Felicia Eliazar, LCSW
Felicia M. Eliazar, MSW, LCSW
San Jose, Ca. 95126
[email protected]
(408) 292-4357
Introduction
My name is Felicia M. Eliazar, LCSW and I am a psychotherapist and clinical social worker, independently licensed in the state of California (LCSW License # 29861). I have been practicing psychotherapy since beginning my Masters of Social Work program in 2005 at San Jose State University, School of Social Work. During my Master’s Program, I also earned a Family Development Credential from Cornell University. I also hold a Family Wellness Credential and have a State Certification in Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking. After graduating with my Masters in Social Work, I worked for several years as a psychotherapist at an outpatient community mental health agency. During that time, I provided psychological assessments, client-centered and family-centered approach services, and treatment for adults and children struggling with a wide range of diagnosis, including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and separation from loved ones.
As an Investigating Social Worker through Santa Clara County’s Child Protective Agency, I frequently collaborated with a multidisciplinary team. I practiced Dependency Investigation and had to quickly develop working relationships with children to assist with their immediate needs and long-term goals. My work primarily focused on intense case management, assessing, and developing long-term case plans. Keeping families together led me to my career path which stemmed from my passion for Foster Care Youth. I started working at group homes in 2001 and have been involved for 17 consecutive years whether direct or indirect service and am comfortable with in-home family engagement.
In 2008, I developed Parent Solutions, a sole-proprietorship which provided in-home / in-office services. As we have grown into Parent Solutions, LCSW Corporation, I became the Chief Executive Officer and continue to conduct parenting, behavioral, and reunification assessments, and psychological evaluations. Not only proficient in the dynamics and repercussions of violence, human trafficking, relocated families, and child abuse, I have followed my forensic interest to also advocate for children. Later, in 2015, I completed my Custody Evaluation forensic training and provide private custody evaluations for Santa Clara and San Mateo County. In the most recent years, I have completed intense training to provide Mental Health Evaluations for immigration attorneys and families seeking asylum, U-visas, and hardship waivers. I also provide independent audits for the Federal Government through Catholic Charities for refugee children who have relocated for many reasons.
Certifications
Licensed Clinical Social Worker September 2013
Board of Behavior Sciences LCS# 29861
Suicide Prevention August 2014
State Certification
Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Human Trafficking August 2014
State Certification
Family Wellness Credential June 2011
Educator
Parent Project Facilitator September 2008 Educator Through the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office
Family Development Credential (FDC) February 2007
Degree
Education
Master of Social Work May 2008
San Jose State University
Family Development Credential October 2006
Cornell University
Bachelor Degree in Psychology, With Minor in Social Work July 2005
San Jose State University
Associate Degree in Philosophy May 2002
San Jose City College
Expert Witness
Designated as an expert witness in Santa Clara and San Mateo County Family Courts in matters related to:
Child Custody Evaluations
Risk Assessment
Brief Focused Assessments
Specialty Areas
Immigration / Law: asylum, hardship, and U-visa mental health evaluations
Family Law: custody evaluations, brief focused assessments, mediation, and recommendations for placement
Trauma: domestic violence, human trafficking, self-injurious behaviors, sexual violence, rape and assault trauma, trauma informed services, relocation trauma, foster care youth and trauma training, child abuse
