Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Certification
Licenses
Timeline
Generic

Jess Cruz Serrano

Silver Spring,MD

Summary

Licensed Master Social Worker with a passion for organizing, implementing and coordinating engaging and inclusive family and community programs. Skilled at cultivating lasting rapport with migrant community members and stakeholders. Known for utilizing data from community needs assessments to inform effective and impactful community initiatives and interventions.

Overview

12
12
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Certifications
1
1
Language

Work History

Mental Health Therapist

True Connection Counseling
Silver Spring, MD
07.2024 - Current
  • Utilized a range of modalities to support a diverse caseload of clients in meeting therapeutic goals.
  • Documented client progress in confidential files.
  • Performed client assessments and developed treatment plans.
  • Facilitated monthly wellness workshops in English & Spanish.
  • Led an after school program to teach students beading design and beading as a new skill.

Wellness Center Program Manager:John F. Kennedy HS

Identity, Inc
06.2023 - 06.2024
  • Manages, hires, trains and mentors staff of 11 and conducts performance evaluations and ongoing observation of staff to include feedback to improve staff morale and performance.
  • Reviews and manages Wellness Center program resources and budgets to ensure support for program initiatives.
  • Plans, implements, and oversees
    evaluation of existing and newly developed projects.
  • Establishes and maintains efficient, effective and strong network of professional relationships with school administration, teachers, guidance counselors, and other stakeholders to best support clients and programming.
  • Prepares all required deliverable reports ensuring accuracy and quality of descriptions, analyses, and statistics by required deadlines.

Family & Community Engagement Specialist

Love Lived Charities
10.2021 - 07.2023
  • Worked in collaboration with program Site Coordinator to implement after school programming to over 60 students in grades 2-5.
  • Coordinated family engagement events including monthly Pop-Up Shops as well as monthly grocery box distributions.
  • Planned and executed annual program exhibition showcasing teacher and student end-of-the-year projects.
  • Provided translation services, verbally and written for Spanish-speaking families that comprised over 95% of program families.
  • Implemented creative solutions for engaging diverse populations within the community, breaking down barriers to participation.

Community School Coordinator

Prince George County Public Schools
12.2019 - 02.2023
  • Facilitated community needs assessments for students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community partners to identify areas of need and develop actionable solutions.
  • Built strong and effective relationships with school partners and diverse community stakeholders to support MSDE's Blueprint for Maryland's Future Implementation Plan.
  • Prepared, managed, and oversaw spending of Blueprint for Maryland School's Kirwan Commission funds.
  • Connected families with wraparound services and resources such as case management, counseling services, and adult education courses to enhance overall well-being within school community.
  • Launched after-school programming that promoted academic enrichment while also providing safe spaces for students outside of regular school hours.
  • Created and maintained website of local community resources with focus on free/low-cost resources for undocumented/mixed-status families.

Mental Health Therapist

Community-based, Thrive Behavioral Health, LLC
06.2019 - 12.2019
  • Tailored therapeutic approaches to meet unique needs of diverse client populations for caseload of 27 clients aged 5-61.
  • Established strong rapport with clients by demonstrating empathy, active listening skills, and cultural sensitivity.
  • Developed comprehensive treatment plans for clients to address specific mental health concerns and goals while centering client input and circumstances.
  • Improved client mental health by utilizing evidence-based therapeutic treatment modalities: crisis intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy, and task-centered practice to support clients in meeting therapeutic goals.
  • Prepared detailed and timely client progress notes to summarize clients' mental health status and treatment progress.
  • Expanded professional knowledge through ongoing continuing education opportunities and participation in relevant workshops and conferences.

Shift Supervisor

Starbucks Coffee Company
10.2013 - 05.2019
  • Delegated tasks appropriately and efficiently to baristas.
  • Conducted daily inventory counts and maintained food safety regulations.
  • Ensured customer satisfaction and problem solve in fast-paced environment.

