Maria Isabel Ramirez Leyva
ASW #72700
Vallejo,CA
Summary
Expert Social Worker extensively trained in crisis management and interventions. Over 14 years of experience facilitating and mentoring high school-aged young people in youth development and educational programs. Passion for working towards social change to facilitate healing for abuse victims and their families. Experience working with diverse groups and communities. Goal-oriented individual with superior people skills and strong leadership capabilities. Organized, highly motivated, and detail directed problem solver, Native Spanish speaker. Creative and enthusiastic social work professional with experience managing case loads of up to 25 adolescents in high-risk environments. Passionate about building trust and rapport with at-risk youth through non-judgmental approach, patient demeanor and compassionate interpersonal skills. Adept at needs evaluation, treatment planning and facilitating group or individual counseling sessions. Compassionate and motivated Social Worker with comprehensive knowledge and experience with social justice and systems affecting marginalized communities. Passionate about developing and facilitating programs to support communities in need. Collaborative and analytical with proven ability to build strategic partnerships with other nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and professionals in legal field, advocating for clients and advancing change for communities in need.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
12
12
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Language
Work History
Mental Health Specialist
Horizons Unlimited Of San Francisco
SF, United States
05.2021 - Current
- Performed client assessments and developed treatment plans.
- Provided clients with recommendations to community resources.
- Evaluated patients and implemented comprehensive treatment plans to enhance mental health.
- Maintained caseload of 10 active clients and 6 clients within assessment phase.
- Created and administered psycho-education programs to provide life skills, family support and community integration services to patients.
- Documented client progress in confidential files.
- Monitored patients and assessed suicide risks.
- Communicated with clients to develop social and psychiatric observations.
- Encouraged clients to express feelings and discuss what was happening in day-to-day life in order to help each person develop insight into personal experiences and relationships
- Leveraged positive uncertainty and multi-systemic family systems therapy to help clients deal with ambiguity, accept inconsistencies and adopt intuition when making decisions.
- Ran individual therapy and family therapy sessions for children ages 11 to 24.
- Observed and monitored client behavior and responses to treatment.
- Offered and documented treatment consent forms in patient health records.
- Managed caseload of 3-6 patients with substance dependence and co-occurring Axis I and Axis II disorders.
- Displayed sensitivity to cultural and linguistic needs of clients and families served.
- Provided comprehensive case management services, created treatment plans and connected clients and families to appropriate resources.
- Consulted with other staff members regarding treatment plans as deemed appropriate by team leader.
- Encouraged patients to discuss experiences in group and individual settings.
- Utilized positive uncertainty and multi-systemic family systems therapy to encourage clients and help to handle ambiguity, accept inconsistencies and trust intuition in decision-making.
- Directed family-centered, strengths-based, culturally competent and individualized intakes and assessments.
- Developed goal-oriented psychoeducational and activity therapy groups to improve clients' level of functioning.
- Worked collaboratively with other mental health professionals to provide consistent care and minimize diversion.
- Completed one-on-one counseling with broad range of clients suffering from Anxiety to substance reliance struggles.
- Delivered client assessments for those struggling with addiction or relationship issues and implemented strategies based on client needs.
- Involved clients' family members in planning social service programs.
Intensive Case Social Worker
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland, CA
09.2020 - 04.2021
- Provided clients with recommendations to community resources.
- Performed client assessments and developed treatment plans.
- Documented client progress in confidential files.
- Ran individual therapy and family therapy sessions for children ages 7 to 19.
- Involved clients' family members in planning social service programs.
- Worked collaboratively with other mental health professionals to provide consistent care and minimize diversion.
- Displayed sensitivity to cultural and linguistic needs of clients and families served.
- Provided comprehensive case management services, including creating treatment plans and connecting clients and families to appropriate resources.
- Consulted with other staff members regarding treatment plans as deemed appropriate by team leader.
- Utilized positive uncertainty and multi-systemic family systems therapy to encourage clients and help to handle ambiguity, accept inconsistencies and trust intuition in decision-making.
- Directed family-centered, strengths-based, culturally competent and individualized intakes and assessments.
- Delivered personalized educational, behavioral and emotional support to individual students to enable positive learning outcomes.
- Contacted parents to discuss student progress and set up meetings.
- Provided student support through special accommodations, extra assistance and assessments.
- Helped special education teachers determine specific needs for individuals with exceptional needs.
