others with chemical or alcohol dependencies; others facing local legal procedures for DUI’s or other committed felonies.
- Completed intakes and performed physical, medical and educational assessments in a timely manner. Completed referrals for outreach community organizations or support programs, such as food banks, clothing, hospitals, WIC Programs and housing
- Emergency shelters, suicidal ideation and domestic violence emergency reports were prioritized. Connected families with education services (K-12 enrollment; ESL Classes for Adults, Early Learning Programs, Colleges) and religious communities.
- Provided cultural orientation, program rules, building rules and regulations, supervision protocols, Agreements, Intake Report, creation of Individual Service Plan (ISP), home visit requirements, case management and court tracking, as well as calling the COURT Line and confirming scheduled hearings.
- Escalated and de-escalate Participants according to ATD Enrollment Forms. Secured GPS units and other electronic monitoring alternatives and supervised Participants at their residences weekly. Routes included Renton, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Kenmore, Issaquah, Snohomish, Bothell, North Bend, Carnation, Duvall, Gold Bar, Monroe and Sultan. Created and planned home visit routes independently and practiced safety measures driving company vehicle.
- Accomplishment: Provided immediate crisis assistance to two female Participants after taking initiative of conducting a Suicidal Risk Assessment (which is not required or ordered at the company) and saving their lives. Both females were referred to SeaMar Behavioral Clinic at Bellevue. One of them continued with therapy and psychiatric assistance for 6 months.
- Contact: Jennifer Klein, LMCH, CDPT
Education
Master's Clinical Social Work - Children & Adolescents Crisis Interventions
Simmons University: School of Social Work
Boston, MA12-2020
Bachelor's in Arts & Humanities - Criminal Investigation & Criminology
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Mayagüez Campus01-2018
Master's Social Sciences - Criminology
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Mayagüez Campus01-2016
Skills
- Cross-Cultural Communication Skills
- Research & Resourceful
- Group Therapy
- Cultural Competency
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Time Management
- Self-motivation
- Conflict Resolution
- Leadership
- Adaptability
- Teamwork
- Creativity
- Analytical
- Bilingual
- Confidentiality
- Trauma Informed Care
- Policy Analysis
- Crisis Management
- Risk Assessment & Suicide Prevention
- Safety Planning
- Family Support & Education
- Documentation & Reporting
- Stress management strategies
- Motivational interviewing
Websites
Certification
CETA (Common Elements Treatment Approach) Certified by UW Harborview Abuse & Trauma Center dated 6/07/2022.
Timeline
NOC Mental Health Professional Crisis Intake
Kitsap Mental Health Services
11.2025 - Current
Clinician III
Catholic Community Services of Western Washington - WISe Program
01.2025 - 10.2025
Mental Health Therapist III
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
02.2023 - 01.2025
Mental Health Therapist
Sound Integrated Health
01.2022 - 02.2023
Therapist, MHP for Adult Outpatient
Comprehensive Life Resources
02.2020 - 01.2022
Advanced Clinical Internship: Therapist at Young Adult Shelter at Beacon
Comprehensive Life Resources
02.2020 - 12.2020
Foundations Internship: Clinician for Life Connections Program
Comprehensive Life Resources
05.2019 - 12.2019
Case Manager for Adult Outpatient
Comprehensive Life Resources
01.2019 - 03.2020
Immigration Case Specialist for Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) for ICE
BI Incorporated, a GEO Group Company
06.2018 - 04.2019
Bachelor's in Arts & Humanities - Criminal Investigation & Criminology
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Master's Social Sciences - Criminology
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
Master's Clinical Social Work - Children & Adolescents Crisis Interventions
Simmons University: School of Social Work
RESEARCH & ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS
- Honors MSS Criminology - Summa Cum Laude (2016) Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus
- President’s Special Award Summa Cum Laude with Excellency (2016) Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus
- Medal for Highest GPA, Graduated Program (2016) Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus
- Highest GPA as per concentration (2016) Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus
- Honors Assembly 2016: Highest GPA for Master’s Degree Term and Academic Excellency (2016) Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus
- Dissertation: Public policy failures of Puerto Rico from the “Commonwealth” perspective. (10/2015) University of Puerto Rico (RUM) First Congress of Political Sciences and Society: National and International Perspectives in the Contemporary Political Sphere. Accepted by Dr. Edwin J. Asencio
- XIII Encuentro de Investigadores” (03/2015) Presentation: The Neuroscientific Perspective on former awarded research “Juvenile Sexual Offenders.” Accepted by Dra. Cantrell.
- Gold Medal for the Criminological Merit, Osvaldo N. Tieghi, on Neuropsychology Investigation. Title “Juvenile Sexual Offenders: Psychosocial Profile Investigation and Judicial Intervention in Puerto Rico.” (10/2014) Mexican Society of Criminology, Inc.; Nuevo León Chapter Awarded at the First International Criminology Congress of Specific Subjects celebrated at Mexico, D.F.
- Dissertation through Videoconference in Spanish: Feminicidio en los procesos judiciales sobre Agresión
- Abuso Sexual: Fallo victimológico del Siglo XXI. Event: Femicide, Access to Justice and Administration of Violence: First International Gathering of Women for Criminology. Querétaro, Mexico.