Donna L.

Saunders
234 Welch Way Westfield NJ 07090 908-451-0075 dse59810@westpost.net

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

Family Service Specialist Division of Youth and Family Services 3
/08-present
Ensure children have safe and stable homes free from neglect and abuse
Document observations, interactions, and progress with parents and children
Attend and participate in treatment team meetings
Delivers and monitors social service clients
Represents agency in curt related matters
Refer clients to appropriate agency/services in community
Identify and meet client needs
Provide services to improve family functioning/stabilization
School Counselor Ranch Hope Strang School for Boys
9/07-2/08
Provided individual/group counseling to assigned students
Reviewed group and individual therapy referrals
Collaborated with Behavior Intervention Team
Participated as Crisis Response Team member
Intervened/Resolved conflict occurring in school setting
Participated in new student screening, orientation process and staffing
Attended IEP and progress report conferences
Visited classrooms to observe students and offered consulting services to teache
rs
Attended department staff and county meetings/workshops with various constituenc
ies
Prepared staffing reports as required
Implemented anti-bullying programs
Youth Case Manager Youth Case Management
6/07-9/07
Addressed psychiatric/mental health needs of children ages 5-17 and young adults
18-21
Provided vocational counseling and recreational and social programs for children
and families
Created family stabilization/family education
Completed 14 day plans in conjunction with Essex County Detention Centers and Es
sex County courts, along with individual and family psychosocial assessments
Provided links to health care, educational and community mental health agencies
In-Home Therapist Urban Care LLC
2/06-9/07
Stabilized child/youthas behaviors that led to crisis
Prevented/reduced the need for inpatient hospitalization
Avoided disruption of placement
Averted the need for out of home placement
Completed weekly progress notes in compliance with department standards
Assistant Social Work Supervisor Ann Klein Forensic Center
6/04-4/07
Co-facilitated sex offender specific process groups
Co-facilitated Anger Management Group
Co-facilitated Family of Origin Group
Facilitated Victim Empathy Group
Facilitated Mental Health Group
Provided pre and post test HIV counseling
Supervised social workers
Completed assessments in compliance with department standards
Documentation of residentsa treatment/develop discharge plans
Preformed case management responsibilities
Participated in team meetings
GRADUATE SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIPS
Northern State Prison Newark New Jersey
9/03-5/04
Provided one-on-one counseling for inmates
Facilitated Self-Awareness Group
Co-facilitated Focus of the Victim Group
Co-facilitated Critical Thinking Group
Wrote grant proposal to AT&T for language phones for non-English speaking inmate
s
Rahway Hospital Rahway New Jersey
9/02-5/03
Assisted in discharge planning for elderly patients
Planned interventions for clinical patients
Secured placements for elderly patients
Completion of psychosocial assessments on the sub-acute floor
ORGANIZATIONS
Member of Phi Alpha National Honor Society
Member of National Association of Social Work (NASW)
CONTINUING EDUCATION
DYFS Pre-service Training: Family and Community Engagement
Understanding Substance Abuse and Addiction
Child Sexual Abuse Identification and Investigation
Permanency Planning in Public Child Welfare
Interviewing, Listening and Observing
Medical Indicators of Child Abuse and Neglect/Child Development
Recognizing and Responding to Parental High Risk Indicators
Domestic Violence
Mental Illness
Case Practice Model-Modules 1 and 2
Ethics Training

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION
Certification in Social Work (CSW)
Masters in Social Work May 2004
Kean University, Union New Jersey
Bachelors of Art in Psychology May 2002
Kean University, Union New Jersey

References available upon request