LaTonya Shacklett
Human Service Professional
Baltimore,MD
Summary
Skilled multitasker with superior work ethic and good teamwork, problem-solving and organizational skills. Willing to take on any task to help team. Reliable and dedicated team player with hardworking and resourceful approach.
Talented Manager with expert team leadership, planning and organizational skills built during successful career. Smoothly equip employees to independently handle daily functions and meet customer needs. Diligent trainer and mentor with exceptional management abilities and results-driven approach. Collaborative leader with dedication to partnering with coworkers to promote engaged, empowering work culture. Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced settings. Insightful Manager with experience directing and improving operations through effective employee motivational strategies and strong policy enforcement.
Proficient in best practices, market trends and regulatory requirements of industry operations. Talented leader with analytical approach to business planning and day-to-day problem-solving. To seek and maintain full-time position that offers professional challenges utilizing interpersonal skills, excellent time management and problem-solving skills.
Forward-thinking Operations Specialist bringing 20 plus years of expertise in human services/ case management and upper management for the DDA and Mental Health sector businesses. Cultivates rapport with individuals to optimize project goals and output, resolve complex problems and deliver innovative improvement strategies. Proficient in Microsoft Office, iCanotes, and LTSS.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Quality Assurance, Training and Community Engage
Anchor Home Inc.
Baltimore, MD
04.2023 - Current
- Ensure compliance with COMAR rules, safeguarding individuals with disabilities' well-being and safety.
- Provide assistance with personal care and daily living skills, training supervisors and Direct Support staff.
- Manage financial aspects including budgets and consumer finances, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
- Develop strategies for enhancing service quality and conduct regular audits and inspections.
- Facilitate seamless transitions for individuals within the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) system.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
- Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.
- Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
- Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines.
- Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions.
- Adaptable and proficient in learning new concepts quickly and efficiently.
- Proved successful working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced environment.
- Demonstrated strong organizational and time management skills while managing multiple projects.
Coordinator of Special Programs II
Developmental Disabilities Administration
10.2021 - 02.2023
- Tracked receipt of Choice Letters and completed random assignments after 30 days to ensure timely processing and compliance.
- Reviewed all comprehensive assessments, medical, and psychological documentation to make accurate eligibility determinations for individuals seeking services.
- Completed Choice and Eligibility Letters, ensuring accuracy and compliance with DDA regulations, and submitted them for signatures.
- Placed all individuals deemed eligible in the proper Medicaid Waiver programs, ensuring access to necessary services and supports.
- Completed regional and agency transfers in the Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) system, ensuring continuity of care for individuals.
- Developed a comprehensive spreadsheet to track Personal Care Assistants (PCAs), eligibility statuses, and Choice/eligibility letters, providing valuable insights for decision-making and reporting.
- Participated in weekly Howard County Local Care Team Meetings, collaborating with stakeholders to coordinate services for DD-eligible individuals, and submitted monthly reports to the Director of Central Maryland Youth Services to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Completed PCAs in LTSS once the youth turned 18 years of age, ensuring smooth transitions and continuity of care for individuals aging out of youth services.
- Entered data, generated reports, and produced tracking documents.
- Enhanced operational workflows by maintaining well-organized documentation systems and updating records accurately as needed.
Residential Program Coordinator
Dreamcatchers Community Improvement, Inc.
08.2018 - 10.2022
- Provide adept case management and support services tailored to transitioning youth's unique circumstances.
- Coordinate interactions among staff, clients, and stakeholders to foster a cohesive environment.
- Manage staff assignments, workloads, and schedules for 68 house managers and direct support staff.
- Oversee operational objectives of 15 residential homes for transitioning youth with dual diagnoses.
- Ensure compliance with COMAR Regulations and foster a culture of compliance and excellence.
- Championed a client-centered approach by actively listening to concerns, advocating for their rights, and addressing any issues promptly with respect and dignity.
- Developed strong rapport with clients and their families by maintaining an open-door policy, fostering trust and positive relationships built on mutual respect.
