Sierra Bloxson
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
OPMH Clinical and Program Development Manager
National Youth Advocate Program, INC.
01.2021 - Current
- Supervises the department of outpatient mental health (OMPH)
- Oversees a team of 15-20 therapists, paraprofessionals, substance abuse counselors, nursing and psychiatric staff providing outpatient services to youth in foster care and the Department of Juvenile Justice.
- Coordinates service implementation for roughly 130 youth enrolled in services.
- Monitors staff productivity and service delivery in accordance with State and Federal guidelines.
- Assists direct care staff with crisis interventions.
- Coordinates with community stakeholders to have cooperative service delivery and continuity of care among providers.
- Develops and monitors key points of improvement for the department, as well as continuous quality assurance.
Therapist
National Youth Advocate Program, INC
06.2018 - 01.2021
- Provided therapy and counseling services to youth in the agency foster care program, and youth involved with the Department of Juvenile Justice.
- Completed comprehensive assessments to bring new consumers into services, and to keep current consumers enrolled in services.
- Coordinated and monitors services for the youth and family in the community, including but not limited to, mental health, medical, educational, psychological, vocational, and social services.
- Established and maintained a strong relationship with assigned foster parents and families of origin
- Provided safety assessment, crisis response, and behavioral stabilization services as required to assure safety and stability for youth served.
- Participated in the Continuous Quality Improvement activities on a monthly/quarterly basis.
- Assisted in family reunification and/or stabilization efforts with the youth’s primary family or other permanent living arrangement consistent with the youth’s case plan.
ACT Team Leader/Clinical Therapist
Renaissance Counseling Services, LLC
06.2014 - 06.2018
- Provided oversight and supervision to a multidisciplinary team of clinicians (therapists, substance abuse counselors, paraprofessionals, certified peer specialists, and vocational counselors) who provide assertive community treatment services (ACT) for the severely mentally ill.
- Responsible for providing therapeutic services and interventions to clients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and a host of other mental health disorders.
- Continuously assessed clients for signs of psychiatric decompensation and mental health crisis, along with instituting involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations, if warranted (1013’s).
- Created person centered treatment plans, with goals and interventions specific to clients mental health, behavioral, and total wellness needs, that were specific, measurable, attainable, and timed.
- Conducted individual therapy sessions with clients on a weekly basis in community environments (group homes, personal care homes, transitional living environments, private residences, peer support programs).
- Conducted initial and annual biopsychosocial assessments and treatment plan reviews.
- Worked collectively with clients to create personal, client centered, crisis intervention plans.
Social Service Provider II
Central State Hospital-Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
07.2013 - 06.2014
- Counseled clients in treatment groups to help them overcome their dependencies, recover from illnesses, and adjust to life.
- Monitored, evaluated, and recorded clients progress in group therapy according to measureable goals and objectives assigned in their respective treatment plans.
- Conducted psychosocial assessments/evaluations to update comprehensive case plans
- Facilitated groups in anger management, social skills, coping skills, understanding mental health, and legal issues related to civil commitment.
- Sought out group materials to supplement lesson plans.
- Provided training to direct care staff in implementing behavior modification techniques and treatment plans.
Social Services Case Manager
Dekalb County Department Children and Family Services
07.2011 - 07.2013
- Maintained a caseload of 15+ children in foster care in Dekalb County, Georgia.
- Initiated the legal process for custody modification, reunification services, guardianship, protective services, parental rights terminations, and adoptions.
- Supervised parent-child visits, sibling visits, and family visits.
- Monitored and evaluated children on a monthly basis in regards to their safety, permanency and well-being while in foster care.
- Conceptualized case plans to effectively utilize community resources to meet the needs of children and biological parents.
- Mitigated between biological families, foster parents, community resources, the school system, the court system, mental health providers, and medical professionals.
- Researched the whereabouts of absent parents, in an effort to engage them in their children’s lives.
- Ensured that children’s medical, dental, and vision needs were met, in accordance with State and Federal mandates.
Social Services Intern-Permanency and Adoptions
Barrow County Department of Children and Family Services
08.2010 - 06.2011
- Assisted with organizing recruitment events in Winder, GA to engage families in the community to consider fostering or adopting children.
- Engaged relatives, foster parents, mentors, and important figures in a child’s life around the topic of adoption.
- Conducted home assessments on families considering being an adoptive resource and made recommendations for approval.
- Sought out community resources willing to donate holiday gifts to children in foster care.
- Monitored the adjustment, safety, and well-being of children placed in adoptive homes.
Social Services Intern-Family Preservation
Clarke County Department of Children and Family Services
01.2010 - 06.2010
- Facilitated meetings with families to address family needs, in an effort to prevent a child from entering into foster care.
- Initiated home visits with families brought to the attention of the department, after a child safety issue had been identified.
- Fashioned a list of service providers and the core services available to families to address substance abuse, mental health concerns, and parental capacities.
- Completed psychosocial assessments to ascertain a family’s current functioning and pathologies.
Education
Masters of Social Work - Social Work
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA05-2011
Bachelors of Arts - Psychology
Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia05-2008
Skills
- Cultural Competency-Consistently demonstrates competence and sensitivity in working with individuals of diverse populations, cultures, and lifesyles
- Crisis Intervention-Able to provide swift and efficent assessment and action to clients in acute mental health crisis
- Multidisciplinary collaboration-Cooperatively works with professionals of multiple disciplines to provide comprehensive mental health care
- Mental health therapy-Independently licensed therapist able to provide evidenced based therapeutic services and interventions
- Clinical assessment and treatment planning-Proficient in assessment and development of treatment plan goals, objectives and interventions
Certification
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) State of Georgia-Composite Board of Professional Counselors and Social Workers
Credentialed Sexually Abusive Youth Counselor (CSAYC) Indiana Association of Juvenile Sex Offender Practitioners
Timeline
OPMH Clinical and Program Development Manager
National Youth Advocate Program, INC.
01.2021 - Current
Therapist
National Youth Advocate Program, INC
06.2018 - 01.2021
ACT Team Leader/Clinical Therapist
Renaissance Counseling Services, LLC
06.2014 - 06.2018
Social Service Provider II
Central State Hospital-Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
07.2013 - 06.2014
Social Services Case Manager
Dekalb County Department Children and Family Services
07.2011 - 07.2013
Social Services Intern-Permanency and Adoptions
Barrow County Department of Children and Family Services
08.2010 - 06.2011
Social Services Intern-Family Preservation
Clarke County Department of Children and Family Services
01.2010 - 06.2010
Masters of Social Work - Social Work
The University of Georgia
Bachelors of Arts - Psychology
Spelman College