- Communicated with students, teachers, staff and parents to main effective relationships for student and program growth.
- Built and maintained effective communication and relationships with students, teachers, support staff and parents.
- Delivered individual services and instruction support to students and coworkers.
- Worked cooperatively with students of various culturally diverse backgrounds and learning styles.
- Played essential role in delivering individualized services and supporting instruction.
- Translated in Spanish during parent conferences and meetings.
Mental Health Clinician
Instituto Familiar De La Raza
San Francisco, CA
03.2020 - 07.2020
- Coordinated and worked closely with juvenile probation officers, social service agencies and mental health providers.
- Built relationships with clients and care providers, assessing living conditions and background information regarding family history, educational history, out-of-home care history, etc.
- Interpreted data from various assessment tools such as CANS to determine appropriate topics for family therapy sessions.
- Suggested special community service rehabilitation programs to help further support clients and families.
- Collaborated with out-of-home care staff, area law enforcement, mental health agencies, attorneys and treatment providers.
- Resolved conflicts and negotiated mutually beneficial agreements between client and care givers.
- Provided all clinical services via telehealth.
School Based Therapist
Family Services Agency
Santa Barbara, CA
08.2019 - 12.2019
- Completed required documentation and reports for compliance and treatment planning.
- Met with students to conduct individual assessments and determine academic and mental health needs.
- Collaborated with social workers to help students grow in social and emotional capacities.
- Consulted with teachers and parents to gain in-depth understanding of students.
- Collaborated with educators, school administrators and external professionals in providing therapeutic services of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
- Utilized tools such as motivational interviewing to evaluate educational, emotional and behavioral needs of students.
Foster Family Agency Social Worker
Koinonia Family Services
Camarillo, CA
02.2019 - 07.2019
- Maintained caseload of Resource Families and Foster Children across Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
- Transported Children in Care to Ventura County Child Welfare Offices for designated Birth Parent visits
- Attended all CFT meetings with Resource Parents, WRAP providers, County Workers, and Children in Care.
- Completed Resource Parent home studies assigned by Ventura County Child Welfare.
- Completed SAFE Training Certification.
Foster Family Agency Social Worker
Casa PacifIca Centers For Children & Families
Camarillo, CA
11.2018 - 02.2019
- Completed weekly home welfare checks to align with state and program guidelines.
- Reported child abuse in accordance with legal standards of mandatory reporters.
- Planned, promoted and managed individual parent meetings on assisting children in attaining academic success.
- Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
- Documented data and completed accurate updates to case records.
- Interviewed individuals and families to assess needs and provide informational resources.
- Developed rapport to create safe and trusting environment for care.
- Resolved conflicts and negotiated mutually beneficial agreements between Resource Parents and Children in care.
School Based Therapist
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland, CA
10.2017 - 12.2017
- Case management for newly arrived immigrants in Oakland public school Newcomer Program.
- Included but not limited to: Crisis intervention Short term counseling Teacher and parent consultation Coordinate outside Mental health services.
- Collaborated with community program leaders and advocates to make resources accessible to those in need.
- Interviewed individuals and families to assess needs and provide informational resources.
- Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
Social Worker
Legal Services for Children
San Francisco, CA
12.2016 - 05.2017
- Conducting legal screenings, client interviews, and factual and legal investigations, counseling clients, developing case strategies and case plans, and engaging in oral and written advocacy as part of representing children in immigration matters (primarily SIJS, asylum and T & U visa cases) Supporting children in immigration matters, including Immigration Court proceedings and related state court matters (probate and dependency), as well as applications before U.S.
- Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) Engaging in advocacy efforts on behalf of immigrant children, including conducting community presentations for children, families, schools, and community organizations.
- Maintained regular contact with clients, including visiting clients' homes.
- Collaborated with court, law enforcement and community providers.
- Obtained and supplied information to coordinating agencies to provide best possible guidance to clients.
- Interviewed and evaluated clients, including conducting safety and risk assessments.
- Referred clients to social services agencies.
- Solicited advice and guidance from senior personnel and other experts when difficult or atypical situations developed.
- Monitored students for signs of trauma, abuse and neglect.
- Interviewed individual clients, families or groups to assess situations, capabilities and problems to determine services required to meet needs.
School Social Worker
ARISE High School
Oakland, CA
08.2013 - 08.2016
- Provide comprehensive wellness/counseling services for students in grades nine through twelve.