- Increased staff efficiency by creating an organized and structured shift schedule, resulting in improved service delivery.
Targeted Case Manager/Coordinator of Community Ser
Total Care Services, Inc.
10.2015 - 03.2019
- Coordinate services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, conducting comprehensive assessments.
- Ensure compliance with policies and procedures to meet diverse needs, advocating for individuals' rights and well-being.
- Prioritize projects and implement best practices to optimize resource allocation and support individuals' empowerment.
- Participate in interdisciplinary teams, fostering effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders.
- Develop individualized person-centered plans in collaboration with families, agencies, and relevant professionals.
- Studied mental health disorders and common personal struggles.
- Streamlined documentation processes, ensuring timely submission of reports and compliance with regulations.
- Developed custom strength-based services plan for each participant to meet individual therapy needs and personal strengths.
- Conducted assessments of participants to determine personal strengths, accomplishments and challenges in order to develop customized programs.
Residential Division Manager
Chimes Maryland, Inc.
01.2012 - 10.2015
- Oversee twelve residential behavioral houses focused on developmental disabilities and psychiatric rehabilitation.
- Coordinate the linkage of clients to various resources and supports identified in their service plans.
- Organize group sessions to promote skill development and enhance clients' independence and quality of life.
- Lead the establishment of a therapeutic environment tailored to youth's unique needs.
- Provide leadership, guidance, and support to staff members, overseeing their performance and conducting training.
- Developed strong team dynamics through regular communication, collaboration, and goal-setting initiatives.
- Spearheaded change management initiatives to ensure successful implementation of new systems or processes within the division.
- Exercised independent judgment in onboarding, training and motivating division staff to maximize performance.
Social Work Intern/ Case Manager
Juvenile Justice Center Links Program
09.2011 - 07.2012
- Managed caseload efficiently, prioritizing tasks and maintaining timely communication with clients, colleagues, and supervisors.
- Offered community resource guidance to clients to meet family needs for assistance.
- Develop, implement, and refine individual treatment plans for clients within multidisciplinary teams.
- Document clients' progress, challenges, and interventions in social work chart notes for continuity of care.
- Liaise with community systems to establish vital linkages, make referrals, and provide crisis management and advocacy services.
- Maintain precise client and program records, ensuring compliance with court requirements and facilitating communication with stakeholders.
- Advocate for client rights, seeking solutions aligned with their best interests and mediating conflicts within families.
Resource Specialist
Governor's Office For Children
05.2007 - 07.2010
- Effectively supported the safe and efficient operations of child-serving agencies by overseeing the proposal process to license new group homes within the State of Maryland and enforcing COMAR regulations.
- Served as a member of the Resource Development Licensing Committee and helped to develop COMAR regulations for child-serving state-licensed programs.
- Singlehandedly trained approximately 1000 caseworkers and stakeholders of child-serving agencies on various changes in the COMAR Regulations and policies to ensure proper adherence to new regulations.
- Carefully reviewed 150-200 new and revised proposals for new and returning group home providers, forwarding approximately 78% of proposals to licensing agencies after extensive analysis.
- Managed quality assurance of programs by completing on-site evaluations, internal audits, and customer satisfaction surveys and negotiated agreements to resolve conflicts affecting program performance.
- Facilitated quarterly training to 125 prospective providers on the Single Point of Entry process and how to translate regulation into programmatic practice to develop a proposal for licensing for a group home for youth.
- Assisted in developing learning resources {such as online resource databases, website, etc.} as needed to meet the organization's needs.
- Implemented data-driven decision-making processes for resource allocation, leading to increased operational efficiency.
- Developed comprehensive resource plans, enabling successful project completion on time and within budget constraints.
Residential Milieu Coordinator
Good Shepherd Center
03.2004 - 05.2007
- Reduced incidents of negative youth behavior by closely monitoring interactions and providing timely interventions when necessary.
- Evaluated staff performance regularly, offering constructive feedback and recognition for outstanding achievements in order to foster continued excellence in service provision.
