Stella Ruzak
Cutler Bay
Summary
Knowledgeable with the Criminal Justice system. Strong ability to assist by being proactive and punctual with team-oriented mentality. Great at caseload management, legal research, and documentation. Analytical and methodical with meticulous attention to detail. Manages highly confidential information with professionalism and integrity.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Family Finder Specialist
Department Of Children And Family Services
10.2023 - Current
- Conducts extensive/advanced searches, such as case mining, mobility mapping, internet searches and cold calls, to locate adult relatives and fictive kin.
- Collaborate with the child protective investigator to identify and build positive connections between the child and the child's relatives and fictive kin.
- Identify and build positive connections between the child and the child's relatives and fictive kin.
- Attends and participates in family finding group decision making which may include conducting a multidisciplinary meeting with all parties involved and prospective family members or fictive kin.
- Attend Case Transfer Staffing as needed to inform Child Welfare Professionals of current status of family finding efforts.
- Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with organizations and other agencies involved with child welfare such as community-based care providers, Children’s Legal Services, Guardian ad Litem, schools, clinical professionals, and other community agency resources.
- Regularly reviews and identifies any changes to Florida Statutes, DCF Operational Procedures, Administrative Rule and policies. Ensures participants are aware of changes, confidentiality and HIPAA, and identifies potential problems related to case specifics.
- Other related duties as assigned.
CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR
Department of Children and Family Services
03.2022 - 10.2023
- CPI Certification
- Conducts investigations regarding allegations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children & collects information through observation and interviews with the children, parents, relatives, neighbors, and other parties associated with the case, as well as analysis of criminal, past service history and other records
- Assesses danger threats, child vulnerabilities and caregiver protective capacities in order to determine whether a child is safe or not safe while working closely with Law Enforcement
- Engages families to understand the family's perspectives about family dynamics, challenges, and solutions, identifies needs and determines the level of intervention needed and court ordered dependency services
- Prepares appropriate reports/documentation in coordination with Children's Legal Services and provides testimony in court & maintains thorough documentation in the client records/appropriate information system(s) and maintains organized client files
- Provides families with services linkages to agency and community resources based on needs assessment and provides recommendations for development of case plan to Case Manager and conducts initial/ongoing child present and impending danger assessments
- Reports indication of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline
- Develops with the family a signed Present Danger Plan and a signed safety plan for any identified threats and interventions and arranges emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in the home
- Investigated each child's living environment to determine whether home was safe or presented risks
- Built trust and rapport with victims of violent crimes by remaining calm and compassionate in variety of situations.
CLASSIFICATION OFFICER
South Florida Reception Center
05.2019 - 07.2021
- Fully classifying inmates from reception to permanent facilities; reviewing criminal history, current charges, and case files to assess risk to the public, other inmates, and correctional facility staff
- Answered phone calls concerning family members, attorneys, judges, handled complaints and responses to requests for information
- Offered transitional services for program offenders, including referral to appropriate community agencies and organizations, recommends appropriate work detail, rehabilitation programs, activities, social services, and psychological treatments required by the inmate
- Type and create legal forms/ documentation necessary for inmate's caseload
- Reported unusual conditions and questionable items to supervisor for corrective action
- Managed full-cycle caseloads, including pretrial, pre-sentence and inmate supervision
- Counseled adult felony offenders with legal, substance abuse, mental health, employment, and personal problems
- Supervised adult offenders to monitor compliance with court ordered conditions
- Arrange legal hearings
- Interviews inmates prior to housing to secure social, physical/medical, employment and criminal histories and information
- Referred offenders to appropriate community agencies to complete services in compliance with court orders
- Answered phone calls concerning clients, handled complaints, and responded to requests for information
- Managed full-cycle caseloads, including pretrial, pre-sentence and client supervision
- Tracked information for summary documentation to strengthen case outcomes.
