yours truly, allison grace

welp, i can finally talk about it openly.

I have a new job!

I haven’t left TND, so Amy, you can call your neighbors and apologize for the “WHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT??????!!!!!!” that just resounded from your apartment.

No, I am still at The Next Door, but my role within the organization is changing. For the last 3+ years I have been holding it down in the wild world of admissions, exerting all my energies into creating the best system possible for our agency to bring women into a program that could change their lives.

But, effective March 12, 2012, I will become the Case Manager for the IRIS (Integrated Recovery Integrated Services) Program at the Tennessee Prison for Women. This is a treatment program that TND offers within the correctional setting that allows women with co-occurring disorders to receive alcohol/drug and mental health treatment prior to their releasing into the communiy (communities you and I are both a part of… that is why you should care about my job and these issues). I will also be working with these women for several months after they are released to ensure that they have the resources that they need.

The next few weeks are going to be a whirlwind as the current case manager and I cross train one another for the positions we are in now, so that the other one can take them over very soon! Despite the chaos that I feel confident will ensue, this is going to be an excellent move for my journey towards becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I am going to be receiving quality hands on experience in a structured setting with a highly qualified staff with a population that I care deeply about… what more could I ask for??