KENIA MALDONADO, LMSW
Hartsdale,NY
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Director, Housing Initiatives
NYC Administration for Children's Services
New York, NY
03.2022 - Current
- Oversight of the Housing Support Services (HSS) and Housing Academy Collaborative (HAC) team, comprised of 15+ employees (managers, supervisors, and program-level staff), who directly interface with internal and external stakeholders to support families and youth aging out of care, secure permanent housing.
- Facilitated housing opportunities for youth aging out of care via CITYFHEPS and Section 8 vouchers.
- Collaborated in workgroups to recommend changes for better housing outcomes.
- Participate in monthly Housing Governance meetings, workgroups for the implementation of SILP and Fair Futures programs, HRA CAPS subcommittee, and the Mayor's Tenant Protection Board meeting.
- Partnered with ANTHOS|Home to support in the referral process and transition of 100+ youth from foster care into permanent housing; working to establish an internal pathway to support ACS families (foster care, prevention and child protection cases living in shelter) with housing navigation services
- Worked alongside HRA to enhance housing outcomes by training foster care providers on CAPS system applications and documentation.
- Coordinated communications with HRA and foster care providers for timely housing support.
- Led efforts in obtaining increased numbers of CITYFHEPS and FUP housing vouchers through advocacy with HPD, HRA, and NYCHA.
- Working with DHS/NYCHA to identify 200 ACS-involved families for Section 8 voucher issuance and housing navigation support.
- Implemented Emergency Housing Voucher program successfully; housing data monitored using Excel, CAPS database, CURRENT, NYCHA portal and Salesforce.
- Managed ACS Housing Subsidy grant processing and financial exception documentation to assist youth and families in obtaining independent living funds.
- Collaborated with IT department on development of future ACS Housing Database.
Senior Consultant, Coordinated Entry
New York City Human Resources Administration, HRA
New York, NY
01.2018 - 03.2022
- Working collaboratively with government partners and external stakeholders on the design and implementation of CAPS (Coordinated Assessment and Placement Systems) policies, procedures and systems with Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance; working with the Continuum of Care (COC) executive committee/steering committee to streamline comprehensive coordination across multiple systems affecting the homeless population (DV, veterans, families with children, adult families and youth)
- Consult with government partners in mental health and substance abuse sectors (OASAS, DOHMH and OMH) and relevant CAPS stakeholders to confirm the supportive housing inventory and funding streams for all housing units (including housing agreements NY/NY I, II and III, NYC 15/15, ESSHI); Identifying units with COC (McKinney-Vento funding) and project-based vouchers for vulnerable client prioritization; consulting with PACT reviewers on the 2010E (supportive housing application) determination and eligibility
- Developing business rules and best practices for the "by name list" (BNL) to ensure the successful prioritization of multiple systems high utilizer/high vulnerability clients to appropriate permanent housing; analyzing performance data and evaluating the Standardized Vulnerability Assessment (SVA); participating in system enhancement and system integration meetings to upgrade the Vacancy Control System (VCS)
- Chair of the case review workgroup which meets quarterly to make case recommendations, propose new policies and discuss trends in the housing and placement unit and help connect vulnerable homeless individuals, youth and families
- Represents Coordinated Entry in citywide work group, task force meetings and community groups including the Veterans Task Force, Rapid Re-housing and Youth Homelessness
- Conduct training and offer technical assistance on Coordinated Entry systems for the public/government agencies which assist in the understanding and implementation; meeting with NYC government partners: HASA (HIV/AIDS), ACS (Children Services), DYCD (Vulnerable Youth), DHS (Homeless Services), DSS Social Services, OCDV (Domestic Violence)
- Reviewing and rating Request for Proposals (RFP) for government funding Familiarity with Homeless Services systems and databases-CARES, HASAWeb, PACTWeb, OPTIONS, StreetSmarts
Program Director, Andrews Safe Haven
Breaking Ground
06.2014 - 12.2017
- Oversight, management and operation of safe haven transitional housing property; ensuring quality operational function of the case management/clinical, 24 hour security/ residential aide, housekeeping, housing placement, food service and office management departments
- Manage overall program goals and community linkages, staff development, people management, program budget, payroll, employee performance reviews, recruiting and discharging staff; volunteer recruitment and management
- Collaborating with homeless street outreach teams from the Manhattan Outreach Consortium MOC (S2H Manhattan, CUCS, Uptown and Downtown Goddard) and S2H Brooklyn/Queens and BRC Transit Team; working collaboratively to house clients who have addictions and behavioral health concerns
- Interface with community groups/businesses and service providers such as EMS, NYPD, Assertive Community Treatment, Intensive Mobile Crisis Teams (IMT) and co-response teams
- Participating in agency work groups and committees to achieve agency goals; participating in program design for new start up programs
- Assuring the facility compliance with city, state and federal regulations; Working with OTDA, DOH, OMH, DOB, HPD to ensure the facility/program meets its contractual obligations and building codes such as cooling tower inspection/registration, boiler inspections
- Ensuring compliance with established DHS outcomes regarding permanent housing placements; data analysis to determine shelter demographics, long term stay, placement retention for a 138 bed male safe haven;
- Experience in HRA Public Assistance, Food Stamp, Medicaid, Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) application process and regulations
- Manage budgets and record expenditures in compliance with fiscal policies
- Conducting clinical review meetings utilizing the Safe Haven Stat model to evaluate current practices and make recommendations for internal system changes.
