Pamela Krueger
Santa Cruz,CA
Summary
Expert in Mental Health with a focus on delivering compassionate, evidence-based care to elderly and vulnerable populations. Proven track record in reducing stigma and promoting mental health awareness through effective leadership and training initiatives. Specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, crisis intervention, and family counseling, demonstrating strong communication and problem-solving skills. Committed to enhancing emotional well-being and supporting clients in achieving their personal goals.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
COD Therapist
The Camp Recovery
Scotts Valley, CA
07.2024 - Current
- Led group therapy and process groups daily, teaching and educating client towards promoting positive behaviors and relapse prevention
- Treated individuals with co-occurring disorders simultaneously, treating both conditions concurrently, using tailored treatment plans and evidence-based practices.
- Provided comprehensive care through assessment and diagnosis
- Assisted clients in addressing underlying issues/trauma while developing coping skills towards facilitating recovery.
- Conducted 1:1 sessions 2x weekly incorporating families and couple sessions to educate and provide support, including prevention, to help clients recover from addiction, modify problem behaviors and improve overall mental health.
- Completed Biopsychosocial, master treatment plans, daily session notes, conducted PCL-5, GAD-7 and PHQ-9, ASAMS and UR’s
Therapist
Yes To Therapy
Santa Cruz, CA
05.2024 - 09.2024
- Approach & Style; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Humanistic Therapy, client centered, coping and mindfulness and family systems therapy.
- Areas of focus; Severe and persistent mental illness/personality disorder, ADHD, grief/loss, complex trauma and PTSD and substance abuse
- Completing documentation, maintaining weekly schedule, and participating in individual, group and consults relevant to current case load.
- Provided therapy to children, adults, couples and families
Emergency Psychiatric Clinician I
Telecare Corp
Santa Cruz, CA
09.2023 - 05.2024
- Participate in daily treatment team meetings with county stakeholders.
- Independently completes assessments, treatment plans/reviews, LPS/Reese/Writ documentation as warranted.
- Collaborate with other Telecare/County staff to determine safety needs and acuity level while awaiting discharge or transfer to a step-down or higher level of care such as IMD placement.
- Work closely with the public guardians' office when conserving an individual unable to care for their basic needs or overall personal safety when all other resources have been ineffective.
- Collaborate with Pre-trial services, jail discharge planning while providing support for court proceedings and follow-up with Wellpath for continuum of care when warranted.
- Participate in staffing, collaborate, and submit updated progress notes for appropriate IMD placement.
- Work closely with patients to develop a safe discharge plan while fostering linkage and brokerage to community referral/resources.
- CPI trained with extensive experience in effective de-escalation techniques, crisis communication, and management.
- Applying investigative skills while gathering data to assist in reuniting families and confirming appropriateness and safety at discharge.
- Establish/build rapport with patients/families with effective communication and finely tuned problem-solving skills that assist in empowering patients/families with diverse cultural norms and spiritual values to develop coping skills, behaviors, and thought processes.
- Provide psychoeducational to patients and families on community resources.
- Extensive knowledge of 5150/5250/5270; participated in weekly 5250 hearings with the patient.
- Complete detailed documentation and reporting and respond quickly to requests while effectively communicating with the treatment team.
- Ability to be self-aware by the constant use of self-monitoring, supervision, boundaries, and appropriate use of empathy > Knowledge of clinical competencies based on the current population being served.
Mental Health Clinician
University of Texas Medical Branch Correctional Managed Care
San Antonio, TX
08.2022 - 06.2023
- Company Overview: Dominquez, Ney and Torres Units- Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
- Contributes to the success of the UTMB Correctional Managed Care operation.
- Interviews, evaluates, and diagnoses patients identified as having mental health needs.
- Provides individual and group psychotherapy and crisis intervention. Specialization: Complex Trauma/Unprocessed grief/Crisis management and De-escalation/Suicide assessment and intervention.
- Develops, implements, and reviews Individual Treatment Plans.
- Assists with training and education of mental health, medical and other staff.
- Assists in the implementation of Quality Improvement/Quality Management (QI/QM) programs and the monitoring of compliance with required policies, procedures, and standards.
