Lara Marie Slimmer
Licensed Professional Counselor
Gordon,PA
Summary
Experienced Supervisor leading team members on-time job completion. Assign tasks, train employees, provide feedback, mediate interpersonal conflicts and implement company procedures. Excellent communication and listening skills. Provide leadership and vision which drives teams to meet goals. Methodical individual consistently praised for diagnosing production needs and solving problems efficiently. Energetic supervisor successful at motivating and building positive team dynamics to accomplish aggressive goals. Dedicated to open, communicative culture where employees feel empowered to contribute to company's success.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
9
9
years of post-secondary education
7
7
Certifications
Work History
Clinical Supervisor/Clinical Director
New Beginnings
Pottsville, PA
08.2019 - Current
- Adheres to all current federal & state laws, including the safeguarding of confidential healthcare information and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA).
- Reports immediately any suspected incidents of child abuse or neglect to the Child Abuse Hotline.
- Establishes relationships and communicates with clients, caseworkers/probation officers, family members, and staff.
- Identifies and seek resolution for potential problems arising with staff or other involved parties.
- Provides clinical supervision for assigned clinical personnel and other support staff.
- Participates in leading clinical team meetings to ensure clinical service goals are met and program and organizational developments are communicated, understood and implemented.
- Ensures weekly review and management of caseload and productivity.
- Ensures clinical services are scheduled by the providers in the electronic records system and are delivered to clients weekly.
- Monitors compliance with treatment services.
- Reviews “no show” and “cancellation” concerns and how to mitigate barriers to successful treatment with each provider.
- Shares responsibility of closely monitoring the referral list, including scheduling and assigning new cases in a timely manner to clinical staff based on staff case load and productivity.
- Sets expectations for all providers in regards to meeting performance requirements and achieving goals.
- Ensures clients have timely access to care provided by our providers.
- Provides guidance/supervision to group and individual providers achieving below average treatment outcomes and consults with Clinical Director regarding disciplinary action that may be warranted due to underperformance.
- Discusses staff’s approval of upcoming discharges with Clinical Director prior to conversations with client/families.
- Partakes in monthly peer review and other quality improvement activities while working closely with Clinical Director to ensure clinically sound documentation.
- Reviews, rejects and approves clinical documentation for assigned clinical staff on a daily basis, and provides feedback to providers.
- Reports all adverse incidents to the Clinical Director immediately.
- Consults with Clinical Director on any incident that requires external reporting.
- Reviews assessments & staff’s diagnoses along with appropriate recommendation for treatment services with Clinical Director.
- Monitors treatment plan service delivery compliance i.e., ensures providers deliver services in type and quantity consistent with the treatment plan and minimizes over and/or under-utilization of services.
- Manages productivity in conjunction with Clinical Director.
- Addresses complaints/grievances made about provider(s) or services by payers and/or consumers.
- Reports complaints per policy to the Clinical Director and Quality and Compliance Director.
- Confirms clinical documentation meets internal divisional and external payer requirements.
- Conducts documented supervision with assigned clinical staff and provides ongoing feedback to each provider concerning quality of clinical services and work performance.
- Involved with onboarding curriculum/training with new staff.
- Assists with completing intakes, diagnostic evaluations, CANS Assessments and CANS 2.0 as needed.
- Maintains professional licensure as a behavioral health provider in good standing based on licensing requirements Re-Entry Focused Therapist.
- Applied strong leadership talents and problem-solving skills to maintain team efficiency and organize workflows to meet any daily demand.
- Created efficient work schedules for each team member to maintain deadlines and keep shifts properly staffed.
- Monitored workshop work flow for 20 employees.
- Measured effectiveness of customer success by defining operational metrics, tracking systems and reporting to executive team.
- Worked with management team to implement proper division of responsibilities.
- Monitored employee performance and provided coaching and constructive guidance to address areas of concern.
