MELISSA AUSTIN
Irving
Summary
Licensed Mental Health Professional with over 10 years of experience in behavioral health. Skilled in many types of EMR documentation across diverse settings; non profit, medicaid, hospital, group practice, and private practice. Expertise in optimizing clinical documentation and analyzing workflows to enhance quality and compliance. Proven track record of translating complex clinical data into actionable insights for teams. Experienced in operations management and business strategy, with a focus on driving business development and achieving sales targets. I am passionate about moving my work from a client-facing role to a systems role that works with technology to help advance the healthcare field.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Owner & Licensed Professional Counselor
Time to Heal Therapy, PLLC
12.2023 - Current
- Independently manage a high-volume clinical caseload while ensuring accurate, timely, and compliant clinical documentation across all encounters.
- Produce, review, and refine SOAP notes, progress notes, assessments, and treatment plans to ensure clarity, clinical accuracy, and adherence to documentation standards.
- Analyze documentation and workflow patterns to identify inefficiencies, quality gaps, and opportunities for system improvement.
- Coordinate care with external providers and services, translating clinical information to support continuity of care.
- Maintain EMR systems and documentation processes in compliance with HIPAA and regulatory requirements.
Licensed Professional Counselor (Independent Contractor)
Linq Therapy
10.2022 - 12.2023
- Delivered assessment-driven care with a strong emphasis on high-quality clinical documentation and outcome tracking.
- Maintained accurate and timely records in alignment with organizational standards and audit readiness.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure documentation supported clinical decision-making and care coordination.
- Train peers on treatment of certain disorders such as: trauma and eating disorders.
Licensed Professional Counselor & Case Manager
Eating Recovery Center
04.2022 - 10.2022
- Managed a caseload of 32+ clients weekly while maintaining high documentation quality in a fast-paced clinical environment.
- Reviewed and refined clinical notes to ensure accuracy, consistency, and adherence to evidence-based protocols.
- Served as a liaison between providers, clients, and external stakeholders to support coordinated care.
- Identified documentation pain points and workflow inefficiencies within EMR systems.
Licensed Professional Counselor
Ozark Guidance Center
12.2018 - 04.2022
- Delivered outpatient and community-based care with extensive use of structured clinical documentation.
- Conducted assessments, treatment planning, and progress monitoring using standardized documentation frameworks.
- Collaborated with schools, caseworkers, and legal stakeholders, ensuring documentation supported cross-system communication.
Mental Health Paraprofessional & Case Manager
Dayspring Behavioral Health
05.2015 - 09.2017
- Provided behavioral health support in school and community settings.
- Maintained accurate, compliant documentation for Medicaid billing and program reporting.
- Supported interdisciplinary care delivery through consistent data tracking and reporting.
Skills
- Clinical Documentation Review
- AI Output Evaluation
- Quality Assurance
- Clinical Workflow Analysis
- EMR Systems
- Medical Terminology
- Documentation Standards
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Data Analysis
- Pattern Recognition
- Regulatory Awareness
- Compliance Awareness
- ICD-10 Familiarity
- Diagnostic Accuracy
- Microsoft Excel
- Google Sheets
- Zoom
- Google Meet
Certification
Licensed Professional Counselor, TX, AR
Additional Experience And Leadership
- Developed and facilitated virtual clinical trainings for families and providers
- Experience mentoring and training peers on documentation best practices
- Strong background in research-informed practice and applied clinical analysis
- Lead mental health paraprofessionals on client facing responsibilities as well as documentation and EMR
Volunteer And Extracurricular Experience
- Youth of the Year Award, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- International Crisis Intervention Experience - Al-Mafraq, Jordan
- Community Giveback Initiatives, Ozark Guidance Center
- International Students Organization, University of Arkansas
References
Available upon request
Education And Licensure
- Master of Science - Clinical Mental Health Counseling, John Brown University, 2018
- Bachelor of Science - Human Development & Family Sciences, University of Arkansas, 2015
- Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas
Professional Highlights
- Deep expertise in evaluating clinical documentation for quality and accuracy
- Strong written communication tailored to technical and non-clinical audiences
- Demonstrated ability to identify patterns and improve systems at scale
Timeline
Owner & Licensed Professional Counselor
Time to Heal Therapy, PLLC
12.2023 - Current
Licensed Professional Counselor (Independent Contractor)
Linq Therapy
10.2022 - 12.2023
Licensed Professional Counselor & Case Manager
Eating Recovery Center
04.2022 - 10.2022
Licensed Professional Counselor
Ozark Guidance Center
12.2018 - 04.2022
Mental Health Paraprofessional & Case Manager
Dayspring Behavioral Health
05.2015 - 09.2017