Signe S. Larsen
Saskatoon
Summary
Dedicated cognitive support professional with extensive experience in providing compassionate care to individuals with intellectual disabilities and senior citizens. Proven ability to cultivate strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and community members through clear communication, detailed documentation, and innovative problem-solving skills. Acknowledged for delivering respectful and person-centered care while upholding high ethical standards that enhance the overall quality of services provided.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Cognitive Support Specialist
Elmwood Residences Inc.
03.2020 - Current
- Develop and implement positive behaviour support strategies to adults with intellectual disabilities by:
- Observing and building rapport with the residents
- Interviewing day program and/or home support staff, families and medical and/or therapeutic professionals involved in the residents’ lives
- Gathering data on the behaviours of concern via progress notes, incident reports and additional tracking as needed
- Training frontline and administration staff on the new behaviour support strategies using a three-tier training model
- Provide in-service training sessions to frontline and administration staff on:
- Cognitive Support & Behaviour as Communication
- Documentation
- History of Disability Support & Human Rights for People with Disabilities
- Specific behaviour support training sessions as needed for individual teams
- Intellectual Disability & Dementia
- Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA) in Dementia Care
- Professional Assault Response Training (PART)
- Advocate for residents’ access to medical and mental health services
- Implemented an annual screening for dementia using the NTG-EDSD (National Task Group: Early Detection Screen for Dementia), which is designed for adults with intellectual disabilities
- Elmwood’s liaison in participating in a national research study on dementia screening in adults with intellectual disabilities, run by Dr. Yona Lunsky et al. at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre & the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health (CAMH)
Income Assistance Assured Income Specialist for the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID)
Government of Saskatchewan: Ministry of Social Services
06.2018 - 03.2020
- Manage a caseload of about 200 (individuals or families)
- Conduct intakes for clients applying for the SAID program
- Ensure each eligible client’s monthly SAID benefits are issued
- Answer phone calls, emails and meet with clients who have scheduled meetings or drop in
- Process incoming mail and documents from clients, their medical professionals and community resource social workers
- Pay clients’ utility bills, pharmacy invoices and other needs of that nature
- Update files when clients move, change their family circumstances, have new medical needs, etc.
- Assess income/wages against SAID benefits for each client who is working
- Always follow the SAID policy and regulations
- Clarify the SAID program and its policy to clients
- Display active listening and use the spirit of Motivational Interviewing during all interactions with clients
- Ongoing communication with clients about their own rights and responsibilities on the SAID program/keeping clients accountable for their own choices and decisions
- Communication with third parties (e.g., Saskatchewan Health Authority & community agencies) to advocate for clients to access services
- Always maintain client confidentiality
Community Residential Worker
Government of Saskatchewan, CLSD: McCallum Crisis/Transition Home
07.2017 - 06.2018
- Support individuals with complex behavioural needs in a 24-hour support setting.
- Provide support in the form of supervision, assistance, and guidance in daily tasks
- Provide support in the form of emotional reassurance, helping to develop self esteem, personal growth, and personal independence
- Provide support in crisis situations as well as in baseline/content situations
- Follow the CCP&SP, Reactive Strategies & Strategic Capitulation, Level I & II
- Follow each client’s individual support documents, such as Consistent Approaches and Crisis Cycle & Response
- Display active listening, patience, and calmness in all situations, as well as focusing on abilities/strengths of individuals in order to promote growth and self esteem
- Complete daily reports/logs to track behaviours, as well as general health and safety
- Administer medications
- Maintain each client’s confidentiality at all times
Crisis Support Therapist
Government of Saskatchewan, CLSD
09.2016 - 07.2017
- Create immediate crisis reduction strategies for clients in crisis
- Work with agencies and support teams to get the client out of crisis and back to stability
- Make observations of clients in crisis
- Create immediate Rapid Assessment and 24 Hour Plan
- Determine what the motivation for the outburst behaviour is in order to develop alternative approaches to supporting the individual in crisis
- Attend and facilitate meetings with the clients’ support teams to gather information and work on new approaches together
- Develop Reactive Strategies, Ecological Strategies, Focused Support and Positive Programming
- Three-Tier Train the clients’ support staff and teams
- Follow the CCP&SP and Level I & II
- Display active listening, patience, and calmness in all situations, as well as focusing on abilities/strengths of individuals in order to promote growth and self esteem
- Maintain individuals’ confidentiality at all times
- Assist in creating support plans for the clients
Community Residential Worker
Government of Saskatchewan, CLSD: McCallum Crisis/Transition Home
11.2015 - 08.2016
- Support individuals with complex behavioural needs in a 24-hour support setting.
