Licensed Social Worker
Resume:
VIRGINIA C. CHALMERS
Escondido, CA. 92029
E-mail: ********.********@*****.***
EDUCATION
Master’s degree in Social Work
San Diego State University
Bachelor of Arts Social Work Major
San Diego State University
Degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Palomar Community Coliege
LICENSE AND CERTIFICATES
Dec. 2011 Licensed Clinical Social Worker. - California Board of Behavioral Sciences
Oct. 2012 Clinical English-Spanish Interpreter. - Language Services Associates
June 2011. Motivational Interviewing. - Behavioral Health Education and Training Academy
Spring and Fall Evidenced-Based, Promising and Clinically Informed Interventions with Older Adults
2008 University of California, San Diego Extension
POST-MASTERS/LICENSE
EXPERIENCE
Sept. 2013 EMERGENCY SCREENING UNIT Chula Vista, CA
To July 2014 Clínica
Performed emergency psychiatric screening and evaluations for children and adolescents in crisis
on a 5150 Hold DTS/DTO to determine level of care including the need for hospitalization.
-In person assessments including families, legal guardians, and/or workers
-Provided telephone and in-person crisis interventions to children/adolescents and their families
-Performed telephone intakes/triages from hospitals, police officers, schools, and/or families
-Completed discharge summaries and provided linkage to needed resources in the community to
children and their families
-Case management telephone to follow up well-being of cliente
-Complied with San Diego County required documentation in a timely manner incluid
electronic records in the Anasazi system
-Provided translations services to Spanish monolingual families as needed
Nov. 2007 HERITAGE CLINIC Escondido, CA
To June 2012 Clínician
-Provided home-based services to adults and older adults including senior veterans with persistent
mental illness, co-occurring disorders and/or multiple serious medical conditions as follows:
-Case management with linkage and advocacy to help obtain needed resources in the
community included but not limited to Medi-Cal, Medicare, SSA, SSDI, and SSI.
-Provided coordination and collaboration with medical doctors in the community and
assigned psychiatrists at the agency to update progress and review medical necessity.
-Collaboration and communication with family members to monitor and prevent higher level of
care and/or assist with new placement and transition as needed.
-Coordination and collaboration with nursing staff to provide assistance with medication
management and compliance.
-Coordination and monitoring of housing situation and assistance to obtain subsidy through
agency and/or HUD Section 8 to homeless clients or at the verge of becoming homeless
- Provided individual therapy session applying CBT, Rogerian, Wellness Recovery Action Plan,
and psycho-education principles.
- Provided referrals to address substance abuse problems as needed and applied DiClemente’s
Stages of Change Model, MI, and AA twelve steps to promote change.
- Provided crisis interventions, initiating 5150 PERT interventions and following up for individuals
needing to be placed on LPS conservatorship.
-Developed care/treatment plans based on performed psychosocial assessments.
- Documented daily progress notes, including contacts with others involved in client’s care;
maintained six-month and annual documentation reviews, electronic records, and charts
according to department standards. Obtained 96% out of the required 95% on charts’ audits.
- Complied with legal and ethical mandated reports.
- Provided bilingual-English-Spanish and bi-cultural services as needed.
Nov. 2006 ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, INC
Nov. 2007 Social Worker
-Provided a variety of social and case management services to adults and older adults, including
male and female veterans, carrying an Axis I, II and/or co-occurring disorders as well as with
various medical diagnoses including dementia of all kinds, cardiac problems, stroke,
uncontrollable diabetes, hypertension, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and Parkinson’s disease.
-Provided referrals and coordinated care with housing providers including Boards and Cares and other facilities
-Assisted and Independent Living Facilities, and Group-Homes.
-Collaborated and coordinated care with medical doctors and psychiatrists in the community to
promote compliance with treatment.
-Collaborated with agency’s staff including nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and
psychologist to promote clients’ compliance with medication and plan of care.
-Maintained close communication with family members and promoted participation to increase
involvement on clients care to prevent needing higher level of care.
-Provided family members with education, support, hope and referrals as needed to increase and
ensure successful treatment.
-Provided home-based visits as needed to monitor housing situation to ensure safety and adequate
level of care.
