Maria Lockhart

• I returned to my previous position before retiring, as a retired annuitant, and continued to assist in the development of basic living and transitional skills groups for patients, supporting employment and vocational mobility while at Patton State Hospital and upon discharge.
• Developed vocational rehabilitation assessments and evaluations for each patient enrolled in our services to make informed decisions about patients' job placements.
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to enhance lesson plans and individualized treatment strategies.
• Co-provided services at various vocational stations, promoting patient engagement and skill acquisition.
• Maintained recovery-focused approach throughout institutionalization and post-discharge phases.

I provided program evaluations and generated reports (vocational rehabilitation assessments) based on patients' individualized treatment teams' recommendations, and utilized that data to recommend, plan, and develop vocational job skills groups within our department that met the needs of patients with various penal code commitments, to increase their chances of obtaining and maintaining employment while at Patton State Hospital and once they are discharged.

I authored the following vocational groups:

Actions Conquer Tomorrow (core group)

Leadership Academy in the Professional Setting.

Multicultural awareness in the workplace.

Conversational Spanish in the workplace.

Activities of Creative Expression and Innovation Time (ACEIT)

Occupational Training Education Units.

Vocational Assessments: I evaluated, screened, and appraised potential patients for job readiness, along with recommendations for a CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System).

Analysis of Data: I evaluated the outcomes of vocational programs, recorded, and monitored progress. Coordinated and kept data to generate and improve program evaluations.

• Job Mentor: Act as a job mentor and supervise industrial therapy patients on the job site. Monitor their progress, and record it for accountability. Supervised, logged, and kept track of their timesheets. In addition, I also provide Health and Safety, an OSHA-mandatory training requirement for all of our industrial therapy patient workers, hospital-wide.
• Distance Learning: I co-provided and acted as a proctor for patients who worked independently during lab hours on class assignments and course lectures. Participants in this group are motivated to work independently toward earning credits in higher education.

I provided essential support in the care and treatment of individuals with mental health disorders in a forensic setting. Carried out duties as ordered by the unit shift lead, and treatment was supervised by a licensed registered nurse. Additional duties include the following:

• Monitored patient behavior and provided support during daily activities.
• Documented patient progress and reported changes to healthcare team members.
• Administered medications following prescribed guidelines and protocols.
• Facilitated therapeutic group sessions to promote social skills development.
• Collaborated with nurses and doctors on treatment strategies for mental health issues.
• Managed crisis situations by employing de-escalation techniques effectively.
• Provided direct patient care and monitored patients' physical, mental, and emotional status.
• Maintained accurate records of patient progress including daily notes on individuals' moods, activities, interactions with others.
• Ensured that all safety protocols were followed at all times while caring for patients in a residential setting.
• Assisted psychiatrists in the assessment of patient behavior and provided feedback to the treatment team.
• Utilized therapeutic techniques when working with agitated patients.
• Developed therapeutic relationships with clients while providing a safe environment for them to express themselves openly.
• Taught clients how to manage their emotions, cope with stress, and develop healthy habits.
• Collaborated with other healthcare professionals to coordinate individualized treatment plans for each client.

I also assisted in the development of the first Hispanic unit within the state hospitals settings.

I was eventually promoted to Senior Psychiatric Technician, where I trained and supervised existing and new psychiatric technicians and support staff on procedures and safety protocols. I designated daily assignments to the staff. I provided a work environment that ensured and maintained continuous care for patients with special needs. I worked with the deaf and hard-of-hearing population and at the hospital's admissions suite, where the initial intake of patients was assigned units depending on their penal code commitments. Other acting roles included, but were not limited to:

Unit Supervisor (acting) for 4 months.