Jhanirca Velez-Ramos
Schertz,USA
Summary
Dedicated MSW candidate with a comprehensive background in case management, counseling, and child welfare, complemented by direct practice experience in diverse settings including elementary schools and battered women's shelters. Proven expertise in client evaluation and a strong aptitude for identifying and promoting essential community services, ensuring clients receive necessary support. Recognized for creative problem-solving skills that enhance family engagement in education, alongside a solid track record of mentoring fellow caseworkers, highlighted by recent accolades such as the Ramiro Hernandez Award. Committed to fostering collaboration within teams while adapting to evolving challenges, consistently delivering impactful outcomes through effective communication and crisis intervention strategies.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
CPS Specialist IV. Adoption Preparation
Department Family and Protective Services
01.2025 - Current
- As an adoption caseworker, I manage a caseload of children for whom parental rights have been terminated, working to secure permanency in either foster or adoptive homes.
- My role involves providing support, education, and trauma-informed coaching to families, particularly those adopting through the Texas foster care system or those welcoming medically fragile infants through private adoption.
- I am dedicated to connecting families with the resources they need, including arranging therapy sessions, medical care, and housing assistance to promote long-term stability.
- My responsibilities also include conducting home visits, completing placements, managing case files, and coordinating and attending meetings or staffing sessions with various professionals involved in the adoption process.
- Additionally, I actively recruit potential adoptive families through community fairs to ensure that children find loving and supportive homes.
Child Protective Services Specialist IV. Foster and Adoptions Development
Department Family and Protective Services
03.2023 - 01.2025
- As a foster and adoption development caseworker, I played a key role in recruiting foster and adoptive families through referrals from ICPC and DFPS.
- I provided training for foster and adoptive parents on essential topics such as reporting abuse, recognizing and preventing sexual abuse, and other required trainings aligned with state licensing standards (Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies) and DFPS policy.
- In addition to conducting information meetings for all foster and adoptive candidates, I verified licenses by tracking the necessary requirements, reviewing home studies, and assessing applicants to determine their suitability for verification as foster or adoptive families.
- I offered ongoing support and case management services to foster and adoptive parents, which included connecting them to community resources and assisting in sourcing household items needed for the verification and licensing process.
- Once families were verified, I conducted regular home visits to monitor and support their environments.
- I also guided adoptive families through the adoption process, participating in adoption consummation hearings and events like National Adoption Day.
- My role involved consistent communication with adoption caseworkers, kinship caseworkers, and out-of-state workers to develop plans that support families in their journey to becoming verified homes.
- Throughout all monthly visits, I assessed the safety of the children and communicated any concerns during case conferences and staffing meetings.
Child Protective Services Specialist IV. Family Base Safety Services
Department Family and Protective Services
12.2016 - 03.2023
- As a Case Specialist in Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS), I was responsible for the child welfare, safety, well-being, and permanency of the children on my caseload.
- My work involves collaborating with families who are committed to making changes to protect their children from abuse and neglect, ensuring their safety while keeping them in a home environment supported by services from the Department and the involvement of extended family and friends.
- I conducted thorough assessments of all family members to recommend appropriate actions that address stressful situations leading to potential child abuse or neglect.
- My role included helping families identify their strengths and needs to achieve safety for their children while preserving family dynamics.
- I have built strong community relationships with law enforcement, therapists, court personnel, and representatives from various agencies and organizations, facilitating a network of support.
- To ensure child permanency, I conducted monthly home visits and responded swiftly to crises.
- I engaged in courageous conversations with family members who may be feeling angry, scared, anxious, or in crisis, always striving to maintain a balance between objectivity and empathy.
- I worked collaboratively as part of a team, assisting other caseworkers during crisis situations and advocating for families who may lack the knowledge or resources to advocate for their own children.
- My approach included learning about different cultures and lifestyles, which helped me assess child safety and well-being within various contexts.
- When safety cannot be ensured, I am prepared to remove children from dangerous situations.
- I maintained detailed casework activity records daily, including affidavits, progress notes from professionals and therapists, monthly evaluations, and contacts with other resources.
- I operated under constant time pressure while prioritizing tasks and adapting to flexible hours to meet the needs of the families I serve.
