Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

MARIA ANTONELLA CARUSILLO

Tampa,FL

Summary

Fully bilingual Licensed Mental Health Counselor self-employed in private practice focusing on holistic services. Leader of a therapeutic peer support group comprised of 8 clinicians. An enthusiastic and hardworking team player with proven skills in leadership, time management, project management, analytical thinking, problem solving and networking.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Owner and Therapist

Escala Group
08.2022 - Current
  • Assessed clients' mental health needs, developed treatment plans and monitored progress.
  • Documented patient information, treatment plans, and patient responses.
  • Delivered brief interventions to help clients develop healthy coping skills.
  • Counseled individuals, groups, and families to bring awareness of problems, deal with crisis situations and develop action plans.
  • Enhanced operational efficiency and productivity by managing budgets, accounts, and costs.
  • Established foundational processes for business operations.
  • Managed day-to-day business operations.

Clinical Manager

Centene Advanced Behavioral Health, METS, Centene Corporation
04.2020 - 08.2022
  • Ensured Care Managers develop accurate clinical picture of members on caseload to holistically understand what different areas of his/her life, functionality, and environment may be affecting the course of treatment positively or negatively
  • Promoted high morale and staff retention through dynamic communication, prompt problem resolution, proactive supervisory practices and facilitation of positive work environment.
  • Regularly evaluated employee performance and provided feedback.
  • Communicated effectively with staff members, physicians, and patients, employing active listening and interpersonal skills.
  • Identified opportunities to improve clinical practices, devised strategies and implemented plans to increase patient care standards and enhance operational procedures.
  • Met regularly with other Utilization Management and Specialty Operations leaders to ensure communication of any process changes for METS
  • Identified barriers to METS processes and fidelity, barriers to staff census buildup, and developed an action plan for any staff or state market that is not demonstrating reduction of OP utilization

Program Supervisor

METS West, Centene Corporation
04.2019 - 04.2020
  • Ensure Key Performance Indicator performance is met by care managers on staff and develop appropriate action plan when staff is unable to meet expectations
  • Facilitate twice monthly individual meetings with staff members, once monthly team meetings, and quarterly in-office or video enabled meetings
  • Facilitate case conferences regarding high risk/high volume health plan members and their treatment, provider, and hospital issues
  • Attend and participate in other behavioral health work groups and meetings as required
  • Participate in a variety of special projects as needed to ensure maintenance of compliance standards and upkeep of clinical development in the department
  • Participates in selection, interviewing process and ensures, designates, and monitors appropriate onboarding and training for new hires.

Mental Health Assessment and Counseling, Tampa Bay Behavioral Services
01.2019 - 10.2019
  • Assess individuals for behavioral, medical, and emotional needs, including trauma history
  • Complete referrals to specialists as appropriate
  • Identify and reports appropriate barriers to promote successful transition to the least restrictive environment as appropriate
  • Support administration of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and coordinate processing and scoring of client batteries with Pearson Products
  • Collaborate with client’s legal representatives to ensure psychosocial assessment and treatment recommendations align with attorney’s case conceptualization.

Behavioral Health Care Manager

METS, WellCare, Inc
01.2016 - 04.2019
  • Ensure development of an accurate clinical picture of the member to holistically understand what different areas of his/her life, functionality, and environment may be affecting the course of treatment positively or negatively
  • Collaborate with providers to develop the most effective plan to assist the member reach desired outcomes
  • This includes evaluations with multidisciplinary team to identify barriers to success and how to overcome them
  • Determine medical necessity, level of care required, and quality of services provided
  • Coordinate and manage behavioral health services rendered by network and non-network providers to members using InterQual, Level of Care Utilization System (LOCUS), Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Instrument (CASII), Milliman Care Guidelines (MCG), and American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria, clinical skills and expertise, persuasive communication, and access to care standards to promote cost-effective quality outcomes
  • Interact with hospital staff and attending psychiatrists and arrange for physician-to-physician reviews with the medical director as requested
  • Review treatment plans and consult with medical director regarding medical necessity criteria for continued service authorization
  • Ensure community placements, agency linkages and coordinate discharge planning, aftercare, referral, and follow-up of inpatient admissions
  • Participate in case conferences regarding high risk/high volume health plan members and regarding other provider and hospital issues
  • Attend and participate in other behavioral health work groups and meetings as required.