Outpatient Therapist
Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Reading, PA
06.2019 - 08.2020
- Pennsylvania Counseling Services.
- Completed Mental Health Intakes, Drug and Alcohol Intakes, as well as Sexual Offender Intakes for adolescents and adults.
- Conducted individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults utilizing a strength based and evidenced based approach to therapy in order to assist clients in achieving their goals.
- Formed initial comprehensive treatment plans, in addition to completing treatment plan updates every three months.
- Completed daily progress notes.
- Interacted with facility psychiatrists, as well as psychiatric coordinator to ensure the appropriateness and timeliness of referrals for medication management.
- Engaged with outer agencies, including Juvenile Probation, Adult Probation/Parole, Service Access Management, Berks Treatment and Access Service Center (TASC), in addition to Children and Youth in order to provide the appropriate level of care.
- Provided monthly progress updates for clients currently involved with Berks County Probation/Parole and Children and Youth.
- Utilized teletherapy for weekly individual and family therapy sessions.
- Formulated discharge plans.
- Maintained client caseload of 35 individuals and couples per week.
- Maintained records of each patient and kept up-to-date on progress.
- Documented client progress and maintained confidential records.
Forensic Outpatient Therapist
Pennsylvania Forensic Associates
Reading, PA
05.2016 - 09.2019
- Conducted individual and group therapy for adult and adolescent sex offenders.
- Conducted family therapy with adolescent sex offenders and their families.
- Facilitated individual and group therapy for adult offenders in the Violence Prevention Program.
- Worked collaboratively with treatment team staff, adult probation/parole officers, juvenile probation officers, and Children and Youth Case Managers to provide the appropriate care necessary to ensure the client’s safety in the home, community, and school settings.
- Engaged with outer agency therapists to initialize the re-unification process with adolescent and adult offenders with their victims.
- Completed daily progress notes for group and individual therapy.
- Formulated discharge plans.
- Prepared court reports, as well as quarterly reports to gauge the client’s progress in treatment for the SafeGuards Foster Care Program.
- Administered psychological assessments for juvenile sex offenders to gain insight into cognitive, emotional, and behavioral issues, as well as to explore deviant sexual interest, to determine the client’s level of risk for re-offense, and to make appropriate treatment recommendations.
- Completed competency evaluations as referred through outer agencies to identify an individual’s deficits in intellectual functioning, including the following criteria: reasoning abilities, problem solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgement, and academic learning adaptive functioning.
- Completed competency evaluations as referred through outer agencies to identify an individual’s deficits in adaptive functioning including the following criteria: failure to meet developmental and sociocultural standards for independence and social responsibility and current level of functioning in relation to activities of daily living, Northampton County Correctional Facility, Adams County Correctional Facility, and Franklin County Correctional Facility.
Mental Health Coordinator
PrimeCare Medical, Inc
Harrisburg, PA
12.2012 - 05.2016
- Facilitated men’s and women’s Mental Health Support Groups.
- Served as the mental health liaison between the medical department, facility psychiatrists, custody staff, and other mental health agencies.
- Aided and arranged appointments for the psychiatrists.
- Provided one-on-one intervention and follow up care for inmates who suffered from mental health disorders and substance abuse.
- Conducted tele-psychology with Adams and Franklin Counties.
- Assisted in forming re-entry plans prior to release for individuals with chronic mental health diagnoses.
- Generated drug and alcohol abuse evaluations for inmates.
- Provided clients with recommendations to community resources.
- Performed client assessments and developed treatment plans.
- Evaluated patients and implemented comprehensive treatment plans to enhance mental health.
- Documented client progress in confidential files.
Team Leader
Assertive Community Treatment, Philhaven
Lebanon, PA
03.2010 - 12.2012
- Conducted daily treatment team meetings with nurses, Master level clinicians, social workers, psychiatrist’s, and administrative assistants.
- Attended manager forums monthly.
- Conducted audits to adhere to JCHAO regulations.
