Staten Island Connected Care

I got into this field after having an internship in my undergrad program that supported homeless youth. I was a peer mentor, and the joy and happiness I felt watching my students achieve their goals was a high point for me and really influenced my decision to make this my career. The feeling of pride I felt for them, watching their resilience and self-confidence increase, was such a rewarding feeling that I knew I wanted to help others along their own personal journeys through social work.

I'm a Case Worker because I want to provide mental health care to my community. I saw how it struggled to understand the importance of these services and saw many self-medicating without the right resources. I wanted to help explain the impact of mental health and social support services to families in need and be part of administering that care.

Growing up on Staten Island, I did not have the support system I needed as a young gay person. It wasn’t until college and finding my own therapist at the time, did I realize how important it was to have an authentic support system to provide the validation and encouragement needed to get through many hardships. I wanted to pay it forward and be a supportive person to youth needing that kind of space for self-care and hope. 

I've always wanted to be in a profession where I could help others wanted and make a difference for those affected by life circumstances. I am an excellent listener and believe in treating others the way I want to be treated. It’s hard to ask for help, so when a client or family comes to us, we must remember that showing compassion to the person you’re supporting and treating them as you would yourself helps show you care.