Spotlight on CFCS: Lidia Rodriguez

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 through one-on-one interviews. Today we’re highlighting Lidia Rodriguez, a Family Support Specialist in our Developmental Disabilities Program!    

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I was born in Nicaragua, and raised in Everett, MA. My family first came to LA before we moved to Massachusetts. Every couple of years my parents would move back to LA so it was always between there and Everett. 

I went to St. Joseph’s College of Maine for undergrad. I loved it up there. I was majoring in Business, and that was my whole life until I became a parent. Once I had my son, I stopped focusing so much on money and I realized I wanted to help people in my work. So I became a medical assistant and started working at the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. During my time there, working with families, I realized that I wanted to become a therapist or do something in the mental health field because that’s my passion. 

What is it like being a mom and working full time? 

Having two kids has meant I have had to rearrange my life so my schedule doesn’t clash with theirs. I took a break from school when I had my son because he was cognitively delayed. He was nonverbal and needed a lot of assistance. When he became verbal about three years ago, I decided it was time to figure out what I was going to do with my life. I recently got into Salem State, and I’m going to be a Psychology major there. Eventually, I want to do something in public health where I can use my Psychology degree and mix both of my interests together. 

What made you interested in becoming a DDP case manager? 

During the pandemic I started working with a healthcare provider for low-income communities as a resource case manager. I was working with individuals with disabilities of all ages. I realized that the adults I was talking to didn’t have any help or resources. I noticed that when individuals with developmental disabilities age out of the school system, they have less resources immediately available to them. When I saw CFCS’s case manager position, where I would work with different ages, I thought that would be interesting. I came onboard in January of this year.

What does your job entail? 

I make sure families have whatever daily resources they need. I advocate for those who otherwise may not know they have access to funds that can help them stay healthy and stable. This includes helping with basic necessities such as deodorant, diapers, and bedsheets, as many families don’t realize that they can use their stipends from the Department for Developmental Services on items like these. I also make sure they have bigger essentials, like a computer, special sensory gear like headphones or a particular blanket, things like that. These essentials may seem inconsequential to some, but they can make all the difference in whether a family is able to stay comfortable and healthy in their home, especially when they’re caring for someone with disabilities. 

What was it like coming onboard remotely, during the pandemic? 

It was honestly scary at first. I came from an office where I had to teach myself everything. In my interview, everyone seemed so sweet and kind and I just hoped they would stay like that. After the initial scariness came amazingness! I am always able to find answers to my questions by asking my team. I care about working efficiently and helping everybody the best I can which means I ask a lot of questions, but no one ever gets annoyed – they just support me. 

What’s your favorite part of your job (so far)? 

Now, I feel like I’m able to actually help individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, whereas at my old job, I had such a huge caseload. I went from having 500 cases there to having 40 now. Now I can work more in-depth with families, sit down and have a conversation with them, help them set goals and make up a plan to reach their goals. That, to me, is amazing. 

What’s something you’re looking forward to in your job? 

I’m looking forward to the in-person trainings and events with clients! I’d like to help create a parents’ support group, or a space for our clients and guardians so they can vent with each other and support each other. I’m excited about actually interacting with clients and getting to see their faces! 

In 30 minutes, we solved that family’s problem.

Anything you’d like to add? 

Everybody at the agency is so amazing! I’m so thankful that I got hired because it’s a welcoming, warm environment. Our team leaders -- DD Program Director Brenda Beaton, Family Support Center Sheila Krausert and Senior Case Manager Heather Hall -- literally go out of their way to help every single client and family. For instance, we had an urgent situation where one family didn’t have money to get food last week. Plus, they were all COVID positive, so they needed their groceries delivered, which costs more. I emailed Sheila who immediately emailed Brenda and she quickly gave me money to get their food delivered. In 30 minutes, we solved that family’s problem.