Michelle is the Social Services Coordinator for the Post-Acute Care Program and brings with her more than 30 years of Social Work experience.
Michelle began her Social Work career in Buffalo, NY immediately after college. She worked in the Social Work Department at a Long Term Care facility. Later, she married and moved to various states as her husband served in the US Navy.
Her prior experiences include being a Director of Social Services at a 200 bed Skilled Nursing Facility where she displayed exemplary leadership by effectively organizing and developing systems to ensure every patient received quality care and safe discharge planning. Michelle was also a Case Manager and Crisis Hotline Specialist at a domestic violence shelter. The knowledge that she gained from this role was how to maintain a calm demeanor while assisting people who find themselves in crisis and in overwhelming life situations. Among her other roles was being a Counselor for a residential Job Corp program for disadvantaged youth ages 18 -24 who had little to no opportunities. Watching students succeed and leave the program with a diploma and a certified trade was very gratifying.
Michelle spent time as a Social Worker and Resource Specialist for Hospice House and Hospice Community giving patients and family members comfort and needed services. Advocacy to Make a Wish Foundation allowed for several patients to have parties and to see distant family members with the finances provided.
She worked with Healthy Start Program for Expectant Mothers helping them meet their medical, financial and social needs as they prepared for delivery, and as a Children’s Case Manager visiting with children ages 5-18 in the classroom and at their homes to identify possible learning deficits that may impact the child’s behavior and ability to succeed.
Prior to coming to CareCentrix, Michelle was an Ex-Offender Employment Readiness Trainer. In this role, Michelle worked with ex-offenders who may have gone down the wrong path due to not having access to Life Skills training in their pasts.
This vast experience complimented with a BSW from Buffalo State College and a Masters of Management degree from Troy State University has equipped Michelle to work effectively with a variety of patients in various geographical regions and with varying psychosocial and socioeconomic factors.