- Provides routine consultation and communication with supervisor and/or attending psychiatric provider regarding the status of assigned patients.
- Completes clinically appropriate and timely documentation.
- Liaises with patient, patient families, on-site departments, and community agencies to coordinate current treatment and/or facilitate aftercare services.
- Adheres to internal controls established for department.
- Mental Health Evaluations, Risk Assessments, Suicide Assessments, and psychological testing when warranted.
- Dominquez, Ney and Torres Units- Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Case Coordinator
County of Santa Cruz Behavioral Health-Recovery Team
Santa Cruz, CA
07.2021 - 05.2022
- Carry 45+ client case load providing:
- Interview clients to assess and evaluate the clients' problems, provide crisis intervention (CIT) alongside law enforcement, and determine treatment or rehabilitation needs.
- Gather and analyze information on clients' presenting circumstances, social, substance use and psychiatric history, and/or immediate needs; determine need and eligibility for psychiatric hospitalization or other treatment, making recommendations and referrals within the Agency or to other programs and agencies as appropriate.
- Provide continuing case management services to severely mentally ill and/or substance abusing clients and their families, assisting clients to function at the most independent level in the least restrictive setting possible; serve as Coordinator of client service plans which address the psychosocial needs as stated by clients which includes housing, employment, education, financial, legal, and social needs; prepare case histories conservatorships, assessments or service plans, and maintain daily notes in Avatar.
- Provide individual, group and family mental health/substance abuse sessions as assigned, under the direct supervision of a licensed or substance abuse certified staff member; prepare a variety of administrative records, reports, correspondence and other documentation and maintains client records; communicate and/or consults with a variety of organizations, agencies, programs, and individuals in obtaining necessary treatment approaches and/ or support services for clients, assisting clients to meet their basic needs and improve their current situations; work with other agencies to identify, promote and develop needed health care services.
- Participate in staff meetings, in-service training, team treatment sessions, conferences, and workshops; consult with supervisor, team members, and other professional staff concerning client caseload and/or assigned functions; Assess for 5150, write and arrange for emergency treatment and/or detention or out-of-home placement and care as necessary, and trauma informed care.
- Utilize skills for on-call crisis assessment to coordinate responds to calls for urgent or emergent clinical concerns after normal business hours and weekends/holidays; providing after hour support and services to facilitate maintain the client in least restrictive levels of care possible, while upholding both that client’s safety and the communities; using sharp, clinical judgement to determine best intervention and mode for evaluation; using law-enforcement/CIT if safety is called into question for either parties.
Clinical Intern
Walnut Avenue family and women’s center
Santa Cruz, CA
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Provide Telehealth and in-person 1:1 and Family Therapy and Domestic Violence groups.
- Conduct psychosocial assessment and treatment/safety plans, provide advocacy and community linkage to provide safety and other resources, with added support though legal issues.
- Participate in weekly supervision, maintain, and track hours, complete documentation, and consult on difficult cases.
Mental Health Clinician (CIT)
County of Santa Cruz-Jail Behavioral Health
Santa Cruz, CA
01.2019 - 07.2021
- Company Overview: Main Jail- Santa Cruz, CA
- Collaborate with law-enforcement working within CIT, to provide advocacy and support to de-escalate acute crisis situations.
- Participate in daily CIT treatment team to ensure best client care, weekly rounds, advise on appropriate housing assignments, daily suicide, and risk assessment for recommended step-down, while providing monitoring of those that pose a risk to themselves/others.
- Independently update and maintain state hospital IST log while providing support and advocacy to the courts, psychiatrists, and other treating professionals.
- Set, reschedule psychiatry appointments, while consulting with psychiatry and providers and advocating for 1217 (involuntary medication) when deemed necessary.
- Respond to inmate requests and concerns through jail management system (JMS) by providing appropriate therapeutic interventions, individual and group counseling, and life skills.
- Provide Family interventions and psychoeducation of; jail procedures, housing, role of JBH, med management, IST, treatment, court proceedings, addressing family concerns and conflict and providing resources.
