Psychiatric Social Worker experience with a great cross-section of the San Diego civilian and military population. Interning at Augustus F. Hawkins walk in psychiatric unit at Martin Luther King Hospital in Compton, CA was a rewarding experience. I was successful in helping a range of patients from teenagers to the elderly population. With a considerable range of mental health issues including; substance use, schizophrenia, depression, poverty, re-entry from incarceration, personality D/Os, anxiety D/Os, oncology, aging, and case management. This was the spring/winter 98/99 session.
The next internship was at the Greater Los Angles Veterans Healthcare System. In addition to individual sessions, I was part of a program to proved short term help with depression to patients who presented in the ER and a program for re-entry homeless that had substance use issues. In addition to the CBT we used for depression, I also had the opportunity to learn Pain Management, EMDR, lead a grief support group, and end of life issues. This was the spring/winter 99/00 session.

Upon graduating UCLA, I temped in the Sharp Healthcare System until I temped at an acute psychiatric hospital in East San Diego. I helped patients to transition to Board and Cares or to long term locked facilities as needed.  This was summer/winter of 2000.
I then spent 3 months at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Upon returning to San Diego, I founded the Caregiver Support Group for the San Diego/Hawaii Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to this day. 
I also started as a temp at the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital and was eventually hired in with the County contractor. This was a 62 bed, 2 Ward long term locked facility. We placed a strong emphasis on Motivational Interviewing and milieu therapy. I started off as a treatment coordinator and lead the treatment team meetings. I was successful in helping patients transition back into the community. In addition, I lead psycho educational groups. I was trained in DBT and attended regular mental health trainings with the County. The pain management education I had at the VA was transferable to establishing an emotional pain management group. In addition, I vetted a consumer run cognitive behavioral therapy group that consumers claimed they gained benefit, Recovery International, RI. I was trained in RI’s method and I continue to endorse that organization. Eventual I was chosen to act as interim clinical director for Telecare Choices at the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital until the facility closed in December of 2007.         

I was recruited by a federal contractor to help start the Psychological Health Outreach Program for Navy Medicine. As an outreach team member, I covered the Southwest Region. In addition to providing general military training for Stress Management and Suicide Prevention I did outreach to reservist and their family members as they transitioned back into the community. Due to changes in our economic situation, many did not have jobs to come back to. In addition, many needed help due to changes in the family situation and needed help with management with mental health issue as well as changes in family issues due to divorce. We established relationships with both military and civilian facilities and the Veterans Courts. We served as case management until they were back on track. I left this program after six years 2008 to 2014.
Sterling Medical recruited me to work at the outpatient mental health unit at Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital. Provided triage, safety assessments, individual counseling, facilitated psychosocial educational group; anger management, Trauma symptom reduction, Healthy Coping, Grief, CBT, and Process groups.

• Kids’ Turn, Inc, - San Diego
  Provide psychosocial education to families, Adults and Children.
  January 2019 to current
• Cynet Health Staffing
  Provide coverage for a social worker who was on maternity leave. Did intake and discharge services at UCSD’s acute behavioral psychiatric unit. Assisted at rounds and provided intake assessments, filed DOJ firearms prohibitions as needed. Provided discharge aftercare summaries.  June to October 2019
• Health Source Global Staffing, Inc, Travel as needed.
  Provide emergency social work coverage as needed at remote locations.
  December 2018 to current
• Sterling Medical, Inc, - Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital
  Therapist Licensed Independent Professional (LIP)
  August 1, 2016 to May 31, 2018
• Aliron International, - Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital  
  Therapist
  December 2014 to September2016
• Serco-NA, Navy Regional Command Center San Diego
  September 2008 to September 2014
  Program Development, Outreach Team Member,
• Telecare Choices, San Diego, California
  Treatment Coordinator, June 2001-November 2007
  Interim Clinical Director, September - December 2007
• Hilde Lehman and Associates, San Diego, California
  Hospital Social Work and Acute Care Mental Health, June 2000 – June 2001
• West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
  Social Work Intern, August 1999 – May 2000
• King-Drew Medical Center, South Central Los Angeles, California
  Social Work Intern, August 1998 – June 1999