Melanie Grimes
Wilmington,DE
Summary
A compassionate, empathetic and results orientated professional with over thirty years of working with children and families providing guidance to meet their needs. Demonstrated track record of success working with diverse populations. Unwavering ability to motivate and effectively engage others.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Social Worker
Christiana Care Hospital Woman And Children Build
11.2021 - Current
- Work with patients, families, and other members of the health care team to understand the patients social, emotional, and environmental needs.
- Assess needs to formulate a discharge plan and connect families with community resources.
- Provide crisis intervention.
- Educate and support parents, with newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, who have suffered a loss and first time parents.
- Collaborate with medical staff for discharge planning needs.
- Analyze situation and determine appropriate course of action, including reporting to Child Protective Services, adoption and outpatient behavioral services.
Counseling Service Coordinator
Wesley College
10.2020 - 06.2021
- Targeted College Student Counseling, face to face and virtual.
- Twice a week Virtual Drop- In Counseling.
- Conduct small group counseling face to face and virtual.
- Crisis counseling, trauma and relationship therapy.
- Address mental health needs including anxiety, depression substance abuse, COVID isolation, and self-harm.
- Collaborate with Title IX Coordinator, Campus Safety, Residential Life and the community to address student conduct, sexual misconduct and campus safety.
- Active member of the Behavioral Intervention Team.
- Complete assessments, intakes, treatment and discharge plans.
- Resource linkage for local and out of state students and families.
Program Manager Administrator / Department Supervisor
State of Delaware Office of Liaison Services & Interstate Compact Unit
01.2015 - 01.2020
- Oversee statewide Family Court Liaison Team, this team provides a central point of contact and expertise to children and families when Family Court interfaces with the Children’s Department.
- Supervising the State of Delaware Interstate Compact Unit this team is the path towards stability and permanence for children who are placed across state lines.
- Provide counsel and mental health recommendations to both teams to support their interventions and work with children and families.
- Member of Family Court Judicial Committees addressing policy and state procedures.
- Represent the state of Delaware on National Committees addressing Federal Laws.
- Represent the state of Delaware on the National Committee addressing Diversity and Inclusion.
- Member of the state committee implementing COVID restrictions for children and youth placed in state care.
- Formulate action plans to improve and increase state programs for youth placed in care.
Supervisor – School Based Family Crisis Therapist
Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services Early Intervention Unit
01.2011 - 01.2015
- Provide direct supervision to school-based Family Crisis Therapists (FCT) at 15 elementary schools across the state.
- Provide counsel and mental health recommendations to school based therapists to support their interventions and work with children and families.
- Provide supervision to school based staff to ensure evidence based treatment practices at each school.
- Provide guidance and supervision to school based staff addressing school behaviors that affect the learning process. Including tantrums, anger outburst, attendance, crisis counseling, trauma, depression, ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders.
- Oversee school based staff conducting annual ten week Parent Education Classes and Child Abuse and Neglect Annual school staff trainings.
- Collaborate with school administration, community stakeholders and families to improve better outcomes for children within their district.
- A member of school district teams to improve better outcomes for low/income students.
School Based Family Crisis Therapist
Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services Early Intervention Unit
01.1999 - 01.2011
- Provide school based counseling designed to remove barriers to academic and social success.
- Address school behaviors that affect the learning process.
- Including tantrums, anger outburst, attendance, crisis counseling, trauma, depression, ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders.
- Develop and lead small therapeutic groups.
- Collaborate with teachers to address classroom management.
- Family therapy addressing legal issues, family separation, substance abuse, domestic violence, unmet mental health needs and parenting challenges.
- Conduct Ten Week evening Parent Education Class.
- Conduct Child Abuse and Neglect Training for School. Administration and Staff.
- Conduct therapeutic weekly home visits.
- Crisis Intervention and home visits.
- Partner with the school to build a school environment to support and meet the needs of students.
- Provide individual and/or family counseling, student/parent/teacher support groups, social skills and conflict resolution, discipline alternatives and academic support.
- Work as a team with teachers to develop behavioral treatment plans.
- Design and conduct teacher and staff presentations and training focused on mental health.
Education
Licensed Master of Social Work -
Wilmington University
New Castle, DEMaster of Science in Administration of Human Services -
Wilmington University
New Castle, DEBachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice -
West Chester University
West Chester, PASkills
- Supervisory Skills
- Cultural Competency
- Client Advocacy
- Behavior Modification
- Grief Counseling
- Mental Health Counseling
Timeline
Senior Social Worker
Christiana Care Hospital Woman And Children Build
11.2021 - Current
Counseling Service Coordinator
Wesley College
10.2020 - 06.2021
Program Manager Administrator / Department Supervisor
State of Delaware Office of Liaison Services & Interstate Compact Unit
01.2015 - 01.2020
Supervisor – School Based Family Crisis Therapist
Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services Early Intervention Unit
01.2011 - 01.2015
School Based Family Crisis Therapist
Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services Early Intervention Unit
01.1999 - 01.2011
Licensed Master of Social Work -
Wilmington University
Master of Science in Administration of Human Services -
Wilmington University
Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice -
West Chester University
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