Family Specialist
BCFS Head Start Education Services
07.2014 - 12.2016
- As a Family Specialist, I was responsible for recruiting and enrolling children in the Head Start program in Guadalupe County, TX.
- I served as a vital liaison between Seguin ISD Ball Early Childhood Center and parents participating in the Head Start Program, which operated in partnership with the school district.
- My role included attending ARD meetings and other discussions related to the progress of children at the school, actively advocating for families within the school district.
- I conducted home visits alongside teachers and social workers as needed, providing essential support to families.
- Throughout the school year, I also offered translation services during workshops and other activities to ensure clear communication.
- In my role, I interviewed families to assess their needs and collaborated with them to create individualized family plans.
- I provided emergency assistance and crisis intervention for families, acting as an advocate for both children and their families.
- Maintaining regular communication with colleagues, the program coordinator, the program director, and the staff at Ball Early Childhood Center was essential in fostering collaboration and addressing concerns related to student success.
- I supported a caseload of 50 families, helping them identify and achieve the goals set forth in their Family Partnership Agreements and ensuring all assignments were completed by deadlines.
- I made it a priority to keep parents and guardians informed about their children's successes and concerns, ensuring that their needs were met.
- Additionally, I maintained all documentation and program files in compliance with program standards, translating documents for office use and for Spanish-speaking families when necessary.
- All services I provided were delivered in both English and Spanish, depending on the needs of the families I served.
School Sited Based Counselor
Palomar Counseling Services, Inc.
09.2008 - 06.2009
- I provided counseling services to students at the elementary level, specifically at Farr Elementary and Pioneer Elementary.
- My role included supporting school staff members through workshops focused on various topics such as managing challenging behaviors, emotional intelligence, bullying, and addressing home issues related to education.
- I maintained ongoing communication with school staff, supervisors, and coworkers to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the counseling services provided.
- Conducting assessments with both students and their families was a key aspect of my work, allowing me to offer targeted counseling and connect families with community resources.
- I also performed school threat assessments and conducted suicidal assessments for identified students or groups, reporting any concerns to the Child Welfare Services Agency in cases of suspected abuse or neglect.
- Additionally, I organized and facilitated weekly parenting classes for parents wishing to enhance their parenting skills and practices.
- I ensured that all services were available in both English and Spanish to meet the needs of the diverse families I worked with.
Bilingual Case Manager
North County Lifeline Inc.
12.2007 - 08.2008
- As a Case Manager, I was responsible for providing comprehensive case management services to several families as outlined in work agreements.
- My work involved interviewing, assessing, and seeking solutions while helping families set achievable goals.
- I focused on referral and advocacy, as well as life skills training to empower families.
- By engaging with families in their own environments, I was able to identify their strengths and help them overcome challenges, develop specific goals, and determine effective methods to achieve those goals.
- I conducted home visits for intake assessments and ongoing case management in accordance with contract objectives.
- Maintained ongoing communication with Child Protective Services (CPS) and Child Safety Collaborative (CSF) staff was essential to ensuring quality services.
- I also kept detailed case files and documented data and statistics to meet program and contract compliance requirements.
- For my professional growth, I actively participated in staff meetings, training programs, and other developmental opportunities.
- I provided my services in both English and Spanish, translating written documents when necessary to better serve the families I worked with.
Program Assistant
Browne Child Development Center
06.2007 - 12.2007
- As a Program Assistant, I engaged in routine and repetitive childcare tasks while following step-by-step instructions.
- My responsibilities included facilitating learning activities that focused on various developmental areas such as receptive and expressive language, reasoning, informal language.
Social Worker
Hogar Ruth Inc.
02.2006 - 01.2007
- At Hogar (Home) Ruth, a shelter for battered women and their children, I fulfilled various roles as a social worker.
- One of my primary responsibilities was providing individual cognitive behavioral therapy to all women participants, guiding them in exploring steps to regain their sense of self and understand the cycle of domestic violence.
- I also prepared and offered group-based counseling sessions covering topics such as self-esteem, emotional regulation, personal care, the effects of domestic violence on children, education, employment opportunities, hygiene, the cycle of violence, and community living.
- These sessions aimed to empower the women and equip them with the skills necessary to rebuild their lives.
- Additionally, I coordinated activities for children residing in the shelter, tailored to their ages and developmental stages.