Mental Health: Emotionally Disturbed (ED) youth, emotional manipulation, Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT), individual and family therapy, and advocacy
Special Needs: Reactive Attachment Disorders (RAD), interviewing special needs in children and adults, direct service to ED foster youth level 10-14, developmental screenings such as First Five assessment program including Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ and ASQ-II), training and education in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)
LGBTQ Families and Population
Experience
Catholic Charities February 2019 – Present
Independent Federal Auditor – Contract
- Reviewing of the care plan
- Conducting applicable in-person or over-the-phone interviews to determine:
- Appropriateness of placement
- The continued appropriateness and extent of compliance with care plan or the adequacy of services provided for the youth
Eliazar Evaluations March 2018 – Present
Asylum and Hardship Evaluator
- Provide private court asylum and hardship evaluations
- Coordinate with attorneys and government officials
Custody Evaluator June 2015 – Present
- Provide Private Court Custody Evaluations, Provide Brief Focused Assessments, Parent Coordination
- Coordinate with professionals of Santa Clara and San Mateo County Family Court System, Department of Family and Children Services, and local nonprofit agencies to serve referred clients
Foothill Community Health Center August 2016- January 2017
Clinical Supervisor – Contract
- Clinically Supervise MFT-I and ASW who work in school settings with children with behavioral issues, ADHD, depression, and anxiety
- Supervise clinicians who provide individual and group counseling services to children ranging in age from 5-18 years at local school sites
- Supervise clinical assessments, clinical notes, and diagnosis provided by clinicians using DSM 5 and who develops treatment plans
- Assist with and manage school on-site crisis
- Provide consultations to colleagues and therapists
Parent Solutions December 2008 – Present
Chief Executive Officer
- Child Therapy, Individual and Family Therapy, Reunification Therapy, Co-Parent Therapy
- Function as a Director of services for all clients and staff
- Coordinate with professionals of Santa Clara County Family Court System, Department of Family and Children Services, and local nonprofit agencies to serve referred clients
- Evaluate and assess parents’ parenting skills in order to provide comprehensive summaries to clients, family and criminal courts, and lawyers
- Provide one-on-one in-home parenting for parents of children ages 0-17, Parent Education Classes, and 16-week Parenting Without Violence with an average caseload of 15-20 clients
- Design curricula for parents with children ages 0-17, co-parenting and parallel parenting, and survivors of emotional abuse
- Facilitate classes on subjects such as domestic violence, co-parenting and parallel parenting, and pre-adolescent parenting
- Supervised visits between parents and children
16-Week Parenting Without Violence Instructor May 2009 – September 2010
Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children Services – Contract
- Facilitate classes and instruct parents whose children were removed for violence issues, substance abuse issues, and other mandates
- Evaluate progress of clients to provide a pass/fail for class
- Design curricula to meet the needs of the parents enrolled
Gardner Family Care Corporation March 2006 –October 2010
Expanded Differential Response-Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist/Lead Assistant
- Function as engagement specialist to 75% of program cases to enlist in services
- Provide immediate access to family-centered, needs-driven, and child-focused services for children and their families
- Assist in goal reduction of trauma children experience as a result of out-of-home placement