- Meet the needs of students by providing crisis intervention/stabilization, short-term therapy, and psycho-education for students, families, and groups.
- Consult with teachers, staff, and parents to enhance effectiveness of student support plan(s).
- Work with Co principal(s), teachers, families, doctors and therapists to develop individualized 504 education plans.
- Refer students and families to appropriate program specialists and or community agencies.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams of school psychologists, teachers and administrators to create and implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
- Worked with teachers to implement behavioral improvement plans based on established assessments.
- Observed student behavior and developed behavioral interventions.
- Communicated goals, plans and progress to parents or guardians.
- Created intervention and treatment plans for students in need of assistance.
- Administered assessments and developed academic goals based on specific disabilities and barriers to learning.
- Identified student barriers to self-sufficiency and created relevant IEPs.
- Supported students, teachers, and families during crisis situations.
- Provided case management services, counseling, education and life-skills training to diverse, at-risk student population.
- Monitored students for signs of trauma, abuse and neglect.
- Collaborated with teachers, administrators and guardians to determine needs of individual students.
- Provided educational support services to students with emotional, intellectual and physical disabilities.
- Provided group and individual counseling to address problems.
- Trained and guided teachers on how to identify and support students.
- Participated in IEP, RTI, and other related meetings that determined and implemented school-wide policies.
- Completed psychosocial histories of students under evaluation.
- Collaborated with students, teachers, administrators, parents and outside agencies.
- Monitored student attendance, documented truancy, and submitted referrals per requirements.
Integrated Behavioral Health Clinician
La Clinica De La Raza
Oakland, CA
03.2013 - 08.2013
- La Clinica De La Raza, Alta Vista Teen Clinic- Integrated Behavioral Health Clinician Provide a full range of culturally sensitive behavioral health treatment and intensive case management services to medical patients Screening, psychosocial/psychiatric assessments, crisis intervention/stabilization, short-term therapy, and psycho-education for individuals, families, and groups.
- Develop individualized treatment planning, goal setting, collateral services, progress monitoring, and care coordination within a multidisciplinary team.
- Assisted with proactive client outreach initiatives and documented client correspondence.
- Assisted and counseled 5 to 10 patients daily.
- Ensured that clients and families were treated with respect and dignity.
- Applied interventions when necessary, including clients wanting to leave against medical advice (AMA).
- Charted on each patient daily.
- Counseled and mentored clients on substance use and life choices.
- Collaborated on strategic planning and kept practice operations aligned with organizational mission, vision and goals.
- Improved delivery of patient care through reviewing and implementing improvements to clinical approaches.
- Conducted monthly patient case conferences, in-services and staff meetings to educate staff and facilitate good communication.
- Communicated goals, plans and progress to parents or guardians.
- Ensured safety and well-being of patients.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams of school psychologists, teachers and administrators to create and implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).
- Facilitated on-going assessment of patient and family needs and implementation of interdisciplinary team care plan.
- Routinely collaborated with department managers to correct problems and improve services.
- Maintained good communication between department heads, medical staff and governing boards by attending board meetings and synchronizing interdepartmental functions.
Bilingual Social Worker/ Intensive Foster Care
Penny Lane Centers - Bilingual Social Worker & Intensive Foster Care In Home
Commerce, CA
09.2010 - 02.2013
- Assessment/Creation and Monitoring of Treatment Plans Collaborate with the child and family to develop a comprehensive assessment by identifying their strengths, resources and needs and their ability to provide a safe and nurturing home for their children.
- Utilize knowledge and expertise to identify psychosocial, economic and physical needs of the children.
- Reassess client's support systems, available community resources and other factors and decide how to modify treatment plan as needed.
- Maintain ongoing contact with CSW and other Community resources to report progress concerns and/or make treatment recommendations as needed.
- Act as a liaison with placement agency workers and other community resource persons.
- Case Management Drive to the homes of foster children on a weekly basis to gather and assess information regarding: safety and wellbeing, child's progress toward treatment plan goals, school progress, child's social activities; and any other requests, problems and/or concerns the child may have.
- Provide ongoing case management services by conducting home visits, monitoring delivery of services and quality of care, tracking client progress and well being Report Creation Submission of all treatment and/or quarterly reports to placing agencies on a timely basis.
- The timely completion of all transfer, termination and discharge reports.
- Visitations Supervise and/or arrange visitation for children and biological parents/siblings.