- These activities included arts and crafts, academic tutoring, and group meetings to help them process their emotions during their stay.
- As an active member of a multidisciplinary team, which included psychologists, service coordinators, social workers, and legal advisors, I worked collaboratively to support and connect participants with the resources they needed while at the shelter.
Case Manager
Workforce Improvement Act
10.2005 - 01.2007
- I performed various tasks under the Investment Act, providing moderate to complex evaluations for potential participants seeking higher education or job training.
- My responsibilities included collaborating with potential employers to outline available options for program enrollment, ensuring participants had access to the resources they needed for success.
- I examined aptitude test results alongside participants, discussing their expectations and goals.
- When necessary, I provided counseling to help them navigate their choices and challenges.
- I also conducted informational conferences at schools, focusing on the programs available for students at high risk of dropping out of education.
- After participants completed their activities, I offered ongoing support to help them transition smoothly into employment.
- I worked closely with job promoters to ensure that participants were able to maintain their positions successfully.
- Additionally, I prepared monthly reports for administrative purposes to track progress and outcomes related to the program.
Practicum Clinical Social Worker
Alejandro Otero Medical Center
08.2004 - 11.2005
- As part of my curriculum, I completed nine hundred supervised hours as a clinical social worker in an institution dedicated to assisting individuals with mental disorders.
- During my time at the hospital, I gained valuable experience working with a diverse community of individuals facing challenges such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance dependency, and other mental health conditions.
- I offered individual counseling to patients and their families, as well as facilitating group counseling sessions.
- Collaborating weekly with a multidisciplinary team, I ensured that we closely monitored and supported the progress of each patient.
- Additionally, I coordinated ambulatory therapy for patients, connecting them with community resources upon their discharge from the hospital.
- I meticulously maintained patient files, recording progress notes and assessments to track their development.
- I also provided support across various settings, including the psychiatric emergency room, where I completed interventions and aided all patients assigned to me.
Preschool Lead Teacher
Child Care Arecibo County
12.1993 - 11.2004
- I provided early education by strengthening six key developmental areas: social skills, cognition, motor skills, emotional intelligence, language skills, and self-care skills.
- In some cases, tailored to each child's individual needs, I also taught formal reading and writing.
- I arranged and conducted counseling sessions for parents, helping them learn effective strategies to redirect their children's behaviors at home in healthy ways.
- Additionally, I prepared weekly plans and activities based on each child's uniqueness, ensuring that lessons were engaging and relevant.
- To foster a sense of community and creativity, I created and coordinated musicals and various activities during holidays, the end of the school year, and other community events.
- I diligently documented each child's progress and shared these updates with their parents to keep them informed of their children's development.
Education
Master’s Degree - Social Work Clinical Area
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Graduate School Studies
05.2007
Bachelor’s Degree - Good Arts Criminology
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Arecibo Campus
05.1999
Skills
- Teamwork
- Ethical behavior
- Interpersonal skills
- Professional behavior
- Honesty
- Tactfulness
- Organizational skills
- Crisis management
- Active listening
- Customer service
Languages
English
Timeline
CPS Specialist IV. Adoption Preparation
Department Family and Protective Services
01.2025 - Current
Child Protective Services Specialist IV. Foster and Adoptions Development
Department Family and Protective Services
03.2023 - 01.2025
Child Protective Services Specialist IV. Family Base Safety Services
Department Family and Protective Services
12.2016 - 03.2023
Family Specialist
BCFS Head Start Education Services
07.2014 - 12.2016
School Sited Based Counselor
Palomar Counseling Services, Inc.
09.2008 - 06.2009
Bilingual Case Manager
North County Lifeline Inc.
12.2007 - 08.2008
Program Assistant
Browne Child Development Center
06.2007 - 12.2007
Social Worker
Hogar Ruth Inc.
02.2006 - 01.2007
Case Manager
Workforce Improvement Act
10.2005 - 01.2007
Practicum Clinical Social Worker
Alejandro Otero Medical Center
08.2004 - 11.2005
Preschool Lead Teacher
Child Care Arecibo County
12.1993 - 11.2004
Master’s Degree - Social Work Clinical Area
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Graduate School Studies
Bachelor’s Degree - Good Arts Criminology
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Arecibo Campus
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