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My name is Samantha Rodriquez, and this is my first semester in this program! I am in the Mental Health and Wellness Counseling program, but I am not going to be taking the path that leads to licensure. One professional goal I have for myself is to complete this program so I am able to be more of an asset to the clinic I am employed at, and able to help our rural community. A personal goal I have for myself is one that I have been slowly working on, establishing boundaries for the people around me. I am learning that not everyone needs or deserves access to you. I struggle with people pleasing so this will be a tough task, but it is possible! I am a mom, and a wife! I have two sons, one is a senior in high school, and the other is in the third grade. I hope to gain knowledge of mental health conditions and how crisis and trauma can play a large part in why they occur.

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Section 1 Unit 1 Assignment 1 Reflection and artifact for Introduction and Assessing Prior Knowledge

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Section 1 Unit 1 Assignment 1 Reflection and artifact for Introduction and Assessing Prior Knowledge

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My previous work experience and education comes from my bachelor’s degree from Angelo State in Health Science Profession, and working for Texas DFPS after graduating, where I became very familiar with lack of resources for these families to get back on track and be able to have their children return home to them. We have minimal local resources; therefore, we were offering our clients to go to out-of-town counselors, drug treatment counselors, etc. This became an issue because for some transportation is a barrier. I took the Deconstructing Stigma Quiz, and my results were about as I expected they would be. The questions I missed were related to percentages regarding postpartum depression and how many African American people are experiencing mental illness. The only experience, other than the time I have worked in the clinical behavioral health setting, is just from personal experience! I myself have sought out mental health help many times in my life. From a young age to adulthood, I had times where I felt alone and embarrassed that my brain wasn’t working the way I wanted it to, which looking back, I feel for that small girl. I want to be someone who is available to listen, no matter what the situation is for that person, since that was lacking in my childhood into adolescent age.
I may differ from many of you guys in this, but I am not really changing job roles upon completion of this program. I am currently employed as a case manager in the behavioral health department at a clinic. I believe gaining knowledge in crisis, trauma, and overall mental health illnesses will be beneficial to me in this role as well. I intend on hosting small class type settings to distribute information for patients. I also intend on obtaining an LCDC eventually, but will still maintain my same professional position here, but will have that as a person to maybe help with the waiting list for someone who maybe was only referred for a drug problem. Having knowledge of these other things will help me to understand why people do use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate, leading to many other issues for them down the line.
As a case manager, my role during a crisis situation at our clinic would vary. I could provide emotional support to clients using active listening skills and empathy to build and earn their trust, and help locate resources to help them long term, whether it be inpatient/outpatient facilities, or scheduling counseling with our LPC’s.

https://www.manatal.com/job-description/crisis-case-manager-job-description#:~:text=Crisis%20Case%20Manager%20Responsibilities&text=Provide%20crisis%20counseling%20and%20emotional,plans%20and%20services%20as%20necessary.

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Section 2 Unit 1 Assignment 4 Reflection and artifact for Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders.

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Section 2 Unit 1 Assignment 4 Reflection and artifact for Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders.

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This assignment really helped me learn about the vast differences, as well as similarities between different disorders. What stuck out to me the most was learning about non suicidal self-injury. Using cutting, hitting and/or burning are ways to self harm to feel the sensation, but they do not necessarily want to die.

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Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders S.Rodriquez

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Section 3 Unit 2 Assignment 2 Reflection and artifact for Developmental Discussion on Trauma. 

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Section 3 Unit 2 Assignment 2 Reflection and artifact for Developmental Discussion on Trauma. 

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This week I read the recommended book, The Body Keeps the Score. According to The Body Keeps the Score, as long as we don't resolve the trauma, the stress hormones that the body secretes to protect itself from danger keep circulating, and the defensive movements and emotional responses that belong to the past traumatic event keep getting replayed in the present. This was very eye opening to me as a sufferer of trauma, as well as working in this field and seeing patients who are experiencing these ailments due to unresolved trauma. Some sections of this book were triggering to me, which helped me see where I need to work on myself.

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Section 5  Unit 3 Assignment 2 Reflection and artifact for Crisis Prevention and Threat Assessment.

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Section 5  Unit 3 Assignment 2 Reflection and artifact for Crisis Prevention and Threat Assessment.

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Collaborating on this assignment has given me insight on how other areas of the state have different resources available, but also that we have access to similar as well. Having this information will benefit me in the future if I transition in to chemical dependency counseling.

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Section 4  Unit 3 Assignment 1 Reflection and artifact  for Psychological First Aid Online Certificate.

