Jennifer Gross
Twitter:  @@jmglcsw

LICENSED CERTIFIED SOCIAL WORKER-CLINICAL (MD)
LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER (VA)
CERTIFIED SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT PROVIDER (VA)
After receiving a Bachelors degree  and a Masters degree in social work, Jennifer first worked as a Child Protective Services social worker, primarily with Spanish speaking families around issues of child physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and exposure to domestic violence.  Over the past thirty years, Jennifer has worked and volunteered in a variety of settings and agencies helping with families who have experienced some form of abuse.  Jennifer has held positions as a supervisor, therapist, educator and case manager.  She has in depth experience in prevention, investigation, identification, education, evaluation and treatment regarding offenders, child abuse victims and non-offending caretakers.  She has advocated for change to protect children and prevent abuse.  Jennifer is bilingual Spanish / English.    


Professional Experience
Prevention & Advocacy Work
  • Vocal Advocate for change to protect children and prevent abuse in youth serving organizations.
  • Developed and delivered: Child Abuse Recognition and Response (CARR) Seminars for adults (8 to 1 hour).   
  • Developed and delivered: abuse awareness lectures to university / college,  high school and middle school students  (1 to 1/2 hour).
  • Certified trainer for the following national prevention programs:
    • Darkness to Light  - Stewards of Children, and 4 other supplemental trainings offered by D2L 
    • Protecting God's Children™
    • Protecting All Children™ 
  • Certified Trainer for Mental Health First Aid
  • Pro bono consultant to Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect,   Chairman of the board for two years. 
Offender  Work
  • Clinical Member of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers 
  • Chairman  of  a Regional Review Board for the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (Roman Catholic Church)  to review safety plans for priests or religious accused of sexual abuse. 
  • Mental health therapist with convicted sex offenders.  Psycho-social risk assessments; treatment groups & provided individual treatment.   
  • Domestic Violence:  Conducted assessments and provided court ordered treatment for domestic violence offenders. 



Examples of training conducted for adults:
​
Marymount University: Consultation and training for professors, staff and students.  Consultation on policies surrounding child abuse prevention.  Presented Darkness to Light training to a committee charged with selecting a prevention program.  Guest speaker for students in criminal justice classes.

BRYCS (Bridging Refugee Youth and Children Services):.  Delivered "Child Maltreatment Prevention Training"  by BRYCS to federal employees of the Federal Department of Unaccompanied Children in California (Los Angles, San Diego, Sacramento) and 2 in Virginia (Richmond and Fairfax).  

Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement / Department of Unaccompanied Children: Speaker at their conference in Phoenix, AZ.  Delivered two sessions.  1 - Child Abuse and Neglect, an update from the field.   2 - Dynamics of Child sexual abuse - Everything you wish you didn't need to know.

Potomac Association of Preschools, Fairfax, VA.  Presented at their annual conference.  Child Abuse Recognition and Response for mandated reporters.

Bannockburn Nursery School, Bethesda, MD.  Workshop for parents on Understanding and Preventing Child Sexual Abuse

Victoria Transcultural Clinical Center, Fairfax, VA.  Conducted  in-service training for clinical staff who had sexual abuse caseloads.

Center for Student Support Services in Washington DC.   Three hour training for mandated reporters of abuse on how to handle disclosures and how to make a report to CPS / Police.

Interfaith Conference on Domestic Violence in Fairfax, VA.  Keynote speaker on domestic violence and child abuse.

Immigration and Naturalization Services.  Juvenile Detention and Shelter Care Program.  Speaker at their conference on Home Assessments: Strategies and Techniques for  caseworkers on interview techniques.

Office of Refugee Resettlement conference - Resettlement through the eyes of a refugee Child Panel Member for "when a child doesn't feel safe at home" town hall discussion.
Victim Work
  • Therapist for a local county government.  Screens children  for mental health and substance abuse disorders. /Backs up the CPS hotline / Teaches Mandated Reporter sessions. 
  • Diocese of Arlington, VA -   Child Protection and Safety & Victim Assistance Coordinator 
  • Childhelp USA - Director of Professional Training Programs (Fairfax, VA office).     
  • Child Protective Services worker doing both investigations and family preservation work with families.   While with CPS, she ran the Hispanic Multi-Disciplinary Team. 


​What people are saying about trainings: 

"Your presentation on child abuse and neglect was very well received by our participants. The information in your presentation and the additional reference material you provided greatly contributed to a successful training agenda overall.  Our only regret is that we didn't have more time to discuss child abuse and neglect with you."    Director, Division of Unaccompanied Children Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement

"Jennifer has a wonderful presentation that is delivered very well.  the time flew by with her serious and necessary lecture."    Donna, preschool teacher.

"The evaluation of your seminar was the most overwhelmingly positive response I have seen from new staff for any of the training we offer.  Several of the staff came to me during the morning break to tell me what an incredible trainer you were and how much they were enjoying your presentation.  Your expertise and enthusiasm, combined with the real life examples you use made this a great learning experience for all of them."   Healthy Families.  Fairfax, VA

"I would like to thank you for your extremely informative presentation to the Education Policy Committee of the school.  Your expertise and knowledge made an impact on every member at that meeting.  Although it's a very difficult and emotionally charged topic, you handled it with grace, humor, and, when necessary, no-no-nonsense facts and conviction that no one could argue. "  Levine school of music, board member

"I would recommend the seminar to everyone I know in the social services field.  Last Friday truly opened my eyes further to the great responsibilities we have to children as social services workers and I believe I will be a more effective worker because of my new knowledge".  Adrian, community worker, Hispanic Committee of Virginia