Kendall Lawrence
Amarillo
Summary
A driven and highly motivated human services professional with over 20 years of experience in leadership, staff member development, employee retention, conflict resolution, and effective communication skills that seeks employment in government leadership.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Administrator
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Amarillo
02.2023 - Current
- Supervision duties for Residential Childcare Regulation Supervisors and Inspectors for assigned areas of responsibility in regions 1, 3. 10, and 11.
- Oversight of employee hiring, disciplinary, and termination actions in coordination with HR and Residential Childcare Regulation Executive Leadership.
- Oversight of staff workload distribution to ensure timely execution of Foster Care Litigation injunctive measures.
- Ensures all regulatory activities comply with the Texas Administrative Code and associated Minimum Standards for Child Placing and General Residential Operations.
- Implements, and maintains internal policies, procedures, and standard operating procedures for the Residential Childcare Regulation District.
- Facilitates coaching, training, and professional development, and reviews Residential Childcare Regulation staff member's work-related tasks for quality and compliance.
- Conducts regular team meetings, identifies skill gaps, and arranges appropriate training for identified areas.
- Organizes critical programmatic information for deliverable information to the Residential Childcare Regulation Executive Leadership.
- Managed communication between stakeholders to facilitate program implementation and feedback.
- Oversight of compliance with applicable laws and regulations in all aspects of the program.
Licensing Supervisor
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
Amarillo
02.2016 - 02.2023
- Oversight of regulatory duties in reference to allegations of abuse/neglect/ exploitation of children in external child placing homes and external General Residential Operations.
- Approved Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation investigations for assigned region of responsibility.
- Facilitated program improvement through staff instruction and modeling of appropriate customer service to staff members to ensure that it is displayed by regulatory staff with external vendors.
- Implemented and facilitated team building concepts to effectively achieve programmatic goals.
- Facilitated tracking and monitoring compliance related patterns of licensed facilities in assigned area of responsibility.
- Oversight of safety and risk related factors for children at external operations and ensured the implementation of appropriate enforcement action for external vendors.
- Prepare and testify in State Office of Administration Hearings related to operational enforcement actions.
- Facilitated instruction and training of Minimum Standards changes for regions 1 and 9.
- Completed statewide administrative reviews for citations received by external vendors.
- Created and maintained licensing database, tracking all license-related activity for assigned products.
- Conducted audits of licensed entities to ensure adherence to standards and guidelines.
- Provided technical assistance to applicants regarding licensing inquiries and documentation.
Executive/ State Director
Hope For Tomorrow, Inc.
Amarillo/Lubbock
08.2005 - 02.2016
- Oversight of child placing administrative staff and facility operations at the Emergency Shelter (General Residential Operation).
- Coordination of direct care staff training, direct care staff work schedules, and overall fiscal responsibility of operational General Residential policies and procedures.
- Supervised administrative assistants, facility maintenance staff, and ensured all GRO property improvements and work orders were completed in a timely manner.
- Oversight of the quality assurance team and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes.
- Handle with Care Instructor (Emergency Behavior Intervention Training), SAMA Instructor (Emergency Behavior Intervention Training), CPI (Emergency Behavior Intervention Training) Instructor.
- Comprehension and Compliance regarding Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
- Training of employees within regional scope of responsibility in regions 1, 3, 7, and 10.
Case Manager
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch and Affiliates
Amarillo
04.2000 - 08.2005
- Managed global adolescence service facilitation for two cottage model General Residential Operation homes with children 14-18 years of age.
- Coordinated and reported residents progress with parental managing conservators, Juvenile Probation Officers, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services caseworkers.
- Performed Child Adolescent Functional Scale and Crisis Assessments and Reviews.
- Served as a Liaison between Residents and their Managing Conservators.
- Tracked Residents Information in the Alternative Information Management program.
- Generated Psychosocial documents and initial Plans of Service for Residents in care.
- Counseled Residents concerning daily issues, including smoking, drugs, and alcohol.
- Participated in structured recreational activities for residents (team building activities).
- Performed de-escalation for residents and facilitated instruction for Satori Alternatives of Managing Aggressive behavior (SAMA) and Preventative Management of Aggressive behavior (PMAB) for operational case managers.
- Liaison to cottage caregivers and Home Life Managers related to resident care strategies.
- Facilitated visitation coordination and approval for all residents in care.
Direct Care Shift Coordinator
Quest Behavioral Systems Residential Treatment
Amarillo
10.1995 - 04.2000
- Oversight of direct care staff on Qualified Treatment Residential Program (QTRP) for intense level children.
- Facilitate admission of clients from step down programs from the Texas Youth Commission and New Mexico Juvenile services.
- Coordinated the scheduling of all youth groups, treatment groups, and recreational activities for residents in care.
- Facilitated Expressive Therapy and Peer to Peer Feedback Groups for residents in care.
- Coordinated medication administration schedule for all residents with the facility registered nursing staff.
- Taught staff monthly refresher classes for the Prevention and Management of Aggressive Behavior to direct care staff.
- Modeled and taught weekly de-escalation refreshers for staff that struggle with appropriate de-escalation techniques.
- Supervised Client Advocates on the Residential Treatment Unit.
- Ensured that operational policies procedures were adhered to through shift oversight and review of camera footage.
- Coordinated decisions and program directives from Executive Leadership staff for the Qualified Residential Treatment Program.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - General Studies, Emphasis (Criminal Justice & Social Work)
West Texas A&M University
05-1999
References
Available Upon Request
Timeline
Program Administrator
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
02.2023 - Current
Licensing Supervisor
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
02.2016 - 02.2023
Executive/ State Director
Hope For Tomorrow, Inc.
08.2005 - 02.2016
Case Manager
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch and Affiliates
04.2000 - 08.2005
Direct Care Shift Coordinator
Quest Behavioral Systems Residential Treatment
10.1995 - 04.2000
Bachelor of Arts - General Studies, Emphasis (Criminal Justice & Social Work)
West Texas A&M University