Assistant Director of Social Services
Breaking Ground
09.2013 - 06.2014
- Oversight of the Andrews Men's Shelter program via supervision of two full time Case Managers and one Housing Specialist
- Liaise with the Department of Homeless Services to assure client’s needs are being met and target placements are made on a quarterly basis
- Providing support and guidance to front line staff on how to manage crisis with clients; assure staff attends training to perform daily duties and work as a team to strategize appropriate placement of clients from transitional to permanent housing
- Monitoring and tracking client information in CARES and AWARDS system- to ensure information is updated and accurate for housing purposes; coordinating support services for 38 shelter residents in the shelter program
- Preparing reports for DHS pertaining to housing placements, housing ready clients, mental health status, employment/income status and other pertinent information; reviewing HRA 2010E applications
- Conducting weekly group and individual supervision; approving ILP and late passes; meeting with clients for case conferences to monitor their progress in the program.
Program Manager
Children’s Village
07.2012 - 09.2013
- Overseeing the Foster Boarding Homes and Adoptions unit via supervision of three Social Work Supervisors
- Collaborating with department leaders to advance agency and program goals; holding regular team meetings to review administrative issues
- Performing backup coverage on a rotating basis; assure casework contact meets clinical needs and ACS mandates
- Training new staff on foster care policies and protocol, documentation, preparing permanency reports and how to present for court appearances
- Analyzing trends in foster care and youth aging out of care, barriers to reunification, family engagement and family finding
- Collaborating with a clinical team of psychiatrist and psychologist to review the Trauma Systems Therapy model and treatment plans
- Monitoring and distributing new intakes cases to Social Workers; implementing effective case management strategies for increased work productivity
- Spearheaded the Aging Out of Care committee in conjunction with the Independent Living unit and the internal ChildStat review.
Social Work Supervisor- TFFC
Children's Village
09.2011 - 07.2012
- Provision of clinical and administrative supervision in the Therapeutic Foster Boarding Home Unit to 5 MSW case planners and Behavioral Specialist
- Facilitating Service Plan Review conferences (SPR)/Family Team Conferences (FTC), preservation meetings, participating in clinical team meetings with the Psychologist and Social Workers to review the Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) model and treatment plans
- Assuring all documentation completed by the team meets legal and Administration for Children’s Services mandates; experience using CONNECTIONS Reviewing permanency hearing reports and Family Assessment and Service Plan (FASP); providing quality assurance; completing contact grids on a monthly basis; meeting with Office of Mental Health Director to discuss cases that require a higher level of care
- Providing intensive clinical services to children on psychotropic medications with significant emotional and behavioral difficulties
- Monitoring and tracking movement forms (AWOL, missing children and hospitalizations); submitting RTF and RTC packets to ACS and OMH
- Preparing and reviewing psychosocial assessments, psychiatric and psychological evaluations; applying for B2H (Bridges to Health) waivers for children in care; supervising case planners on how to advocate and make referrals to outside service providers
- Training foster parents on a monthly basis to ensure completion of annual training hours.
Education
Master of Science - Social Work
Columbia University School of Social Work
2001
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Syracuse University
1999
Skills
- Quality Assurance
- Training and Professional Development
- Strategic Planning
- Housing Voucher Programs (CITYFHEPS, HCV)
- Change Management
- Program Leadership
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Project Management
- Conversational Spanish
Affiliations
Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (AKA)
Timeline
Executive Director, Housing Initiatives
NYC Administration for Children's Services
03.2022 - Current
Senior Consultant, Coordinated Entry
New York City Human Resources Administration, HRA
01.2018 - 03.2022
Program Director, Andrews Safe Haven
Breaking Ground
06.2014 - 12.2017
Assistant Director of Social Services
Breaking Ground
09.2013 - 06.2014
Program Manager
Children’s Village
07.2012 - 09.2013
Social Work Supervisor- TFFC
Children's Village
09.2011 - 07.2012
Master of Science - Social Work
Columbia University School of Social Work
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Syracuse University