PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, California State Prison Los Angeles, CA

Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program (January 2021 – Present)

  • Conduct substance use disorder screenings and comprehensive psychosocial assessments to treat addiction in chronic care patients in prison.

  • Make referrals to Medication Assisted Treatment providers for patients diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder or Alcohol Use Disorder.

  • Provide individual or group treatment planning and intervention following relapse, overdose, or health complications related to substance dependence.

  • Implement motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, harm reduction approach, and cognitive-behavioral techniques.

  • Recommend level of care for outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, or inpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs.

  • Complete risk assessments for safety planning and interdisciplinary referrals pertaining to withdrawal management, Prison Rape Elimination Act, suicide prevention, self-harm, and homicidal ideation.

  • Discharge coordination for incarcerated patients preparing for community reentry to receive aftercare services under state parole or county probation supervision.

  • Consult with primary care medical team, mental health clinicians and psychiatrists, law enforcement partners, and other rehabilitative program providers.

  • Review patient files, gather data, and complete reports and other required documentation.

  • Involved in curriculum development and quality improvement initiatives to support ongoing program development.

Amanda J. Feldman, LCSW, Los Angeles, CA

Psychotherapist  (March 2017 – Present)

  • Assess patient’s symptoms and functioning utilizing clinical interviews and therapeutic measures.

  • Formulate DSM-V diagnoses and course of treatment.

  • Provide psychodynamic therapy for adolescents, young adults, couples, and families.

  • Make psychiatric referrals for clients seeking medication evaluation and treatment.

  • Participate in didactic training and seminars for continuing education requirements and involved in peer consultation groups.

  • Paneled as an expert to write Mitigation Reports for juvenile dependency, juvenile delinquency, and adult criminal court cases.

Penny Lane Centers, North Hills, CA  (June 2015 – August 2020)

Juvenile Justice Therapist at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall, Sylmar, CA  (December 2017– August 2020)

  • Interviewed incarcerated youth, family members, and other stakeholders to obtain psychosocial history and assess functioning in the detention facility.

  • Provided mental health services under Early Intervention and Diversion Program to first-time youth offenders.

  • Diagnosed mental health conditions and co-occurring substance use disorders.

  • Collaborated with clients to establish treatment plans.

  • Provided individual and family mental health counseling using various methods and evidence-based practices to support youth in achieving their treatment objectives.

  • Documented daily progress notes in clients’ electronic health care records.

  • Consulted with Department of Mental Health (DMH) clinical team to determine continuous monitoring needs for high-risk youth who presented with danger to self or others.

  • Attended multi-disciplinary team meetings to evaluate the nature of problems related to client behavior and functioning and to monitor treatment progress.

  • Wrote court reports and treatment summaries to other members of clients’ multi-disciplinary teams.

  • Attended monthly department meetings and in-service training on topics for professional development in social work and the application of mental health in the juvenile justice system.

Interim Utilization Review Analyst (August 2019-October 2019)

  • Audited electronic health records for quality assurance in compliance with DMH contractual standards.

  • Supported therapists with initiating and documenting mandated reports of child abuse evaluated during assessment phase.

Outpatient Therapist (June 2015– June 2017)

  • Conducted clinical intakes and biopsychosocial assessments to determine medical necessity for mental health treatment.

  • Administered, scored, and interpreted outcome measures of client symptoms, behaviors, and functioning for ongoing evaluation of treatment progress.

  • Engaged youth and families referred by Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), DMH, or Probation

  • Department in intensive services across school, home, and community settings.

  • Co-facilitated weekly group therapy for social skills building, emotion regulation, and anger management with adolescent females involved with probation and/or DCFS residing in a local group home.

  • Assessed suicidality in clients utilizing the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale.

  • Provided crisis intervention and coordinated with Department of Mental Health’s Psychiatric Mobile Response Team to evaluate for hospitalization of clients experiencing suicidal or homicidal ideation.

  • Consulted with multi-disciplinary teams and outside entities to apply mental health principles in working with shared clients - such as Child and Family Team meetings with DCFS or Individualized Education Program planning meetings with school staff.

Lower East Side Family Union, New York, NY

Case Planner (May 2014-May 2015)

  • Practiced solution-based case management with youth and families involved in the child welfare system for referral and linkage to community resources.

  • Obtained historical information about child welfare involvement from collateral contacts at New York State’s Administration for Children’s Services.

  • Conducted school and home visits to assess client and family functioning in various environmental settings.

  • Incorporated parenting skills and behavior management techniques to address mental health problems affecting family dynamics.

  • Advised and coached families using New York State’s Office of Children and Family Services Locating and Engaging Fathers Toolkit.

FEGS Health and Human Services, New York, NY

Social Work Intern at New Visions Charter High School (September 2013 – May 2014)

  • Communicated with school personnel to gather information about and support students’ academic and social functioning.

  • Provided school-based individual therapy to high school students with learning difficulties and severe social, emotional, and behavioral challenges.

  • Created and facilitated an adolescent women’s support group focused on social skills and self-esteem.

  • Assisted with program planning and implementation of a positive youth development model into classroom curriculum.

  • Administered needs assessment of mental health problems in school culture to students and school personnel for anti-bullying campaign.

Presbyterian Senior Services, New York, NY (September 2012 – August 2013)

Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator at Pelham Fritz Senior Center (May 2013 – August 2013)

  • Provided geriatric therapy and case management services.

  • Outreached to community healthcare agencies to promote the program and establish partnerships in service provision to homebound and at-risk elderly.

  • Led workshops and life skills groups to help seniors improve healthy functioning in activities of daily living.

Social Work Intern in Kinship Caregivers Program (September 2012 – May 2013)

  • Worked with multicultural and multigenerational grandparent-headed kinship families for youth in foster care.

  • Coordinated monthly town hall meetings for staff and residents.

  • Collected research data with NYU McSilver Institute to aid in drafting a grant proposal.

  • Participated in case presentations with a multi-disciplinary treatment team.

  • Developed extracurricular activities for the after-school program offered to residents and other local youth from the community.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & CERTIFICATIONS

  • Juvenile Court Expert Panel of Social Workers

  • CAMFT Member

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse Modified Assist

  • American Society of Addiction Medicine CONTINUUM & CO-Triage

  • Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children 101 & 102

  • Externship in Emotionally Focused Therapy

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy

  • Seeking Safety

  • Managing and Adapting Practices (MAP)

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training

  • SafeTALK Suicide Alertness

  • Domestic Violence Training for Child Welfare Workers

  • Solution-Based Casework

  • Jungian Psychology in Clinical Practice

  • Stanford University Empowered Relief Certification