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Masters of Education (M.Ed.) in Community Counseling, The Citadel, Charleston, SC. Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Correctional Services, Eastern KY University, Richmond, KY.

Over 25 years, I provided services to clients with family violence issues and with youth in out-of-home placements and/or directed their family reunification. The majority of these clients were involved with child protective services, the community mental health centers, and/or the legal system. I worked with both victims and perpetrators of child abuse and domestic violence, as well as serving as adjunct professor, teaching Case Management to a wide variety of adult learners.

The information contained here-in is a sample of lessons that I had to learn the hard way – by the seat of my pants. And I’m hoping that this handbook will help others be more prepared for the challenges that await them as community mental health professionals. Whether you are a youth worker or a therapist or you provide outreach services, you can benefit from the information shared in In Service to Your Community.

And though I am certain that this manual can be useful to individuals continuing their education on their own, clinical supervision in the use of In Service to Your Community is highly recommended to achieve optimal results.

In Service to Your Community is a sometimes tongue-in-cheek informative guide to assist new and veteran staff with their on-the-job training in basically any setting providing community-based services. It is designed to appeal to a wide range of adult learners.

In Service to Your Community has two purposes: (1) to provide information to front-line community mental health workers to increase their competency and (2) to decrease staff turnover, which can lead to higher quality outcomes, making the agency more desirable to stakeholders.