“Emily genuinely cares for the children and youth she works with. She has the ability to relate to them on their level to make true and lasting changes in their lives.”
Please join us in congratulating Emily Hudson, the recipient of the April Staff on the Rise recognition! Emily joined the Youth Care Management team in October 2020 and was promoted to the Senior Youth Care Management position in December 2021. Emily has always wanted to work with children and youth and shares, “Kids have a unique way of viewing the world. They are so insightful and know so much about themselves, but they don’t realize it. It is exciting helping them discover their own skills and start using them.”
Erika Straight, Care Management Program Director says, “Emily exemplifies what we look for in a Senior Care Manager. She genuinely cares for the children and youth she works with. She has the ability to relate to them on their level to make true and lasting changes in their lives. She has the communication skills necessary to collaborate with both her team members and with our community partners. She provides a fresh and enthusiastic perspective to these collaborations as well as thoughtful and meaningful insights that she draws from her own personal experiences. We are grateful to have her on our team and look forward to seeing her professional growth in her new role as a Senior Care Manager.”
“I like working with the other professionals because they have insight based on their history with the children or youth.”
As a Youth Care Manager, Emily collaborates with other professionals on the child or youth’s team – school counselors, teachers, therapists, psychiatrists, Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) workers, respite providers – to provide the best services possible to the children and youth on her caseload. “I like working with the other professionals because they have insight based on their history with the children or youth,” Emily explains.
“Working with the schools and helping the children and youth engage in school is very rewarding. I enjoy figuring out what the kids don’t like about school and what is keeping them from being in engaged. The reasons could be as simple as a change to their school schedule or starting a new class, but sometimes it is a bit more complex. This is why it is also important to also collaborate with the families. Often the kids don’t communicate to their school counselor or even the care manager what is going on. For example, one 8th grade girl was embarrassed to tell the professionals what was going on, but she eventually told her parents.” It turns out that she didn’t want to go to school because she was being bullied and the parents told Emily what was going on. Emily was then able to intervene and work with the school to change the girl’s classes around, which solved the issue.
“I play games with the kids and relate the skills in the game to everyday skills that they can use in everyday life.”
When Emily first started with RISE, we were in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, so not only did she have to learn a new job but had to do so remotely. “It was challenging,” she shares, “it’s hard to make connections via telehealth.” When things began to open up and she was able to meet with the children and youth in person, she was able to make the connections she needs to identify the issues and help them develop coping skills necessary to manage and work through the issues. “In person, I can play games and relate the skills in the game to everyday skills that they can use in everyday life. I also am able to meet with and educate the parents to better assist their children.”
“I want to offer support by assisting other Care Managers processing their caseloads, debriefing, and sharing resources and ideas.”
In addition to working her own cases, as a Senior Care Manger, Emily supervises three other Youth Care Mangers, providing guidance, troubleshooting errors, and offering other supports as needed. “I want to offer the same support I receive from my supervisors by assisting them in processing their caseloads, debriefing, and sharing resources and ideas,” she explains. Additionally, as a Senior Care Manager, Emily collaborates with Erika and Morgan Murdza, Youth Care Management Program Supervisor, to coordinate billing. She attends the weekly staff meeting in a leadership role as well as attending and providing insight during the weekly leadership meeting.
Although Emily enjoys direct care, as she grows in her career, she wants to be in a position to effect mental health policy for youth to help her and her coworkers continue to provide the best support possible for children and their families. Prior to working at RISE, Emily was a Care Manager at Unity House, working with adults in an independent/community. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Sociology and Master of Arts in Forensic Mental Health at Russell Sage Collage. Although her experience and education are varied, as she continues to grow in her career, Emily wants to keep working with youth. “They often remind me of myself,” she shares, “I was raised by a single mother with two siblings and experienced firsthand the struggles that many of the kids I work with are going through. My grandfather had a mental health diagnosis that my family did not understand which inspired me to become educated and work specifically in mental health.”
Emily lives with her boyfriend with whom she enjoys challenging hikes in the mountains. They recently climbed Mt. Greylock and they want to start hiking the Adirondack High Peaks. They have two cats who provide Emily much entertainment and joy. She enjoys cross stich, reading true crime or mystery novels. She also enjoys spending time with her family, especially her three month old niece, who she visits every week.
“I love working at RISE, especially in Care Management,” Emily exclaims, “I love the community. Everyone is incredibly supportive, and there is such an incredible team effort. RISE staff across the board are very helpful. I like the types of people RISE employs. The agency’s values shine through their employees.”
RISE administration appreciates all that Emily does for the agency and for the youth and their families that we serve. She is highly motivated, compassionate, and dedicated – all the qualities of a Staff on the Rise. Please join us in congratulating her as our April Staff on the Rise!