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Section 4  Unit 3 Assignment 1 Reflection and artifact  for Psychological First Aid Online Certificate.

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The eight PFA Core Actions include:

Contact and Engagement: To respond to contacts initiated by survivors, or to initiate contacts in a non-intrusive, compassionate, and helpful manner.

Safety and Comfort: To enhance immediate and ongoing safety, and provide physical and emotional comfort.

Stabilization (if needed): To calm and orient emotionally overwhelmed or disoriented survivors.

Information Gathering on Current Needs and Concerns: To identify immediate needs and concerns, gather additional information, and tailor Psychological First Aid interventions.

Practical Assistance: To offer practical help to survivors in addressing immediate needs and concerns.

Connection with Social Supports: To help establish brief or ongoing contacts with primary support persons and other sources of support, including family members, friends, and community helping resources.

Information on Coping: To provide information about stress reactions and coping to reduce distress and promote adaptive functioning.

Linkage with Collaborative Services: To link survivors with available services needed at the time or in the future.

I will use this information I learned while obtaining this certificate to better refer our clients to outside services as needed, while learning skills to better help and assist with current concerns they are facing while in office.

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Psychological First Aid (PFA) Online_Certificate SRodriquez

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Section 6  Unit 3 Assignment 3 Reflection and artifact for ABC Crisis Model

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Section 6  Unit 3 Assignment 3 Reflection and artifact for ABC Crisis Model

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This assignment was difficult for me, since I am not going further to become a licensed therapist, I had to do a lot of digging to find out the information. However, even in my role as a case manager, these things I learned will be beneficial to me in assisting the patients when they call in with crisis, or need to be scheduled sooner or so on. Even though this was difficult, I learned a lot of meaningful information.

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A link or PDF to the legal requirements and/or ethical codes relevant to your role. Also, be sure you briefly identify the legal/ethical code and describe its connection to your professional role. Why is this code applicable to your role? 

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A link or PDF to the legal requirements and/or ethical codes relevant to your role. Also, be sure you briefly identify the legal/ethical code and describe its connection to your professional role. Why is this code applicable to your role? 

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American Counseling Association (2014). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.

The Code serves as an ethical guide designed to assist members in constructing a course of action that best serves those utilizing counseling services and establishes expectations of conduct with a primary emphasis on the role of the case manager or professional counselor.

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Referral processes within your scope of practice.

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Referral processes within your scope of practice.

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A shared vision among potential collaborators creates strategies to achieve common goals. The

biggest benefit of collaboration among health agencies is the improved health of clients and of

course the community. One study found that health is dependent on how people perceive the quality

of their community. Leadership and vision among collaborative agencies can make a difference in the

quality of a community health care system and in the cost-effectiveness of the care provided.

(Treatment, 1970).

Providing Effective Referrals:

❖ Identify referral needs.

❖ Speak directly to the referral provider (as appropriate)

❖ Provide a verbal and/or written handoff (with the person's consent)

❖ Manage difficult situations.

❖ Follow up with the client about the referral.

Communicating the need for a referral with the client

emphasizes the importance of seeking specialized

care for their specific condition. It shows that the

current provider is acknowledging that this specific

need is out of their scope of practice, and needs

specialized attention.

When Making an Outside Referral:

❖ Provide the client with information about the referral

❖ Include the name and contact details of the specialist

or facility,

❖ Provide the specialist any current relevant medical

records or test results. (be sure the patient provides a

release of PHI request for this)

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A reflection on the importance of cultural competence when delivering responsive services.

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A reflection on the importance of cultural competence when delivering responsive services.

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Cultural competence is defined as a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enable that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross–cultural situations (King, 2009).

Operationally defined, cultural competence is the integration and transformation of knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies,

practices, and attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of services; thereby producing better outcomes (King, 2009).

Cultural competence is something that must be embraced by both professionals and the agencies they work with in order to effectively practice in a way that will be helpful and effective to clients during crisis intervention. Effective crisis intervention practiced with cultural competence results in positive outcomes for all involved in the crisis intervention.

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Local emergency and non-emergency support services.

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Local emergency and non-emergency support services.

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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 9-8-8

2-1-1, option 8, or visit 2-1-1 Texas.

Crisis Text Line: Text 741741, free 24/7

Local Mental Health Authority Crisis Hotlines – Available 24/7

National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888

Veterans Crisis Line: 9-8-8, press 1.

MHMR- West Texas Centers for MHMR 1-800-375-4357