Duties included providing behavioral services to adolescents and adults mental health/intellectual disabilities and/or Autism Spectrum Disorders residing either in a community based or large residential facility who required positive behavioral supports to improve overall functioning. Specific activities included conducting functional behavioral assessments, development/implementation/monitoring positive behavior support plans, consultation to IDT’s of individuals served including active treatment, community integration, transitioning services and resolution of issues with local Independent School Districts and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authorities.

Board Certified Behavior AnalystRichmond State Supported Living CenterJanuary 2017 to March 2017Provided consultation, support and training for individuals diagnosed with Autism and/or Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities in a state residential setting. Member of an Interdisciplinary Team and crisis management to a caseload of 20 individuals. Duties included completing functional behavioral assessments, development of positive behavioral support plans, evaluation of treatment interventions and outcomes. Evaluation and solution focused options for restraint reduction and development/implementation/monitoring of training activities for individuals served.

Provide support to field staff for consumers with traumatic brain injury and/or traumatic spinal cord injury community and hospital-based services across the state of Texas. Specific duties include supervision of eleven field-based staff covering multiple regions across the state. Provide technical assistance on the data repository in which providers across the state for Post-Acute Brain Injury – Residential services statewide database. Oversee the performance of a variety of technical, training, research, planning, policy, program and administrative activities for assigned program. Provide consultation to providers, community partners, stakeholders and staff on clinical issues impacting consumer care. Designed and trained the program staff on utilization review for counseling, medical and case management services. Perform other duties as assigned.

Provide field utilization and review for individuals residing in long-term care programs such as Homes and Community Based Services (HCS). Activities include reviewing relevant and supporting documentation for the individual's level of need including behavior support plans, medical, day habitation and residential services to determine if the guidelines for DADS level of need are met. Additional activities include technical assistance and consultation to HCS providers, Foster Care Providers, parents and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority Service Coordinators in areas related to level of need and behavioral services to individuals who participate in various waiver program. Provide education and technical assistance to families, providers and Service Coordinators regarding level of need issues, ICAP and behavioral health issues impacting this initiative.

Worked under the direction of the Assistant Director of Programs/Director of Programs, directed operations within the department, planning, and policy development for Behavioral Health Services at Corpus Christi State Supported Living Center. The Behavioral Health Services department had a compliment of twenty-three professional and paraprofessional staff worked across three units and functioned as team members for fourteen interdisciplinary teams. Duties included the daily operations and policy development for the Department of Behavioral Health Services including interviewing, selection, training, staffing needs, performance evaluations, and supervision of BCBA’s and counselors, developed/provided training and tracked productivity of assigned staff. Monitored provisions in the United States Department of Justice vs the State of Texas Settlement Agreement which related to Behavioral Health Services and included self-assessments, presentations, documentation requests and integrating various initiatives into staff goals/priorities, strategic plans/activities and staff training to achieve identified objectives in a timely, measurable manner while ensuring sustainability of new practices. Ensured practices of the department met established standards, policies and rules to support essential operations and compliance with state regulations. Worked collaboratively with Active Treatment, Pharmacy, Incident Management, Quality Assurance, Medical, Nursing, Residential Services, IT, Dental, QIDP, Admissions/Placement Coordinators, Security and the Business Offices to improve quality of care and provisions specified in the Settlement Agreement. Ensured provision of clinical and behavioral services to 245 individuals met best practice standards, development and monitored contracts for therapy services and multiple related duties as assigned. Participated in strategic planning activities for the facility and in relation to the Settlement Agreement for the facility.

Duties included the provision of clinical and behavioral services to adolescents/adults with intellectual disabilities/mental health issues with challenging behaviors residing in a large residential facility. Additional activities included psychometric assessments, crisis management, and development/implementation and monitoring of positive behavior support plans, conducted functional behavioral assessments, provided training and consultation to both the Behavioral Health and Active Treatment Departments. As a member of the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT), activities included planning and discharge summaries, staff training, training receiving community-based providers and related activities. Ongoing training provided to professional staff (Behavioral Health and Active Treatment) on task analysis, behavioral health and the provision of these services to the individuals served. Provided training to community partners on successful transition of individuals from highly restrictive to less restrictive environments.

Duties included working extensively with consultants to address issues pertaining to the settlement agreement with the Department of Justice Independent Monitors. Specific activities included the provision of behavioral services to adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities residing at a large ICF-ID facility and community-based settings. Services included conducting functional behavioral assessments, development/implementing/monitoring positive behavioral support plans, provided consultation/input in the development/implementation of active treatment, transition planning and related activities.

Program manager and Licensed Professional of the Healing Arts (LPHA) for five children’s mental health programs providing mental health services to children/adolescents and their parents/caregivers in community/school-based settings. Duties included hiring/termination authority, supervised twenty-two staff including psychiatrists, therapists, rehabilitation clinicians, billing provided/monitored individual/group therapy and medical records personnel. Participated in utilization reviews, fidelity audits and monitored admissions/discharge status of individuals served. Clinical and supervisory oversight included referral, intake, assessments, training, case coordination, crisis management and consultation to local ISD’s and the community. Piloted a number of initiatives to improve service delivery, productivity and delivery models to address issues pertaining to budgetary deficits, quality of care provided, follow-up, crisis management and customer service. Developed policies and procedures reflecting the above. Participated in the development of budgets and strategic planning for the program and division. Provided services to individuals’ participating in CHIP, Medicaid and general revenue resource options.

Duties included supervision of 100 clinic staff including psychiatrists, nurses, pharmacy, business office, medical records, therapists and rehabilitation clinicians at a community based mental health clinic which served 3800 mentally ill individuals. Additional services were providing to children and adolescents in the clinic and school based settings. Monitored services provided by clinic staff, conducted training for staff and services provided to individuals included vocational training, individual/group counseling, substance abuse prevention/intervention and psychosocial rehabilitation, TIMA training and education, taught activities of daily living, coping, stress management and basic patient education services. Additional services included monitored medical records, ensured delinquent cases were closed and intakes occurred as scheduled. Participated in fidelity audits and ensured that billable services met contractual guidelines while improving customer service and service delivery. Individual’s served received funding through CHIP, Medicaid, Medicare and general revenue funded options.

Individual/group/family counseling, crisis management, referral, assessment and academic advisement to students. Consultation and training to local ISD's and training to staff. Additional services provided to students included access to community services and resources, career planning and worked closely with the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services and local ISD's to facilitate educational services with students with special needs. Areas of expertise included provision of educational services and training to the community at large on issues pertaining to mental illness, rehabilitative services, transitioning from secondary to post-secondary settings and career development.

Fiscal, administrative and clinical oversite of a community based applied behavior analysis program serving children, adolescents and adults with significant behavioral challenges. Training provide to parents, para-professionals and professionals on positive behavior supports, ABA technologies and community integration strategies. Transition services provided for all individuals served. Provided technical assistance on ABA and positive behavior supports to the Harris County area.