Lafiette Denise Wells
Brooklyn,NY
Summary
Telehealth Counselor providing remote mental health care to 5+ active clients across assessment and ongoing counseling, with treatment plans reviewed monthly. Builds trusting rapport, delivers motivational interviewing, mindfulness techniques, and cognitive reframing to support individualized treatment plans. Collaborates with clinical supervision to review progress and adjust care based on patient needs and circumstances.
Overview
1
1
Certification
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Part Time Telehealth Counselor
Integrity Social Services
Remote
11.2021 - Current
- Track 5-6% treatment-plan updates during ongoing reviews, adjusting interventions to match changing client needs.
- Support 5 client sessions per week through telehealth counseling, active listening, and consistent follow-up.
- Build trusting rapport with clients while using motivational interviewing and cognitive reframing to support engagement.
- Conduct psychosocial assessments and ongoing progress reviews to identify barriers, refine goals, and guide treatment decisions.
- Develop individualized treatment plans and objectives, incorporating mindfulness techniques, CBT, and safety planning where appropriate.
- Meet monthly with clinical supervision to review cases, document progress notes, coordinate services, and connect clients to community resources.
Social Work Supervisor I
Adult Protective Services
Brooklyn, New York
02.2020 - Current
- Review 10-12 case records weekly for assessment quality, progress notes, and compliance with agency guidelines.
- Help and guidance to office in Enhanced Multi-Disciplinary Team Conferences regarding case presentations.
- Participate in EMDT conferences on site/other locations with supervisory personnel and other participants from different entities and stakeholders (i.e. doctors, lawyers, police, government/non-governmental agencies)
- Intervene in crisis situations to assess imminent danger and employ short term counseling techniques.
- Conduct social work assessments as needed and conduct Interview Decisional Ability (IDA) to determine clients understanding of choices made and consequences of those choices.
- Review social work assessments, progress notes, and IDA’s completed by social worker for accuracy and if it meets established agency guidelines.
- Participate in the development and implementation of APS Special Projects.
- Monitor time and leave of social worker and provide on-going training and guidance on cases assigned.
Social Work Supervisor I
Customized Assistance Services/Disability Services Program
New York, NY
10.2018 - 02.2020
- Supported 6-7 disability appeals per week by preparing case files and coordinating hearing materials.
- Interviewed clients and applied SSA clinical criteria to evaluate disability level across medical, psychiatric, and functional documentation.
- Built comprehensive clinical cases and prepared applicants for hearings through clear prehearing guidance and client advocacy.
- Reviewed staff work for accuracy, quality, and productivity, reinforcing consistent standards across case preparation.
- Attended Administrative Law Judge hearings as the Disability Services Representative to advocate for clients appealing federal disability denials.
- Developed evidence packets using clinically relevant medical, mental health, functional capacity, social, and employment history to support disability claims.
Caseworker
Adult Protective Services
Brooklyn, New York
04.2016 - 10.2018
- Investigate 20-30 abuse, exploitation, and self-neglect referrals per month for clients with mental or physical impairments.
- Submit Article 81 guardianship requests to the Office of Legal Affairs after receiving psychiatric evaluations from The Office of Health and Mental Health.
- Testify at court hearings on guardianship, landlord-tenant issues, and order to gain access requests.
- Request psychiatric evaluations for clients to assess capacity and inform service plans.
- Document case activity and follow-up actions to support continuity across ongoing protective services cases.
- Apply client advocacy and safety planning practices while responding to urgent concerns and service barriers.
Caseworker
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Brooklyn, New York
11.2014 - 04.2016
- Reviewed 5-10 client referrals per day from Job Centers, gathering non-custodial parent details through active listening and structured interviewing.
- Referred clients for waiver evaluations when safety concerns arose, using careful judgment and client advocacy to route cases appropriately.
- Conducted database searches across multiple systems to locate non-custodial parents and support follow-up on open cases.
- Documented interview outcomes and case status notes to keep records current and support next-step coordination.
- Submitted documents for translation and used Language Line when needed to support communication with multilingual clients.
- Coordinated case information between Job Centers, translation support, and court preparation needs to keep workflows moving.
Caseworker
Office of Child Support Enforcement/Manhattan Family Court
New York, New York
10.2010 - 11.2014
- Conducted 6-10 client interviews per day for the Support Through Employment Program while maintaining accurate intake documentation.
- Completed domestic violence interviews and routed findings to the appropriate liaison for timely follow-up.
- Handled follow-up actions for special requests from the Office of Legal Affairs and adjourned court cases.
- Responded to community and client calls about child support issues with clear, empathetic guidance.
- Supported sensitive conversations with calm, professional communication during domestic violence and support-service interactions.
- Maintained steady coordination across interviews, referrals, and court follow-up to keep cases moving.
Supervisor I Social Services
Office of Child Support Enforcement/Manhattan Borough Office
115 Chrysite Street, New York, NY
06.2008 - 10.2010
- Prepared [number] weekly reports to track unit goals, workflow issues, and borough office performance.
- Monitored 50% of case records weekly to confirm proper procedures and required searches were completed.
- Supervised caseworkers handling client interviews to establish paternity and support orders.
- Reviewed subordinate case records to verify compliance with procedures, searches, and case management standards.
- Trained staff during weekly unit meetings on policy updates, practices, and new procedures.
- Managed time, leave, and performance reviews for subordinates while maintaining consistent unit oversight.
- Processed paternity and support cases, then coordinated court preparation to move files forward efficiently.
Education
Master of Social Work - Social Work
Fordham Graduate School of Social Services
New York, New York02-2015
Skills
- Crisis intervention
- Motivational interviewing
- Mindfulness techniques
- Active listening
- Cognitive reframing
- Telehealth counseling
- Case management
- Treatment planning
- Psychosocial assessment
- Clinical supervision
- Service coordination
- Progress note documentation
- Safety planning
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Community resource referral
- Client advocacy
Certification
LMSW License
Timeline
Part Time Telehealth Counselor
Integrity Social Services
11.2021 - Current
Social Work Supervisor I
Adult Protective Services
02.2020 - Current
Social Work Supervisor I
Customized Assistance Services/Disability Services Program
10.2018 - 02.2020
Caseworker
Adult Protective Services
04.2016 - 10.2018
Caseworker
Office of Child Support Enforcement
11.2014 - 04.2016
Caseworker
Office of Child Support Enforcement/Manhattan Family Court
10.2010 - 11.2014
Supervisor I Social Services
Office of Child Support Enforcement/Manhattan Borough Office
06.2008 - 10.2010
Master of Social Work - Social Work
Fordham Graduate School of Social Services