Spotlight on CFCS: Devan Miller
There are countless stories that live within our walls at CFCS, but not all of them come from the children and families we work with. Our employees – the social workers, case managers, interns, admins and directors who make our agency run smoothly – are the reason for our success as an organization. They also happen to be interesting people with quite a few good stories of their own!
In our “Spotlight on CFCS” series, we highlight the rich experiences and perspectives our staff bring to the office. Today we’re highlighting Devan Miller, Clinical Case Management Intern at Putnam Place!
Devan is pursuing her MSW from Simmons University, and is planning to graduate in May of this year. She began her internship at Putnam Place in September 2020 in the midst of the pandemic and will finish her internship in April. Devan recently shared with us what her experience was like at Putnam as she worked closely with our residents through a very weird and difficult time.
Can you give an overview of your internship at the group homes? What were your responsibilities?
Since September 2020, I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside the Putnam Place staff and residents three days a week. Responsibilities include individual meetings with residents, working with residents to create and implement individualized treatment plans for them, supporting residents as they work on learning life skills and achieving their permanency goals and supporting other Putnam staff as needed.
What was your favorite part of your internship at CFCS?
One of my favorite parts of this internship has been collaborating with other Putnam staff members. It’s been a joy and a big learning moment for me to work alongside such considerate, compassionate and knowledgeable co-workers. The respect and care that Putnam staff have for both the residents and one another is evident in their work. I’ve also really benefited from the supervision I’ve received, both formally and informally, and being in an environment that emphases such a high level of support and teamwork.
I’ve also felt very privileged to work in-person during the pandemic. In a world that went almost entirely remote, I consider myself one of the lucky few that has been able to remain in-person. By being at Putnam in-person I’ve witnessed the challenges and triumphs of a group home that became much more than a residential facility. For most residents, Putnam was where school happened, where therapy took place, where permanency was fostered, where life skills were developed… all in one house! It’s truly been amazing to see the resilience of the residents making the best of the unexpected, and doing so with humor and humility.
What was your least favorite part?
My least favorite part of the internship has been not experiencing Putnam and CFCS outside of the pandemic. I would have appreciated the opportunity to facilitate in-person treatment team meetings and family visits, spend more time with residents doing community-based activities, and getting to meet non-Putnam CFCS staff outside of the Zoom space.
What was the biggest thing you learned during your internship?
There have been many points of learning throughout the semester. I’ve been able to hone-in on my clinical practice, develop case management skills and learn how to be a stronger, more effective advocate for resident well-being when collaborating with their larger support teams. I’ve also gained a more comprehensive understanding of the various ways in which our public systems can help those in residential care.