- Work with outside agencies to develop solutions in order to meet the court requirements for visitation.
- Communication Meetings Attend mandatory in-service, individual supervision and group meetings.
- Case Intervention Utilize problem-solving skills to provide basic intervention to client and family as required.
- Provide crisis intervention to include responding to emergency calls during regular business hours.
- Checked with newly placed children frequently to ensure comprehensive success.
- Established parental eligibility through frequent meetings and reviewing information.
- Completed weekly visitations to check on children, families and home environments.
- Provided in-home training and support to foster parents during weekly meetings to help mitigate problems arising from child behavior.
- Documented data and completed accurate updates to case records.
- Collaborated with community program leaders and advocates to make resources accessible to those in need.
- Monitored progress and documented any patient health status changes, keeping healthcare team updated.
- Worked to improve and enhance patient lives through effective and compassionate care.
- Reported child abuse in accordance with legal standards of mandatory reporters.
- Organized activities for birth parents and in-home support counselors.
- Developed rapport to create safe and trusting environment for care.
- Built solid and trusting rapport with children and families, fostering trust and communication to meet case needs.
- Interviewed individuals and families to assess needs and provide informational resources.
- Completed home welfare checks to align with state and program guidelines.
MSW Intern
San Francisco Human Services Agency
San Francisco, CA
09.2007 - 05.2008
- Bilingual Teen Unit Provide case management and placement planning services to dependent children of the Court Perform ongoing assessment of children's placement needs, adoptability, risks and safety, attachment, needs for special services Prepare case notes, records and reports for the Court Work closely with unaccompanied minors in care regarding their Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
MSW Intern
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley
Milpitas, CA
02.2007 - 09.2007
- Complete 33 hours of training as Court Appointed Special Advocate Organize and coordinate Annual Celebration of CASA staff, advocates, youth, and families Child care/Behavioral assessment - Children ages 1-8 for mothers in Santa Clara County Drug Court Program Verger Fellowship - On The Verge/On The Move Bay Area.
Intern-V.O.I.C.E.S.-First Emancipation
On The Move, Bay Area
Napa, CA
06.2004 - 01.2007
- Center in the country founded and operated by ten dedicated emancipating/emancipated foster youth and adult partners to:.
- Integrate systems and centralize resources and services in Napa County.
- Build an intergenerational learning community.
- Develop holistic youth empowerment approaches to support emancipated foster youth to become independent and successful adults and community members.
Education
Master of Arts - School of Social Work
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA 09.2006 - 05.2008
Some College (No Degree) - Cultural Anthropology, Pan American Studies
University of California, Pontificial Catholic University
Rio De Janeiro 01.2000 - 08.2000
Bachelor of Arts - Cultural Anthropology
UC San Diego
La Jolla, CA 09.1996 - 12.2005
Skills
Case Managementundefined
Timeline
Mental Health Specialist
Horizons Unlimited Of San Francisco
05.2021 - Current
Intensive Case Social Worker
Oakland Unified School District
09.2020 - 04.2021
Mental Health Clinician
Instituto Familiar De La Raza
03.2020 - 07.2020
School Based Therapist
Family Services Agency
08.2019 - 12.2019
Foster Family Agency Social Worker
Koinonia Family Services
02.2019 - 07.2019
Foster Family Agency Social Worker
Casa PacifIca Centers For Children & Families
11.2018 - 02.2019
School Based Therapist
Oakland Unified School District
10.2017 - 12.2017
Social Worker
Legal Services for Children
12.2016 - 05.2017
School Social Worker
ARISE High School
08.2013 - 08.2016
Integrated Behavioral Health Clinician
La Clinica De La Raza
03.2013 - 08.2013
Bilingual Social Worker/ Intensive Foster Care
Penny Lane Centers - Bilingual Social Worker & Intensive Foster Care In Home
09.2010 - 02.2013
MSW Intern
San Francisco Human Services Agency
09.2007 - 05.2008
MSW Intern
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley
02.2007 - 09.2007
Master of Arts - School of Social Work
San Jose State University
09.2006 - 05.2008
Intern-V.O.I.C.E.S.-First Emancipation
On The Move, Bay Area
06.2004 - 01.2007
Some College (No Degree) - Cultural Anthropology, Pan American Studies
University of California, Pontificial Catholic University
01.2000 - 08.2000
Bachelor of Arts - Cultural Anthropology
UC San Diego
09.1996 - 12.2005
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