- Trained in, providing, and writing 5150 Involuntary hold) assessments, while maintaining coordination of care with out of custody inpatient psychiatric and out-patient treatment facilities.
- Actively seeks supervision and CIT consults in difficult/dangerous client situations to ensure ethically safe practices.
- Main Jail- Santa Cruz, CA
Employment Specialist/Case manager
Mental Health Systems-Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
Oceanside, CA
01.2016 - 01.2019
- Company Overview: North County-Oceanside, CA
- Provide assessments and interviews for client readiness for work; implement employment groups, resume writing and interview techniques, while networking and securing community connections for employment opportunities and other state and county resources.
- Collaborating with San Diego Mental health probation and law enforcement while advocating for client success in court proceedings.
- Conduct assessments to complete Biopsychosocial, treatment plans, and daily treatment notes into Cerner.
- Provide case management to assist in; housing, SSI, legal, financial, 1:1 group therapy in life/coping skills, linkage to community resources.
- Conduct basic safety assessments for emergent need for PERT and psychiatric hospitalization, and provide support to all clients including on-call crisis interventions.
- North County-Oceanside, CA
Education
Master of Arts - Psychology
California Southern University
Irvine, CA03.2022
BA-Criminology and Law Studies -
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI08.2008
Skills
- Team collaboration
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Multitasking abilities
- Time management skills
- Case planning expertise
- Active listening
- De-escalation strategies
- Field supervision experience
- Training and development
- Crisis intervention techniques
- Independent decision making
- Sound judgment
- Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) knowledge
- Criminal justice system understanding
- Mental health court knowledge
- Public guardian office experience
- Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act knowledge
- Writ procedures expertise
- Reese and 1217 procedure familiarity
- Correctional facility experience
- Safety protocol knowledge
- Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model application
- Therapeutic practices
- Counseling skills
- Rapport building strategies
- Boundary maintenance
Training
- CPR/AED/CPI/5150/Columbia Suicide Screening/HIPPA
- ANSA
- ASAM
- Crisis Intervention and Human Trafficking
- EMDR/IFT/Gottman
Volunteer Internship
- Walnut Avenue family and women’s center, Santa Cruz, CA, Clinical Intern, 2020-2022, Provide Telehealth and in-person 1:1 and Family Therapy and Domestic Violence groups, Conduct psychosocial assessment and treatment/safety plans, provide advocacy and community linkage to provide safety and other resources, with added support though legal issues, Participate in weekly supervision, maintain, and track hours, complete documentation, and consult on difficult cases
- Mental Health Systems-Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) North County, Oceanside, CA, Employment Specialist/Case manager, 2016-2019, Provide assessments and interviews for client readiness for work; implement employment groups, resume writing and interview techniques, while networking and securing community connections for employment opportunities and other state and county resources, Collaborating with San Diego Mental health probation and law enforcement while advocating for client success in court proceedings, Conduct assessments to complete Biopsychosocial, treatment plans, and daily treatment notes into Cerner, Provide case management to assist in; housing, SSI, legal, financial, 1:1 group therapy in life/coping skills, linkage to community resources, Conduct basic safety assessments for emergent need for PERT and psychiatric hospitalization, and provide support to all clients including on-call crisis interventions
Certificates Licenses
Associate Marriage and Family Therapy, 135124, Board of Behavioral Science (BBS)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
COD Therapist
The Camp Recovery
07.2024 - Current
Therapist
Yes To Therapy
05.2024 - 09.2024
Emergency Psychiatric Clinician I
Telecare Corp
09.2023 - 05.2024
Mental Health Clinician
University of Texas Medical Branch Correctional Managed Care
08.2022 - 06.2023
Case Coordinator
County of Santa Cruz Behavioral Health-Recovery Team
07.2021 - 05.2022
Clinical Intern
Walnut Avenue family and women’s center
01.2020 - 01.2022
Mental Health Clinician (CIT)
County of Santa Cruz-Jail Behavioral Health
01.2019 - 07.2021
Employment Specialist/Case manager
Mental Health Systems-Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
01.2016 - 01.2019
Master of Arts - Psychology
California Southern University
BA-Criminology and Law Studies -
Marquette University