- Supervise within a secure juvenile residential treatment center, ensuring safety, security, and well-being of residents and the surrounding community.
- Implement rigorous protocols to enforce hardware security for all activities outside the treatment center.
- Conduct regular inspections and audits to evaluate compliance with facility policies and procedures.
- Provide leadership, guidance, and support to staff members, overseeing their performance, conducting training sessions, and managing employee-related tasks.
- Foster a positive and supportive environment within the facility, promoting the rehabilitation and successful reintegration of youth into society.
Sr. In-Home Intervention Specialist
Baltimore Child And Adolescent Response System
02.2004 - 06.2006
- Built strong relationships with parents and guardians, fostering open communication regarding student progress and needs.
- Facilitated small group instruction for targeted skill development, enhancing academic growth for all participants.
- Provided ongoing assessment of student progress, adjusting interventions as needed to optimize results.
- Streamlined the intervention process by developing and implementing efficient systems for tracking student data, progress monitoring, and documentation.
- Served as an advocate for students with disabilities during eligibility meetings, IEP reviews, and parent conferences.
- Maintained accurate records of student progress, interventions implemented, and modifications made to ensure compliance with regulations and best practices.
- Provided crucial crisis management, conflict resolution, and planning services to youth and families experiencing distress within the Mobile Crisis Team, ensuring immediate intervention and support during critical situations.
- Offered ongoing support and parent management training to promote stabilization within the family unit, fostering a supportive environment conducive to positive growth and development.
- Collaborated closely with families to develop personalized strategies tailored to the specific needs of each youth, leveraging expertise in behavior management to address underlying issues contributing to truant behavior and other challenges.
- Conducted thorough assessments to identify underlying issues contributing to truant behavior, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by the youth and their families.
- Made timely referrals to community-based services such as counseling and psychological evaluations, ensuring families received necessary support and resources to address their needs effectively.
- Delivered effective crisis intervention and supportive therapy, contributing to the development of treatment plans aimed at long-term stability and well-being for youth and families.
- Served as a consultant to colleagues, offering insights on complex cases and client needs, contributing to the overall effectiveness of the BCARS In-Home Intervention program.
- Provided training, supervision, and teaching experiences to staff members, students, and volunteers within the BCARS In-Home Intervention program, fostering professional growth and development within the team.
- Maintained a keen focus on monitoring client progress and meticulously managing clinical and administrative aspects of each case, ensuring high-quality service delivery and adherence to best practices.
- Remained dedicated to providing comprehensive support to youth and families in crisis, advocating for their holistic well-being and fostering positive outcomes through multifaceted contributions.
Education
Master of Science - Social Work
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN12.2024
Bachelor of Science - Social Work
Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD12.2012
Skills
- Verbal and written communication
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Staff Training and Development
- Strategic Planning
- Operations Management
- Project Management
- Staff Development
Case Management
Crisis Management
Report Preparation
Community Resource Maximization
Compliance and Regulation Adherence Needs Assessment Counseling Techniques
Timeline
Quality Assurance, Training and Community Engage
Anchor Home Inc.
04.2023 - Current
Coordinator of Special Programs II
Developmental Disabilities Administration
10.2021 - 02.2023
Residential Program Coordinator
Dreamcatchers Community Improvement, Inc.
08.2018 - 10.2022
Targeted Case Manager/Coordinator of Community Ser
Total Care Services, Inc.
10.2015 - 03.2019
Residential Division Manager
Chimes Maryland, Inc.
01.2012 - 10.2015
Social Work Intern/ Case Manager
Juvenile Justice Center Links Program
09.2011 - 07.2012
Resource Specialist
Governor's Office For Children
05.2007 - 07.2010
Residential Milieu Coordinator
Good Shepherd Center
03.2004 - 05.2007
Sr. In-Home Intervention Specialist
Baltimore Child And Adolescent Response System
02.2004 - 06.2006
Master of Science - Social Work
Walden University
Bachelor of Science - Social Work
Coppin State University