Hanna E. Gash

Served a large caseload of patients across Thurston, Mason, and Lewis Counties in various geographical barriers, socioeconomic status, cultures, genders, levels of literacy, medical knowledge, and community/familial support. Demonstrated flexibility in working in various environments including private homes, assisted livings, half-way houses, and adult family homes. Completed comprehensive psychosocial assessments to develop tailored treatment plans, and providing ongoing support and advocacy. Coordinated care through community partners such as; Department of Social and Health Services (e.g. Long-term Care, TSOA Medicaid), Area Agency on Aging, Adult protective services, etc. Collaborated with care through multiple medical care settings, insurances and providers; VA, Medicaid, Medicare, Private Insurance, Kaiser, Primary Care, Mental Health Care, Palliative Care, Hospice, Internal Medicine, Transplant Services, Oncology, Neurology etc. Provided timely assistance to individuals in crisis, utilizing active listening skills and empathy to establish rapport quickly. Implemented evidence-based counseling techniques to assist clients in identifying triggers for their crises and developing healthy coping strategies moving forward. Established trusting relationships with patients and their families, promoting a positive environment conducive to healing and recovery. Educated patients on disease management, medication adherence, and self-care techniques for better lifestyle choices. Streamlined communication between patients, families, and healthcare providers to ensure a seamless flow of information and timely updates.

Educated, counseled, and provided referrals to end of life care services and resources (e.g. Hospice). Worked with individuals facing drug addiction, mental health diagnoses and other compounding personal challenges impacting safety and physical health. Facilitated Interdisciplinary Team Meetings and strived to improve team moral and work satisfaction within all disciplines.

Served through compassion, patient center care, and wrap around advocacy, and encouragement.

Provides psychosocial services to patients treated by the facility including in-center and home dialysis patients (peritoneal and home hemodialysis). Works with the health care team to promote positive adjustment, rehabilitation, and improved quality of life for our patients. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, foundation information, educates, and supports staff in understanding the emotional, psychological and behavioral impact of chronic kidney disease on the patient and family. End of life discussion, planning, and education. Mental health assessments, brief counseling, and community referrals. Insurance authorizations, community/ kidney disease applications for financial assistance, End Stage Renal Disease collaboration and advocacy for patient centered care. Transplant referrals, tracking, piloting of transplant projects, advocacy for transplant success, and support post-transplant. Supports the company commitment to the Quality Indicators and Outcomes and Quality Assessment and Improvement (QAI) Activities and referrals including those related to patient satisfaction and quality of life.

Playing a key role integrating mental health support within primary care/pediatrics and specialty medicine (cardiology, oncology, women’s health, internal medicine, urgent care, etc.) coordinating/evaluating psychosocial needs before/after/during medical appointments, supporting patient’s through brief evidenced based counseling for mental health, lifestyle management, and substance use disorders, group counseling (depression/anxiety), skilled nursing placement coordination, urgent mental health interventions: crisis planning, voluntary admission for inpatient psychiatric care/ inpatient substance use detox, insurance authorization for placement, and coordination of least restrictive alternatives for care with family and community resource planning. Providing advocacy, education and coordination of within a multiple disciplinary team. Additional training/experience working individually with pediatrics, intellectual/developmental disabilities, gender health (transgendered/non-binary: hormone therapy, breast augmentations, gender affirming surgeries) and a spectrum of sexual orientations.

Community mental health setting severing on the Adult Outpatient Team with youth cases based of need and availability: subset areas of clients including individuals with chronic medical conditions and transgendered/ non-binary gender health individuals; psychosocial assessments, individual/ group counseling (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Radical Open Dialectical Therapy), treatment/ goal planning, psychiatric documentation (treatment notes, petition of initial detentions/ petition for revocation, and crisis services), psychiatric placement (inpatient), insurance authorizations, multiple disciplinary team collaboration/ planning, community collaboration/outreach, and regular after hours crisis service coverage (individual, family, community, hospital, and detention center support).

Senior Social Worker with Patient and Family Services: primary focus liver transplant and living donor kidney program (UK Transplant Center). Outpatient/Inpatient psychosocial, substance abuse, and risk and safety assessments, chart documentation, discharge planning, case management, advocate of housing and community resources, prescription assistance facilitation, multiple disciplinary team collaboration, and provision of coverage support as needed throughout medical, surgical, and trauma services.

Mental Health Clinician in a community mental health setting for adults, children, families and severely persistently mentally ill: psychosocial, substance abuse, and safety/ risk assessments, chart documentation/ management, mental health diagnosis (DSM-IV-TR), treatment planning, community collaboration/resource supports, court testimonies, collaboration with schools and local department of community based services and advocate for clinical services.