Spotlight on CFCS: Karlah Paul
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!
We’re highlighting the rich experiences and perspectives our staff bring to the office with a series on the blog called “Spotlights on CFCS”. Recently we got to interview Teens Learning Choices Program Director Karlah Paul, our first Program Director to be featured in this series!
Tell us about yourself!
My passion is to support and work with underserved youth. It’s a point after childhood but right before adulthood where a lot happens and changes. A period of growth that can determine what direction your life goes in. They need positive adults and role models to show them a better way and that they can be successful and do something productive: learn a skill, identify who they are, sharpen their craft!
I studied psychology at Westfield State University for undergrad then I went on to Cambridge College for graduate school. I studied mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy with a concentration in trauma. I received a dual-masters and graduated in June 2018.
After grad school, I became an in-home therapist for South Bay Community Services for about a year where I worked with families and kids. Then I was provided an opportunity to apply for an open position of Clinical Case Manager at TLC in May 2019, and I went for it. I’d already worked with CFCS as a part-time case manager for the Family Support & Stabilization program and Independent Living. Along with my South Bay experience, I had a lot of experience working with families in different settings (in-home, hospital, etc). My true passion has always been working with youth.
I was promoted from Clinical Case Manager to Program Director of TLC in February of 2020 – right before the pandemic!
What does your job entail?
My day-to-day is to oversee all daily operations of the house and to make sure all parameters of the house are taken care of. Anything from reviewing and submitting TLC’s budget, reporting building maintenance, to providing supervision to all staff to ensure each person is carrying out their functions. Furthermore, being a part of the referral and intake process for potential clients and ensuring the health, safety and security of all TLC resident and staff members.
Assessment is also part of my job. To assess where TLC collectively is at: what do we need more of, what areas are we doing well in, and what areas do we need to focus on to continue being successful.
How has COVID-19 impacted your work?
[2020] has definitely had its ups and downs, but I don’t regret anything. It’s been a huge learning experience for me because I’ve been able to see how myself, my staff and our residents have responded to COVID-19. I’ve learned what protocols can help our team come together despite being in the midst of a pandemic.
There’s no manual to this, and we’re all in this together. I believe that brainstorming with my team and putting our thoughts together has led us to come up with our absolute best practices, so everyone can feel safe. I enjoy hearing from my colleagues and the resident’s, they know the program best.
There’s no manual to this, and we’re all in this together… brainstorming with my team and putting our thoughts together has led us to come up with our absolute best practices.
I’m very honored to be a part of TLC and proud of all staff. They have been willing and able to safely work in the house and keep a clean environment. TLC hasn’t had to use external support to cover shifts, they are true heroes during the pandemic. Risking their lives to support the youth and simply showing up not knowing what may happen. Our staff are also masked at all times, which has helped keep TLC clean and COVID-free. Most importantly, being consistent with TLC’s covid policies is what we’ve found to be helpful to maintain good health and safety.
How does permanency factor into your work?
Permanency is something I truly believe in. About a year ago TLC didn’t show much interest in the concept of permanency. When we started having trainings and many individual and group discussions with staff about what permanency truly is it became more relevant and applicable. Getting staff who have such a strong presence and influence in the house on board with permanency was ideal. They know the ins and outs of the program and know the clients very well so approach certainly matters. How you approach a topic or someone will determine how they receive the information. Staff who showed interest in permanency played a big role in getting their fellow staff on board as well.
A lot of our recent permanency successes with residents come from the excellent work our Clinical Case Manager Maddie Summers is doing in the background. Maddie encourages residents to have overnight stays with family members and does a lot to help residents maintain contact with their family who are overseas. Permanency work starts prior to the resident moving in. We often see that if residents don’t hear from their loved ones after a few days their stress goes up and they’re more worried. However, when residents have good conversations with their loved ones, their mood improves, their stress goes down and they do a lot better.
When residents leave TLC and transition into adulthood, their real supports are going to be their family, mentors and positive adult relationships they maintained and sustained while staying at TLC.
What’s a challenge in your job that you’ve overcome?
You never know what’s going to happen! Some days are harder than others but the gratification that I get working with residents and staff…is a happy place for me.
Well, transitioning from Clinical Case Manager to Program Director at the start of a pandemic was super challenging. I stepped into a new position in the midst of a pandemic and had 24 members on my team. It was all new to me. In addition, we did not have a house manager. A lot was going on but I understood that sitting in my own discomfort would ultimately lead to something good. I had the vision and the goal and believed in it. I knew I had the backing and support of my colleagues and my supervisor, that was the most important thing because I knew it wasn’t possible to do it alone.
Managing so much of TLC’s transition into lockdown virtually was hard but worth it. I had to figure a lot of things out as I went. At that time, I didn’t have a good sense of what the details of my job were yet, and I didn’t really have time to learn them because so much of my focus was on getting the small things done. Being positive was important and regardless of how I felt I had to keep encouraging my team. We supported one another and the residents.
It taught me a lot in a short amount of time! And I’ll continue to learn better ways to do things, but I really grew from that experience.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
You never know what’s going to happen! Each day is different. Some days are harder than others but the gratification that I get in working with residents and staff, when they meet a goal or accomplish something for themselves, is a happy place for me. Gradual progression is something I like to see not only within myself but in the people around me.
I have to give a shout-out to my team and the residents! We currently have six residents who are all either working or going to school and getting A’s and B’s. Our residents are all practicing for a profession they’d like to pursue, whether becoming a scientist or going into cosmetology. Our residents are actually embodying the vision of TLC as a supportive place for youth to successfully transition into independence despite their harships. And they’re supported by our wonderful staff, who continue to receive training to improve their daily practices, such as using more sensitive language and being more permanency-focused in how we work with residents.