LEGAL ASSISTANT
Strems Law Firm
02.2018 - 12.2018
- Assisted a total of three attorneys with anything they needed in the pre-litigation section of the firm
- Handled the check process for client to get paid from the moment client files sue
- Drafted documents for client to review and sign for accountant to approve the drafted check
- Handled large amount of phone calls daily
- Kept up with 30+ emails from clients, attorneys, insurance companies, mortgages, Loss Consultants, and other coworkers
- Called client's insurance companies to follow up on delays
- Spoke to client's Loss Consultant to verify information
- Called client's mortgage to get further details as to why client's money has not been released
- Maintained a neat and organized file cabinet with 50+ cases
- Great communicative skills along with conveying information in a clear, concise, and logical manner.
SERVER/TRAINER
GRAZIANO'S RESTAURANT
11.2015 - 02.2018
- Customer services, answering phone calls and taking orders
- Constantly interacting with managers and training new employees
- Educated waiters on menu, memorization strategies and how to convey information clearly
- Calculated charges issued table checks and collected payments from customers
- Performed continuous reviews of wait staff and provided feedback directly to team members as well as managers
- Maintained operations in full compliance with alcohol service standards and legal requirements to prevent incidents of overserving or underage drinking.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
C-USA-T
04.2014 - 09.2015
- Communicate with customers, employees, and other individuals to answer questions, disseminate or explain information, and address complaints
- Answered and initiated calls, took and reported messages in a timely accurate fashion, received visitors and directed them wherever required
- Open, sort and route incoming mail, answer correspondence, and prepare outgoing mail
- Receive and sort documents, check documents for completeness, contact requesting or initiating party to secure additional information or clarify discrepancies
- Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer
- Set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, recording information, updating paperwork, or maintaining documents, such as attendance records, correspondence, or other material
- Assist other specialized clerical or administrative support as assigned or required.
COUNSELING INTERN
MIAMI DADE COLLEGE
12.2012 - 05.2013
- Interned for Miami Dade College's prison program
- Counseled 25 inmates for 6 months at the Everglade's Correctional Institution
- Elaborately went over future goals and how to improve behavior
- Helped them build their communication skills.
RECEPTIONIST/ASSISTANT
EMC MEDICAL CENTER
04.2010 - 07.2012
- Schedule appointments daily and keep an updated calendar
- Prepare and edit standard medical forms, explain to patients, and make sure they are accurately completed
- Inform patients of policies, explain basic medical documentation
- Contact patients by phone or send out letters of missed payments if necessary.
Education
Master of Arts - Global Affairs International Crime
Florida International University
Miami, FL05.2024
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
Florida International University
01.2018
Bachelor of Science - Political Philosophy
Florida International University
01.2018
Associates- Arts - Pre- Law
Miami Dade College
01.2015
Internship Certificate - ESUBA
Miami Dade College
01.2014
Skills
- Computer: Basic knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
- Excellent leadership and work ethic skills, with the ability to take necessary actions when required
- Great working under pressure meeting deadlines
- Effective communication skills, strong analytical abilities and problem solving
- Extensive caseload management/organizational skills
- High skills in: Writing, Legal Research, Legal Drafting and typing
- Family Needs Assessments
- Child Abuse Prevention
Certification
- NCIC/FCIC certified
- English: Native/Bilingual
- Spanish: Native/Bilingual
Timeline
Family Finder Specialist
Department Of Children And Family Services
10.2023 - Current
CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR
Department of Children and Family Services
03.2022 - 10.2023
CLASSIFICATION OFFICER
South Florida Reception Center
05.2019 - 07.2021
LEGAL ASSISTANT
Strems Law Firm
02.2018 - 12.2018
SERVER/TRAINER
GRAZIANO'S RESTAURANT
11.2015 - 02.2018
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
C-USA-T
04.2014 - 09.2015
COUNSELING INTERN
MIAMI DADE COLLEGE
12.2012 - 05.2013
RECEPTIONIST/ASSISTANT
EMC MEDICAL CENTER
04.2010 - 07.2012
Master of Arts - Global Affairs International Crime
Florida International University
Bachelor of Science - Criminal Justice
Florida International University
Bachelor of Science - Political Philosophy
Florida International University
Associates- Arts - Pre- Law
Miami Dade College
Internship Certificate - ESUBA
Miami Dade College
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