- Prevent removal of children from their homes, and open a juvenile court case
- Facilitate intensive case management, linking to counseling, tangible resources to improve and maintain family functioning
- Coordinate with other agencies such as Department of Social Services and Family Resource Centers
- Train, orient, and guide all new staff members
Child Protective Services September 2007-May 2008
Investigating Social Worker- Intern
- Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team including staff from the Department of Social Services, Family Resource Centers, Psychiatrists, Police Department, Court, Appointed Advocates, Mentors, School District, and Community Leaders
- Investigated referred families for child safety
- Collaborated with Family Court Lawyers
- Provided recommendations on placement options for children who have been removed from their parents due to child abuse based on findings of the investigation
- Wrote Court reports
- Visited family’s homes to assess for safety and compliance with Court orders
- Removed children from unsafe situations to family members with stable safe homes
Gardner Family Care Corporation September 2006 – May 2007
Family and Children Services – Intern
- Provide individual counseling for children ages 6-14 years
- Document in a timely manner paperwork such as progress notes, treatment plans, assessments, and safety plans
- Facilitate and participate in administrative meetings, team decision meetings, family decision, and service team meetings
- Provide immediate access to family-centered, needs-driven, and child-focused services for children and their families
- Provide intensive case management
- Participate in family sessions in collaboration with other therapists
- Provide intensive individual parenting to parents of the children participating in services
Starlight Adolescent Center August 2005 – March 2006
Therapeutic Behavioral Specialist/ Crisis Intervention Specialist/MHRS
- Provide behavioral services to adolescents with mental illnesses in a level 14+ residential program
- Identify, evaluate and respond promptly to crisis and assume the Captain role for all codes
- Document in a timely manner paperwork such as progress notes, treatment plans, assessments, and safety plans
- Collaborate with Youth Counselors, Resident Manager and/or Mental Health Clinicians prior to and following all crisis interventions
- Assisted in development of program position that resulted in a significant decrease in crisis situations and a stable milieu
Saint Andrews Residential Program February 2003 – August 2005
Facility Manager/Case Manager
- Provide direct service to 6 boys 9-14 with mental illness, including advocacy, school placement and enrollment, administer medication, and supervise visits between biological parents and youth
- Supervise staff of 9, including training, scheduling, and discipline
- Ensure Community Care Licensing and accreditation standards are maintained
- Manage program budget and participate in program development
- Provide case management services to 10-15 youth aged 0-18
- Facilitate and participate in resident and administrative meetings
- Document quarterly court reports, incident reports, and auxiliary paperwork to ensure continuity of services
- Develop and implement new programs for at-risk youth
- Maintain relationships with outside entities such as, Department of Family and Children Services, court appointed Advocates, mentors, mental health professionals, police department, and other service providers
ALLIANCE for Community Care August 2004 to December 2006
Counselor II, per diem
- Provide direct care service for teenagers and adult with severe mental illness
- Provide timely documentation
- Monitor self-administration of medication
Steele-Wright Residential Program June 2001 – November 2002
Facility Manager
- Provide direct service to up to 6 resident boys 8-17 years old with mental illness
- Supervise staff, including training, scheduling, and discipline