- Served as a primary provider for several clients.
- Interacted with community resources including, MH/MR, Department of Public Welfare, and Social Security.
- Assessed, monitored, and observed baseline behavior.
- Maintained billing records.
- Formed treatment plans, individual service plans, and wellness recovery plans.
- Provided crisis intervention.
- Conducted supervision with staff members on a bi-weekly basis.
- Mentored and guided employees to foster proper completion of assigned duties.
- Built strong relationships with customers through positive attitude and attentive response.
- Adhered to rigorous standards for customer service, merchandising and operational safety.
- Conducted training and mentored team members to promote productivity, accuracy and commitment to friendly service.
- Established open and professional relationships with team members which helped resolve issues and conflicts quickly.
- Led team of 12 members while providing exceptional customer service.
- Demonstrated knowledge of company mission and goals and mentored employees in reaching objectives aligned with company core values.
Mental Health Coordinator
Lehigh County Correctional Facility, PrimeCare Medical, Inc
Harrisburg, PA
08.2004 - 03.2010
- Coordinated and implemented the Mental Health Program, as well as monitored psychological, psychiatric services provided.
- Served as the mental health liaison between the medical department, facility psychiatrists, custody staff, and other mental health agencies.
- Provided one-on-one intervention and follow up care for inmates who suffered from mental health disorders and substance abuse.
- Provided individual therapeutic interventions to male sex offenders.
- Conducted suicide deterrence trainings for new custody and medical staff, in addition to in-services bi-monthly for medical staff on psychiatric emergencies and psychological disorders.
- Facilitated the men’s and women’s Mental Health Support Groups.
- Served on various correctional facility committees, in addition to community mental health committees.
- Formed re-entry plans prior to release for individuals with serious mental health disorders.
- Provided clients with recommendations to community resources.
- Performed client assessments and developed treatment plans.
- Evaluated patients and implemented comprehensive treatment plans to enhance mental health.
- Documented client progress in confidential files.
Doctoral Intern
Bethany Children’s Home
Womelsdorf, PA
05.2007 - 11.2007
- Conducted individual therapy with adolescents.
- Administered psychological batteries to assess psychological functioning.
- Composed psychological assessment evaluations.
- Interviewed patients concerning physical complaints, discussed symptoms, asked questions and suggested treatment options.
- Teamed with other physicians, specialists and health care providers to provide well-rounded care for complex cases.
Doctoral Intern
Allentown State Hospital, Medical Center
Allentown, PA
08.2006 - 04.2007
- Co-facilitated the Cognitive Enhancement Group.
- Conducted individual therapy with chronically mentally ill clients.
- Participated in Dialectical Behavior Therapy training.
- Administered diagnostic tests measuring personality and neurological/cognitive deficits.
- Teamed with other physicians, specialists and health care providers to provide well-rounded care for complex cases.
Doctoral Intern
Reading Hospital Tower Health
Reading, PA
01.2006 - 07.2006
- Administered diagnostic tests that measured personality, intellectual functioning, neurological and cognitive deficits in forensic settings.
- Scored and interpreted assessment batteries.
- Composed psychological testing reports.
Psychiatric Caseworker
Berks County Correctional Facility, PrimeCare Medical
Harrisburg, PA
01.2003 - 08.2004
- Served as the Mental Health Liaison between the medical department, facility psychiatrists, custody staff, and other mental health agencies.
- Provided one-on-one intervention and follow-up care for inmates who suffered from mental health disorders and substance abuse addiction.
- Facilitated two Mental Health Groups for incarcerated men.
Practicum Student Counselor
Holcomb Behavioral Health
Exton, PA
09.2002 - 08.2003
- Performed family and couples therapy.
- Conducted individual therapy for children, adolescents, and young adults.
- Formulated treatment plans.
- Composed progress notes.
- Completed re-authorization forms.
- Provided comprehensive case management services, including creating treatment plans and connecting clients and families to appropriate resources.