Therapist

BayCare Life Management
04.2014 - 01.2016
  • Assess individuals for admission or referral completing all items on assessment instrument including significant others as appropriate
  • Identify and reports appropriate barriers to promote successful transition to the least restrictive environment as appropriate
  • Develop plan of care based on the results of the initial assessment and the interpretive summary assisting the individual served to attain treatment plan goals inclusive of strengths, abilities, needs and preferences
  • Provide effective crisis intervention that responds to the critical needs of individuals served
  • Ensure that goals and objectives are specific, measurable, time limited, achievable, and inclusive of strengths, abilities, needs, preferences, and barriers
  • Refer to other BayCare programs and or appropriate community services based on identified needs that assure continuity of care through the transition planning process, agency and all other applicable rules and regulations
  • Provide weekly group services following Cognitive Behavioral Therapy model for teenage girls seeking clarification of personal values and who are working towards overcoming depression
  • Prepare timely, accurate, thorough clinical documentation for all services provided including successful mandated and clinical outcomes.

Mental Health Counselor

Gracepoint
10.2013 - 04.2014
  • Develop and implement therapeutic treatment plan in outpatient setting in compliance with Gracepoint standards and state, federal, agency and all other applicable rules and regulations
  • Conduct a weekly Spanish Dialectical Behavioral Therapy group for female clients over 40 who have been diagnosed with clinical depression
  • Discuss progress toward goals with clients such as medication regimen, family relationships, educational programs, social development, discharge plans or other behavioral problems and changes method and degree of therapy when indicated by client reactions/needs
  • Attend agency wide, division and program meetings, seminars, conferences, and workshops to maintain and enhance essential clinical skills and knowledge
  • Maintains regular contacts with other agencies/professionals regarding client progress in the therapeutic treatment program through phone calls, letters, and/or monthly reporting
  • Consults with psychiatrist or other specialists concerning progress towards treatment plan goals and amends plans as required

Program Supervisor

Gracepoint
11.2012 - 10.2013
  • Accurately submits program reports and other assignments in a timely manner, including internal audits, environmental safety reports, and staff productivity reports
  • Evaluates requests for psychiatric services to monitor criteria, disposition, timeliness of services, receipt of referral information; Ensure effective communication between members of treatment team
  • Keep program manager and director informed of relevant client, program, and community issues
  • Monitor the administrative support activities assigned to program staff; Monitor and review employee time worked to approve timecards and paid time off requests.

Team Lead

MHC Inc
08.2010 - 11.2012
  • Serve as a link between clients, service providers, clinical treatment team and the community to ensure continuity of care and monitor service delivery to determine effectiveness
  • Supervise Medication Management Counselors to ensure provision of quality services to populations in need and to encourage and promote attainment of productivity goals
  • Complete required documentation for services, including state mandated reporting, progress notes, psychosocial updates and treatment plans, as well as maintain updated medical records on each client
  • Provide therapy services on an internship basis to clients lacking insurance coverage living at Transitional Living Community facility.

Special Assistant/Interim Regional Director

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez/George Lemieux
03.2009 - 08.2010
  • Engaged in community outreach and attended local functions to promote the senator’s views, address concerns and requests, and to meet community leadership
  • Organize and plan annual events, such as Regional Service Academy Interviews
  • Recruit, interview, train, and supervise internship applicants
  • Assisted with administrative office duties, such as attending to constituent requests, drafting correspondence, answering phone calls, and forwarding legislative opinions to Washington, D.C
  • Office.

Education

Master’s - Mental Health Counseling

Nova Southeastern University
Tampa, FL

Bachelor’s - Arts, Psychology

University of South Florida
Tampa, FL

Completion of Qualified Supervisor Training -

Skills

  • Administrative Oversight
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Documentation Requirements
  • One-On-One Sessions
  • Intervention Planning
  • Client Confidentiality
  • Patient Documentation
  • Behavior Modification

Certification

  • Clinical Certified Anxiety Treatment Professional Training - October 2023

Timeline

Owner and Therapist

Escala Group
08.2022 - Current

Clinical Manager

Centene Advanced Behavioral Health, METS, Centene Corporation
04.2020 - 08.2022

Program Supervisor

METS West, Centene Corporation
04.2019 - 04.2020

Mental Health Assessment and Counseling, Tampa Bay Behavioral Services
01.2019 - 10.2019

Behavioral Health Care Manager

METS, WellCare, Inc
01.2016 - 04.2019

Therapist

BayCare Life Management
04.2014 - 01.2016

Mental Health Counselor

Gracepoint
10.2013 - 04.2014

Program Supervisor

Gracepoint
11.2012 - 10.2013

Team Lead

MHC Inc
08.2010 - 11.2012

Special Assistant/Interim Regional Director

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez/George Lemieux
03.2009 - 08.2010

Master’s - Mental Health Counseling

Nova Southeastern University

Bachelor’s - Arts, Psychology

University of South Florida

Completion of Qualified Supervisor Training -

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MARIA ANTONELLA CARUSILLO