Heather Cress

Dual Credit/ECHS Senior College Campus Coordinator Liaison between higher education institution and independent school district. Develops and implements dual credit procedures for enrollment, course information processing, and record maintenance for enrollments and grades. Provides leadership and mentoring to high school student population. Effectively improve student’s academic and career achievement. Proven ability to collaborate productively with students, staff and community resources. Collaborate with students to develop action plans, support, clarify, teach, and execute goals. Leadership and mentoring to student populations. Develop and implement procedures in order to meet goal. Comprehensive coordinating and management proficiencies. Assist clients in acquiring employment and services. Develop transition plans and relevant document to help students transition into dual credit and college. Advise students on courses, FASFA, support services on higher education campus. Develop and document court reports

• Ensure students enrolled in Texas public colleges possess academic skills needed to perform effectively in college-level coursework
• Ensures TSI incomplete students are enrolled in proper courses
• Provides leadership and mentoring to student populations
• Maintains up to date documentation and progress of students TSI scores or courses to exempt students
• Provides guidance to staff and students regarding TSI policies and procedures
• Knowledgeable of all TSI regulations set forth by State of Texas and by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
• Participates in university, division, and departmental committees and activities.

• Plan and coordinate activities related to dual credit programs and services designated to meet needs of students
• Work with Dual Credit Director to continue to build dual credit program
• Serve as liaison for dual credit programs; provide program and logistical support to faculty for on-campus and off-campus recruitment and instructional activities
• Developed and maintain tracking system for dual credit applications, enrollments and grades
• Assist with development of recruitment materials, answer questions concerning admission policies, procedures and program specifics
• Assist school districts and students in admissions process by phone or on campus visits to district
• Assist with registration issues and questions
• Assist dual credit students and ISD in process of registration, courses, scheduling, advising and facilitate academic support for dual credit students
• Assist school districts and students with all academic forms or where to find them
• Work with school districts, professors to assist with student problems and issues
• Monitor academics of dual credit students by following Texas Association of School Board’s TASB policies
• Inform districts of students and school district designee of early alert or academic probation
• Worked with Director and dual credit team to maintain established 91% success rate
• Implement dual credit procedures to comply with THECB policies and procedures and institutional requirement
• Record enrollment of 2,300 dual credit students for Fall 2017.

• Supervised peer mentors with Mentoring program
• Peer Mentors were matched up with protégés to provide support to at risk and incoming freshman at college level
• Also worked with dual credit students in field to provide mentoring and support to student and ISD’s staff
• Work to assist students through their transition into college
• Provide students with academic support, tutoring, mentoring, problem solving, career preparation, life skills, organizational, and study skills through university resources
• Work closely with Higher Education Faculty and Staff to guide students towards successful completion of their educational goals
• Mentor Specialist coordinates with university staff, university professors, students, parents, high school counselors, high school teachers and high school principals
• Mentor Specialist works with students that are incoming Freshman and dual credit students to increase preparedness level of students entering UTPB
• Responsible for gathering information from students and professors to identify specific student issues
• Assist students in high risk developmental subject areas
• Assist with planning and coordination of social activities for students
• Mentor Specialist also submits reports to Vice President for Student Services and Continuing Education Director regarding student’s success rate.

• Worked with At Risk Youth to provide the link between educators and the community
• Coordinator provided services and resources through community partnerships to ensure a comprehensive case-management approach to meet the needs of the students
• Provided mentoring, tutoring, counseling, life skills training, college readiness, career preparation, and support services to students and parents, health and human services support, and after school activities
• Campus coordinator was located on campus to help kids stay in school and prepare for life
• Identified and addressed the unmet needs of the children and families by providing programs that enabled them to stay interested in school
• Campus coordinator helped students stay in school, graduate and prepare for college by helping them improve in areas of academics, attendance and behavior
• Also responsible for completing the monthly measures report and community service projects in the fall and spring.

• Responsible for development, negotiation, and monitoring of all Permian Basin Community Center contracts pertaining to Mental Health, Substance Abuse/ Basin Assistance Services and ECI
• Responsible for researching any relevant laws and or regulations regarding contracts related to service areas listed above
• Responsible for certifying that provider network has in place, clearly established methods for evidencing compliance with regard to all applicable, laws and regulations
• Coordinates Center Certification and Evaluation Program
• Served Center as backup for client rights officer as needed
• Performed program planning, development and interagency coordination
• Developed and maintained external provider contracts for both Mental Health and ECI programs
• Created policies and procedures for Mental Health and Mental Retardation
• Provided state audits for mental health department
• Created excel documents with audit results
• Provided quarterly audits for mental health departments, HIV clinic, substance abuse and staff
• Provided training to staff on policies and procedures
• As Coordinator worked with state TAC rules for mental health, HIV clinic, substance abuse and mental retardation
• Knowledgeable of ADA and worked closely with other social work networks.

• Assist parents in resolving issues causing concern and tension in home
• Provide parent training emphasizing non-aggressive interactions between parent and youth
• Develop action plans that focus on immediate concerns of family
• Attend juvenile court hearings to provide education to prevent further delinquent behavior
• Gather information to develop curriculum for parent workshops
• Teaching youth basic skills that enable them to be successful in school, home and workplace
• Provide parent and youth workshops that teach families positive parenting techniques
• Offer 24 hour crisis intervention to new and existing families
• Thorough documentation of each in home, telephone call and action plan
• Computer programs used are Microsoft Windows XP, Excel and Outlook Express.

• Providing time limited in home services to meet specific needs of clients by identifying problem areas, developing treatment plans, and using appropriate and necessary resources to minimize risk
• Worker provided for safety of child by maintaining close contact with parents and children
• I investigated reports of child abuse and neglect
• I would make a determination of appropriate actions necessary to resolve family emotional and physical stress situations which cause abuse or neglect
• I would testify in court to seek emergency protective services, status hearing, permanency hearing to testify to parent’s compliance with services
• Worked with families to prevent removal of children
• Documented cases into Information Management Protecting Adults and Children System (IMPACT)
• Worked on Microsoft Office Word and did presentation using Microsoft Office Power Point
• Worked on Excel, HR Access through Intranet system.

• Worked collaboratively with staff, Mental Health Professionals and community in delivery of mental health services to severely mentally ill patients
• Performs direct rehabilitative services that engage clients in activities designed to reduce symptoms of and disabilities that result from their diagnosed mental illness and to increase ability of individual to function at their expected level Performs symptom management services to assist clients with identification and management of symptoms of mental illness, including monitoring or wellness checks and specific symptom management skills training
• Performs psychosocial rehabilitation and skills training services to assist clients with identified problem areas and to enable client to maintain community living
• Services were provided outside of clinical setting in community
• Case manager for 20 severely mentally ill patients
• Assisted clients with basic skills training such as shopping, cleaning, managing budget and paying bills
• Assisting clients with accessing HUD housing and maintaining housing
• Caseworker who was payee for 15-20 mentally ill patients, provided medication management and monitored client.