- Provide support in the form of supervision, assistance, and guidance in daily tasks
- Provide support in the form of emotional reassurance, helping to develop self esteem, personal growth, and personal independence
- Provide support in crisis situations as well as in baseline/content situations
- Follow the CCP&SP, Reactive Strategies & Strategic Capitulation, Level I & II
- Follow each client’s individual support documents, such as Consistent Approaches and Crisis Cycle & Response
- Display active listening, patience, and calmness in all situations, as well as focusing on abilities/strengths of individuals in order to promote growth and self esteem
- Complete daily reports/logs to track behaviours, as well as general health and safety
- Administer medications
- Maintain each client’s confidentiality at all times
Community Resource Practitioner
Vecova Centre for Disability Services and Research
08.2015 - 09.2015
- Support individuals with complex behavioural needs.
- One-on-one support and interaction with the individuals in their day-to-day programs
- Provide support in the form of supervision, assistance, and guidance in daily tasks
- Provide support in the form of emotional reassurance, helping to develop self esteem, personal growth, and personal independence
- Provide support in crisis situations as well as in baseline/content situations
- Display active listening, patience, and calmness in all situations, as well as focusing on abilities/strengths of individuals in order to promote growth and self esteem
- Maintain individuals’ confidentiality at all times
Home Support
Saskatchewan Alternative Initiatives
02.2014 - 05.2015
- Support individuals with complex needs in a 24-hour support setting.
- Follow the Gentle Teaching philosophy in every interaction with the individuals
- Provide support in the form of supervision, assistance, and guidance in daily tasks
- Provide support in the form of emotional reassurance, helping to develop self esteem, personal growth, and personal independence
- Provide support in crisis situations as well as in baseline/content situations
- Support daytime or overnight hours
- Display active listening, patience, and calmness in all situations, as well as focusing on abilities/strengths of individuals in order to promote growth and self esteem
- Focus on developing positive, trusting, and respectful relationships/friendships with individuals
- Maintain individuals’ confidentiality at all times
Continuing Care Assistant
Nightingale Nursing/Bayshore Home Health
01.2009 - 04.2011
- Provide companionship and personal care to senior citizens in their private home or long-term care facilities.
- Follow support plans and complete required tasks during each visit
- Administer medications
- Complete housekeeping duties and prepare meals
- Provide companionship and build rapport with each client
Education
Bachelor’s Degree - Psychology
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK01.2015
Continuing Care Assistant Program - undefined
SIAST
Saskatoon, SK01.2009
High school - undefined
Gribskov Gymnasium
01.2007
Skills
- Behavioral analysis
- Effective crisis management
- Training program execution
- Client-focused strategies
- Clear communication
- Cultivating strong relationships
- Championing rights of marginalized groups
- Support for aging in place
Accomplishments
Received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for Person-Centered Practice in the Disability Service Sector in 2023.
Certification
- Certified Coach Training Program: Gentle Persuasive Approaches in Dementia Care (4th Edition) 2024 Elmwood Residences Inc.
- Mental Health First Aid 2024 Elmwood Residences Inc.
- PART 2021-2023 Elmwood Residences Inc.
- Institute for Applied Behavior Analysis (IABA): Online Longitudinal Training on Assessment and Analysis of Severe and Challenging Behaviour 2020 Elmwood Residences Inc.
- PART 2015 2017 Government of Saskatchewan
- TLR (Transferring, Lifting & Repositioning) 2015 Government of Saskatchewan
- CPP & SP 2015 Government of Saskatchewan
- Documentation Training 2015 Government of Saskatchewan
- Three Tier Training 2015 Government of Saskatchewan
- Reactive Strategies & Strategic Capitulation 2015 Government of Saskatchewan
- Level I & II 2015 Government of Saskatchewan
- ASIST Suicide Intervention Training, Saskatoon, SK 2015
- Gentle Teaching 2014 Saskatchewan Alternative Initiatives
- MANDT 2014 Saskatchewan Alternative Initiatives
- Valid Saskatchewan Driver’s Licence, Class 5
Languages
Fluent in English and Danish, both written and spoken
Native or Bilingual
Some working knowledge of Norwegian, Swedish, and German, both written and spoken
Limited Working
Received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for Person-Centered Practice in the Disabilit
Received the Queen
Timeline
Cognitive Support Specialist
Elmwood Residences Inc.
03.2020 - Current
Income Assistance Assured Income Specialist for the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID)
Government of Saskatchewan: Ministry of Social Services
06.2018 - 03.2020
Community Residential Worker
Government of Saskatchewan, CLSD: McCallum Crisis/Transition Home
07.2017 - 06.2018
Crisis Support Therapist
Government of Saskatchewan, CLSD
09.2016 - 07.2017
Community Residential Worker
Government of Saskatchewan, CLSD: McCallum Crisis/Transition Home
11.2015 - 08.2016
Community Resource Practitioner
Vecova Centre for Disability Services and Research
08.2015 - 09.2015
Home Support
Saskatchewan Alternative Initiatives
02.2014 - 05.2015
Continuing Care Assistant
Nightingale Nursing/Bayshore Home Health
01.2009 - 04.2011
Continuing Care Assistant Program - undefined
SIAST
High school - undefined
Gribskov Gymnasium
Bachelor’s Degree - Psychology
University of Saskatchewan
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