-Performed DSM-IV psychiatric diagnosis, developed bio-psychosocial assessments and developed
treatment plans.
-Provided individual therapy sessions under supervision of licensed personnel.
-Provided crisis interventions as needed.
-Conducted support groups for skills building and management of symptoms applying CBT
principles.
-Maintained individual and group daily progress notes, six-month and annual documentation
reviews according to Medi-Cal and department’s standards.
-Provided English-Spanish bilingual/bicultural translations as needed.
PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT AND INTERNSHIPS
August 2002 to SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY San Diego, CA
August 2003 School of Social Work
Professor Assistant Student
- Assisting social research on Proposition 36
-Processing data on SPSS computer program
- Graded and evaluated under-grad students’ papers.
Aug.2005 to KAISER PERMANENTE PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC Vista, CA
May 2006 Therapist
-Conducted individual therapeutic sessions applying CBT and short term therapy (Solution-
Focused) principles and to educate about co-dependency issues.
-Conducted couple’s therapy sessions applying CBT and John Gottman’s techniques.
-Conducted family therapy sessions applying family therapy’s principles.
-Co-facilitated psycho-educational groups for adolescents with a variety of conditions including
ADHD, depression, anxiety, and DBT groups for adults with depression and Axis II diagnoses.
-Developed preliminary psychiatric diagnoses, psychosocial assessments, and care plans.
-Provided information and referrals to community resources as needed.
-Communicated with patients’ attending psychiatrist to update progress and review medical
necessity.
-Collaborated with family members as needed to provide education and promote compliance with
treatment of care.
-Participated in multidisciplinary and clinical teams.- Documented daily progress notes and maintained medical charts updated according to department
standards.
Jan. 2005 SAN DIEGO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE San Diego, CA
May 2005 Case Manager
-Provided home-based case management services to individuals with serious and persistent mental
illness, mainly schizophrenia of different types (paranoid, undifferentiated)
-Provided linkage to resources, promoted medication and treatment compliance.
-Under supervision, provided crisis interventions as needed for individuals on LPS
conservatorship.
-Monitored housing situation to ensure safety and preventing abuse.
-Co-facilitated psycho-educational groups to adults applying CBT, and DBT principles.
-Conducted in-service training for agency personnel on positive and negative symptoms.
-Developed care plans and bio-psychosocial assessments based on DSM-IV diagnoses.
-Maintained documentation according to San Diego County Mental Health standards.
Sept. 2003 SAINT CLARE’S HOME Escondido, CA
to Jan. 2004 Therapist
-Under supervision, conducted individual counseling/therapy sessions for women survivors of
domestic violence with co-occurring disorders applying CBT principles and promoting attendance
to AA, NA support groups and abidance to twelve steps.
-Facilitated and co-facilitated psycho-educational groups on self-esteem, empowerment, and
development of healthy relationships.
-Educated clients on the escape plan and the circle of abuse.
-Performed bio-psychosocial assessments and developed care plans.
-Provided home visits as needed and provided linkage/information to resources in the community.
-Co-facilitated parenting classes.
-Attended interdisciplinary and clinical meetings.
-Prepared statistical reports (Microsoft Excel).
August. 2001 INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES Escondido, CA
To May 2002 Case Manager
-Provided home-based case management services to homeless individuals with serious and
persistent mental illness placed in transitional housing.
-Provided home-based case management services to homeless families in transitional housing.
-Provided basic services including food, and shelter to homeless individuals and families who
walked-in the agency every morning.
-Researched community resources and provided that information to Hispanic-immigrant population
and their families.
CO-PUBLICATIONS
The Implementation of California’s Proposition 36: Lessons Learned Thus Far
Alcohol, Tobacco, & Other Drugs. NASW. June, 2003
Implementing Policy Change: Assessing Training Needs in Addictions
Treatment and Criminal Justice Collaboratives
The International Journal of Continuation Social Work Education. Spring, 2004
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
-2002-2006 Social Work Student of the Year .- SDSU
-Maria Sardinas Scholarship Award Graduating Senior. SDSU
-Summa Cum Laude Designation .- SDSU
-Compassionate Clinician Award 2010.- Heritage Clinic
REFERENCES
Available upon request
Contact this candidate