MSW/Mental Health Advocate

EMILY HOFFMAN

***** ****** ****., #*** ****: 216-***-****

Cleveland, OH 44120 **************@*****.***

mailto:*********@*****.*** COMMUNITY ORGANIZER

Social Worker and Human Rights Advocate who has effectively impacted legislation for over 20 years by speaking on behalf of disadvantaged populations, creates positive and comprehensive community change by building collaborative relationships and forging stakeholder alliances.

QUALIFICATIONS

Masters of Social Work

Sensitive to issues of the disadvantaged

Outstanding communication skills; active listener

Leader of community outreach initiatives

History of building trusting relationships that enable positive results

Experience with grant writing

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ON OUR OWN OF MARYLAND 2011-2015

Recovery Employment Coordinator

Worked in a behavioral health agency that placed individuals with mental health issues in jobs, and assisted in maintaining them in those positions. My role included leading support groups for those

with jobs, and made presentations to clients and staff about recovery and employment.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 2010

Field Operations Supervisor

Supervised team leaders in community outreach team for completion of Census Questionnaires.

THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA 2009

Fundraiser

Raised funds for the Annual Fund Campaign for the Cleveland Orchestra.

MEDICAL SEARCH CONSULTANTS 2008

Recruiter

Contacted physicians to interest them in placement services with hospitals and clinics. Generated 15

leads for hospital placement.

ON OUR OWN OF MARYLAND 2001-2007

State Network Coordinator, Advocacy Training Project

Provided workshops, conferences and on-site interventions to statewide affiliates. Advocated and

Educated legislators and administrators about mental health issues from the client’s perspective

RELATED EXPERIENCE

Director of the Hillel Foundation at Cleveland State University: Created programs involving Jewish students and the campus community; organized speakers on a range of topics including Bayard Rustin, an African American civil rights leader who spoke about the tensions between the Black and Jewish communities. Dialogue between the two improved following the insightful presentation.

Interfaith – Cross Disabilities program: Educating congregations about cross-disability issues with the goal of promoting understanding and acceptance

Campaign Field Worker for Hillary Clinton: Became involved during the primaries and continued through the General Election. Worked for local campaign, phone banking and canvassing. Also worked with the Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus on a postcard writing project producing 20,000 postcards mailed to prospective voters.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Involved in statewide policy initiatives including federally funded grants on transforming the mental health system and incorporating evidence-based practices to address healthcare questions with an evaluative and qualitative approach:

oOrganized a summit that launched Consumer Satisfaction Teams to collect feedback from mental health consumers in hospitals and behavioral health organizations, and report results to organizational leadership to implement change; hired the Executive Director for the Consumer Quality Team which has been in effect for 10 years.

oOrgaanized a Self-Directed Care summit to provide mental health consumers a wider range of options in mental health care; results of this initiative have been implemented in Florida and parts of Maryland.

Over the past decade, wrote testimony and presented issues for mental health consumers to state legislators, resulting in the following advances in mental health services in Maryland and nationally:

oThe closing of the Crownsville Hospital, ensuring that $5 million of the $11.8 million in savings were targeted to the development of community placements and services.

oThe formation of the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD), the first of its’ kind in the nation at the cabinet level. The Department collaborates with all state government agencies in the provision of services, making possible life in the community for all those with disabilities.

oSupport of a mental health consumer Bill of Rights which was introduced into the legislature to make known issues that affect consumers.

Evaluated and conducted needs assessments of 20 Wellness and Recovery Centers and provided workshops, services and consultations that increased the efficiency of their operations

EDUCATION

Masters of Social Work, Smith College School of Social Work, Northampton, Massachusetts,

Bachelor of Science, Social Work, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Board Member, 11 years

Maryland Disability Law Center, Council for Protection and Advocacy for Mentally Ill Individuals, 6 years

Maryland Disability Forum – A statewide Cross Disability advocacy organization, 3 years

Michigan State University Alumni Association

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