Community Organizer Intern

CASA of Maryland
09.2018 - 04.2019
  • Conducted one-on-one sessions with community members, many of which were young adult or teenage Central American immigrants, to assess their interests, needs, and goals for their community.
  • Went door knocking in various neighborhoods in Maryland and Virginia to raise awareness and gain support for/against issues including sanctuary county/city and Trump administration’s proposed rule on public charge.
  • Presented to various Prince George’s County Schools to educate staff, students, and families on changes in access to higher education for immigrant students in Maryland.
  • Provided weekly leadership development workshops to CASA’s afterschool program Mi Espacio attendees, immigrant students ages 14-19.

Youth Development Specialist

Identity, Inc
07.2018 - 07.2018
  • Adapted and implemented ACHIEVE curriculum to group of 25 Central American immigrant and first generation students ages 11-14.
  • Led staff of 3 in implementing curriculum and outdoor component.
  • Provided socio-emotional support, meditation sessions, and case management to students.
  • Conducted base and exit survey assessments and followed up with students in need of wrap around services.

Clinical Social Work Intern

EveryMind
08.2017 - 06.2018
  • Provided clinical assessments, treatment planning, and psychotherapy services with supervision to socio-culturally diverse population of high school students in a school based wellness center; clinical needs included trauma, grief/loss, family separation and reunification, and wide range of mental health needs.
  • Met with teachers, parents, school counselors and administrators to discuss client needs and concerns and develop informed treatment plans.
  • Created the ADVANCE (Academic Development Via Attendance, New Choices, & Encouragement) student support group for students exhibiting truant behaviors.
  • Prepared agendas for the ADVANCE student support group and facilitated weekly sessions; utilized range of evidence based practices which included popular education, expressive arts, and cognitive behavioral therapy to ultimately improve student attendance.

Court Appointed Special Advocate

Voices for Children, Montgomery County
01.2015 - 05.2018
  • Met with individuals involved in the case of two siblings in foster care to gather information on the status of the children's well-being including teachers, social workers, foster parents, and the children themselves.
  • Provided a detailed court report to case judge, social workers, and lawyers on the status of the children, their foster placement, and services received.
  • Advocated to case judge for resources for the children and their foster family.

Legal Aid Intern

Ayuda, Inc
01.2015 - 05.2015
  • Met with clients and prepared appropriate immigration forms and supporting documentation for respective legal forms including Violence Against Women's Act (VAWA) and U-Visa applications.
  • Translated various client documents including but not limited to birth certificates, death certificates, and affidavits.

Education

Master of Social Work -

University of Maryland
Baltimore, MD
08.2017 - 05.2019

Bachelor of Science Degree - Sociology

Towson University
Towson, MD
08.2012 - 05.2014

Associate of Arts - Sociology & Anthropology

Montgomery College
Rockville, MD
08.2010 - 05.2012

Certification

Youth Mental Health First Aid

Licenses

Licensed Master Social Worker Expiration October 2025

Timeline

Youth Mental Health First Aid

03-2026

First Aid/CPR Certified

06-2025

Mental Health Therapist

True Connection Counseling
07.2024 - Current

Wellness Center Program Manager:John F. Kennedy HS

Identity, Inc
06.2023 - 06.2024

Family & Community Engagement Specialist

Love Lived Charities
10.2021 - 07.2023

Community School Coordinator

Prince George County Public Schools
12.2019 - 02.2023

Mental Health Therapist

Community-based, Thrive Behavioral Health, LLC
06.2019 - 12.2019

Community Organizer Intern

CASA of Maryland
09.2018 - 04.2019

Youth Development Specialist

Identity, Inc
07.2018 - 07.2018

Master of Social Work -

University of Maryland
08.2017 - 05.2019

Clinical Social Work Intern

EveryMind
08.2017 - 06.2018

Court Appointed Special Advocate

Voices for Children, Montgomery County
01.2015 - 05.2018

Legal Aid Intern

Ayuda, Inc
01.2015 - 05.2015

Shift Supervisor

Starbucks Coffee Company
10.2013 - 05.2019

Bachelor of Science Degree - Sociology

Towson University
08.2012 - 05.2014

Associate of Arts - Sociology & Anthropology

Montgomery College
08.2010 - 05.2012

Similar Profiles

CREATE PROFILE
Jess Cruz Serrano