- Assessed clinical risk and danger to children and families and determined appropriate level of response and intervention.
- Used cognitive behavior therapy to assist youth in recognizing and redirecting poor habits.
Education
Doctor of Behavioral Health - Behavioral Health
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 09.2019 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature/Journalism
University Of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 08.1997 - 05.2001
Master of Arts - Counseling Psychology
Immaculata University
Immaculata, PA 08.2001 - 05.2004
Skills
Electronic Medical RecordsAdministrativeCounselingDocumentationMental HealthOrganizationalProblem solvingPsychologyQuality improvementReportingSafetySchedulingSupervision
Priority management
Staff Management
Team Building
Strategic Planning
Project Management
Business administration
Negotiation
Business planning
Operations management
Business Development
Leadership
Training and mentoring
Microsoft Office, Adobe, Google Documents ExperiienceExperience
Research methods
Employee training
Project planning
Database Management
Fact checking
Clinical observations
Clinical assessment
Clinical team oversight
Clinical interventions
Clinical care
Clinical study reporting
Clinical documentation management
Performing clinical procedures
Clinical abilities
Clinical evaluations
Clinical judgment
Clinical experience with child abuse and neglect cases
Clinical expertise
Integrated Clinical Service
Certification
Certified in CPI (Crisis Prevention Intervention)
Affiliations
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Aging, Trauma, and the Life Course Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Trauma and Justice Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Child Trauma Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Early Intervention Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Family Systems Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma & Resilience Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Lifestyle Interventions for Trauma Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Trauma Assessment and Diagnosis Special Interest Group
- January 2021 – Present Member of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- January 2021 – Present Member of the Office of Minority Health
- December 2020 – Present Member of Interprofessional Education Collaboration
- December 2020 – Present Member of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
- December 2020 - Present Member of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education
- January 2019 – Present Member of the National Adolescent Perpetration Network
- January 2019 – Present Member of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association
- October 2018 – Present Member of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers
- May 2007, 2008, and 2009 Attended Forensic Trends Convention
- November 2006 Participated in a Grand Round at Allentown State Hospital
- Spring 2005 - Present Member of the American Psychology Association
- Spring 2004 - Present Member of the Beta Mu Chapter of the Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International
- Spring 2000 - Present Member of the American Counseling Association Special Interests:
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
swipe to browse
Special Interests
· Assessment
· Research
· Social Psychology
· Forensic Psychology
· Children and Adolescent Psychology
· Sex Offender Treatment
· Trauma
· Play Therapy
· Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Quote
It is never too late to be what you might have been.
George Eliot
Timeline
Doctor of Behavioral Health - Behavioral Health
Arizona State University
09.2019 - Current
Clinical Supervisor/Clinical Director
New Beginnings
08.2019 - Current
Outpatient Therapist
Pennsylvania Counseling Services
06.2019 - 08.2020
Forensic Outpatient Therapist
Pennsylvania Forensic Associates
05.2016 - 09.2019
Mental Health Coordinator
PrimeCare Medical, Inc
12.2012 - 05.2016
Team Leader
Assertive Community Treatment, Philhaven
03.2010 - 12.2012
Doctoral Intern
Bethany Children’s Home
05.2007 - 11.2007
Doctoral Intern
Allentown State Hospital, Medical Center
08.2006 - 04.2007
Doctoral Intern
Reading Hospital Tower Health
01.2006 - 07.2006
Mental Health Coordinator
Lehigh County Correctional Facility, PrimeCare Medical, Inc
08.2004 - 03.2010
Psychiatric Caseworker
Berks County Correctional Facility, PrimeCare Medical
01.2003 - 08.2004
Practicum Student Counselor
Holcomb Behavioral Health
09.2002 - 08.2003
Master of Arts - Counseling Psychology
Immaculata University
08.2001 - 05.2004
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature/Journalism
University Of San Francisco
08.1997 - 05.2001