- Ensure Community Care Licensing and accreditation standards were maintained
- Monitored self-administration of medication
- Held and participated in resident and administrative meetings
- Implement new programs for at-risk youth
- Provided organization for agency to promote cohesiveness
Trainings and Presentations
Moving the Margins – LGBTQ out of home placement July 2011
Confidentiality and Child Abuse Reporting to Expanded Differential Response Program
Employees at Gardner Family Care Corporation July 2008
Memberships
National Association of Social Work Current member since 2009
Association of Family Conciliation Courts Current since 2014
Santa Clara Psychological Association Current since 2015
San Mateo County Psychological Association Current since 2016
References
Available upon request
Curriculum Vitae
| Date | Training | Hours |
| 3-5-03 | Partnering, Team Work Approach to Effective Child Care | 3 |
| 4-30-03 | Non-violent Crisis Intervention | 6 |
| 6-11-03 | Working with Lesbian and Gay Special Needs Children | 3 |
| 12-17-03 | A Look at Art Therapy | 3 |
| 2-5-04 | CA Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Law | 3 |
| 3-4-04 | Dealing with Adolescent Sexual Reactivity | 3 |
| 6-9-04 | Self-Injurious Behavior Workshop | 3 |
| 9-21,22,23-05 | Pro-Act Workshop and Restraint Certificate | 24 |
| 10-14-05 | Pro-Act Trainer | 40 |
| 1-13-06 | Professional Assault Crisis Training – Restraint Certification | 8 |
| 4-11-06 | Building Family Safety: Using Solution-Focused Language to Achieve Strength-Based Outcomes | 8 |
| 4-19-06 | Differential Response Overview | 8 |
| 4-20-06 | Changing Landscape of Adolescent Drug Abuse (DADS) | 8 |
| 4-21-06 | Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Dependency Court: Understanding the Overlap | 8 |
| 4-25-06 | Mandated Reporting | 4 |
| 4-27-06 | Working with Resistant, Unmotivated or Mandated Client (DADS) | 8 |
| 4-28-06 | Child Welfare System- Overview | 8 |
| 5-3-06 | Making Treatment Count: Client Directed, Outcome –Informed Clinical work with substance abusing clients | 8 |
| 5-5-06 | Child Abuse Symposium | 8 |
| 5-9-06 | Adolescent and Psychiatric Medications (DADS) | 8 |
| 5-10-06 | Health and Nutrition Needs for Infants and Expectant Mothers (WIC) | 2 |
| 5-11-06 | Substance Abuse in Teens (Gardner) | 2 |
| 5-16-06 | Non-Violent Crisis Intervention | 8 |
| 5-17-06 | Confidentiality | 8 |
| 5-19-06 | Addressing the Overlap: DV, Alcohol, Drugs, and Accountability (DADS) | 8 |
| 5-23-06 | Working with Law Enforcement | 4 |
| 5-24-06 | CPR (EMQ) | 6 |
| 5-25-06 | Cultural Competency: Sexual Orientation and Countertransference | 8 |
| 5-26-06 | Reactive Attachment | 8 |
| 6-2-06 | Engaging Families in Strength-Based Practice | 8 |
| 6-5-06 | Incredible Years, Family Violence | 8 |
| 6-6-06 | Human Development | 8 |
| 6-13-06 | Cultural Bias | 8 |
| 6-20-06 | Interviewing Children and Adults | 4 |
| 6-23-06 | Team Work for Success | 8 |
| 7-10-06 | ASAM | 2.5 |
| 7-18-06 | Cornell Model Training Certificate obtained | 90 |
| 9-15-06 | ASQ & ASQ-SE Training (First 5) | 4 |
| 10-24-06 | ASAM Training (Assessment and Treatment) | 2 |
| 10-26-06 | ASAM II | 3 |
| 11-21-06 | Structural Family Therapy | 2 |
| 1-15-07 | Working with children | 2 |
| 3-27-07 | Trauma/PTSD | 2 |
| 6-12-07 | Center for Living with Dying | 2 |
| 7-11-07 | Dialectical Behavioral Therapy | 2 |
| 9-6-07 | Child Welfare Worker | 3.5 |
| 9-12-07 | Risk Assessment | 3.5 |
| 9-12-07 | Mechanics of Placement | 3.5 |
| 9-13-07 | Working in Partnership with Out of Home Caregivers | 3.5 |
| 9-19-07 | Home Visiting; Communicating with Children | 3.5 |
| 9-19-07 | Dependency Investigation and Continuing Case Assignment | 3.5 |
| 9-20-07 | Court Overview – County Counsel | 8.5 |
| 9-21-07 | Emergency Response | 3.5 |
| 9-26-07 | Confidentiality and Paternity | 3.5 |
| 9-27-07 | Application and Order Court Observation | 3.5 |
| 10-4-07 | Court Observation Training | 3.75 |
| 10-4-07 | Drug Overview; Drug Testing | 3.5 |
| 10-5-07 | CWS/CMS System Training I Intro. / Contacts | 3.5 |
| 10-10-07 | Resource Panel | 3.5 |
| 10-10-07 | Case Plans and Updates | 3.5 |
| 10-12-07 | CWS/CMS System Training II Case Plan / Updates | 3.5 |
| 10-17-07 | Court Debriefing | 8.5 |
| 10-19-07 | CWS/CMS System Training III CAT | 3.5 |
| 10-24-07 | Court Report Writing; Interim Reports; Recommendations | 8.5 |
| 10-26-07 | CWS/CMS System Training IV Court Report Writing | 3.5 |
| 09-08-08 | Parent Project Training – Facilitator Certification obtained | 40 |
| 12-03-08 | Substance Abuse and Chemical Dependency | 15 |
| 12-05-08 | Intimate Spousal and Partner Violence: Ethical and Legal Aspects | 15 |
| 10-05-09 | The Psychology of Aging Well | 10 |
| 10-06-09 | Human Sexuality | 10 |
| 02-20-14 | Emotional Manipulation: Understanding Manipulators and Helping Their Victims | 6 |
| 07-11-14 | Women Defined Advocacy | 1.0 |
| 07-11-14 | Introduction and history of the Rape Crisis Movement | 1.0 |
| 07-11-14 | History of the Battered Women’s Movement: Intimate Abuse movement and advocacy | 1.5 |
| 07-11-14 | Gender Roles in Society and Attitudes Towards Violence | 1.0 |
| 07-11-14 | Underserved Populations and Awareness of groups that have experienced discrimination, oppression, and sexual Violence with IPA within LGBTQ community | 4.0 |
| 07-12-14 | Characteristics of abusive relationship, same sex IPA, incidence and impact of Intimate Partner Abuse, and effects on survivor – Crisis and continued support | 3.5 |
| 07-12-14 | Effects of Domestic violence on Children | 40 |
| 07-18-14 | Law Enforcement and Domestic Violence Laws | 3.5 |
| 07-18-14 | Right of Survivors, Family Court Process, Restraining Orders, and Awareness | 4.5 |
| 07-19-14 | Definitions of Sexual Assault Rape Trauma | 3.5 |
| 07-19-14 | Crisis Intervention/Response Teams | 4.5 |
| 07-25-14 | Community Partners and accessing resources | 3.5 |
| 07-26-14 | Child Sexual Abuse and effects | 2.0 |
| 07-26-14 | Teen Sexual Abuse | 2.0 |
| 07-26-14 | Trauma Informed Services | 4.0 |
| 08-01-14 | Sex Offenders and Criminal Justice | 2.5 |
| 08-02-14 | Human Trafficking | 4.5 |
| 08-02-14 | Safety and Self-Care | 1.0 |
| 09-12-14 | Relocation Issues in Divorce | 2.0 |
| 09-15-14 | High Conflict and Alienation | 3.5 |
| 10-06-14 | Psycho-Legal Issues for Custody Evaluators | 2.0 |
| 10-29-14 | Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner Abuse, Human Trafficking | 65.0 |
| 12-11-14 | Custody Evaluator Update | 8.0 |
| 02-05-15 | Legal and Ethical Considerations related to corporal punishment | 3.0 |
| 02-05-15 | Legal and ethical aspects of tele-mental health services | 3.0 |
| 07-10-15 | Custody Evaluation Update for 2015 Domestic Violence (annually=12 hours) | 12. |
| 07-22-16 | Effective and Ethical Supervision in Therapy | 6.0 |
| 07-22-16 | Supervision Specific to Social Work Advanced Topics in Clinical Supervision | 3.0 6.0 |
| 11-22-16 | Ethical Decision Making in Psychotherapy | 6.0 |
| 12-07-17 | Spousal Partner Abuse | 7.0 |
| 03-10-18 | Clinical Evaluations for Asylum Cases | 3.0 |
| 07-15-18 | Clinical Evaluations for immigration cases specifically for extreme hardship | 4.5 |
| 07-21-18 | Child Custody Evaluation 5.225 update | 8.0 |
| 07-22-18 | Domestic Violence Update | 4.5 |
| 10-17-18 | Motivational Interviewing: Introduction and application | 3.0 |
| 10-17-18 | Supervision Specific to Social Work | 3.0 |
| 10-17-18 | Advanced Topics in Clinical Supervision | 6.0 |
| 10-17-18 | Effective and Ethical Supervision in Therapy | 6.0 |
| 10-17-18 | Confidentiality in Psychotherapy and Counseling: Ethical, Legal and Clinical Issues | 6.0 |
| 4-5-19 – 4-6-19 | Parenting Coordination/Co-Parent Counseling Work in the tranches with High Conflict Co Parents with Matthew Sullivan | 16.0 |
| 7-20-2019 | Custody Evaluator Update Training | 12.0 |
| 7-21-2019 | Domestic Violence Update | 4.0 |
| 7-25-2020 | Custody Evaluator Update Training | 12.0 |
| 7-26-2020 | Domestic Violence Update | 4.0 |