Abigail Rich, LCSW Social Work Expert

Abigail Rich, Social Work Expert

Abigail Rich is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with nearly 20 years of post Masters experience. Abigail has experience as both a direct care Social Worker and Supervisor. She has worked in transitional housing with homeless families, Child Welfare and currently with Veterans in an outpatient mental health clinic. Her experience involves working with both children and adults in various settings with mental health and/or substance abuse diagnoses. Abigail applies her extensive experience to forensic investigations related to the safety and supervision of children in their own homes and in out-of-home care.

While working in transitional housing, Abigail has experience moving homeless families from shelters to transitional housing on to permanent housing. She has worked collaboratively with the shelter system as well as several mental health agencies and child welfare services.

As a Child Welfare Social Worker, Abigail provided case management services. She conducted home assessments, risk assessments, and safety plans; as well as placed children in foster care, kinship care, group homes and residential treatment facilities. She has worked collaboratively with several different community service agencies, medical providers, School Districts, Juvenile Courts and law enforcement.

As a Child Welfare Supervisor, she supervised and reviewed case files and provided direct supervision in the decision making of children's safety and case planning. She also provided supervision to the direct care social workers on the Child Abuse Hotline to determine the risk and safety of children during the initial contact after a report was received.

Abigail holds a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds a Clinical Social Work License in Pennsylvania. 

Professional Experience

Robson Forensic, Inc.

Associate

2017 to present

Provide forensic investigations, analysis, reports, and testimony toward the resolution of claims and personal injury litigation in public and private facilities involving:

  • Child Welfare (foster care, group home care and in-home services)
  • Homelessness /Shelter care and services
  • Mental Health (inpatient, outpatient care and residential care)
  • Substance Abuse (inpatient, outpatient and residential care)

Veterans Health Administration

Senior Social Worker

2012 to present
  • Provide Counseling to individuals with Substance Abuse, Depression, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar, Schizoaffective Disorder, etc.
  • Provide couples counseling
  • Facilitated five weekly support groups for combat Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Facilitated the Skills Training in Affect and Interpersonal Regulation Group for Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Have provided individual and group psychotherapy in the inpatient substance abuse treatment program as well as psychoeducational groups, case management and discharge planning
  • Provide case management
  • Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings
  • Complete documentation in accordance with Veteran’s Health Administration and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities regulations
  • Interact with other disciplines regularly to coordinate care both at Coatesville Veterans Administration and other Veteran Administration hospitals or clinics
  • Was the on call social worker for urgent care for a year
  • Green Belt trained and worked on a project to improve access in the Mental Health Outpatient Clinic
  • Co-created the Social Worker Mental Health Case Management Consult referral/workload tracking system and managed all the consults for a year
  • Created the Anger Management and Combat Veteran Groups
  • Provided clinical supervision to other social workers that are working on getting their clinical social work license
  • Trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy and Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy

Department of Human Services

2006 to 2012
Hotline Supervisor 2010-2012
  • Provided supervision, consultation and guidance to staff of social workers regarding calls of alleged abuse and/or neglect, after hours
  • Ensured staff documentation completion

Social Worker Supervisor 2008-2012

  • Provided supervision, guidance and consultation to team of social workers
  • Ensured that social workers were up to date with visitations and family service plans
  • Supported social workers in court, on home visits and placements
  • Educated social workers on issues of sexual abuse, mental health and substance abuse
  • Instructed social workers on organization of their work, setting priorities and well as meeting deadlines
  • Collaborated with professionals from many disciplines (law, education, medical and behavioral health) for the overall benefit of the client
  • Provided social workers with guidance and support in regards to crisis management and interventions
  • Assisted with home visits, hospital visits, placement visits and court hearings
  • Participated in Family Group Decision Making Meetings
  • Supervised Master of Social Work students

Social Worker II 2006-2008

  • Provided case management services to families
  • Completed home visits and visited all children in placement (foster care or residential)
  • Attended court hearings and provided testimony on the well-being of the children
  • Interacted with Community Behavioral Health, hospitals, schools, lawyers, police and prisons on a regular basis
  • Provided crisis intervention and de-escalation with clients
  • Removed children from abusive and neglectful situations and coordinated placement of them in facilities and agencies across Pennsylvania and in other states, when needed
  • Completed child abuse investigations on open and active cases

Northwest Human Services

Fee for Services Outpatient Therapist

2005 to 2007

Provided therapy to children, adolescents, adults and families

  • Issues involved mental health, substance abuse and relationship conflicts

Horizon House

2001 to 2006
Behavorial Health Clinician 2004-2006
  • Completed assessments on all incoming clients
  • Completed weekly and monthly reports
  • Facilitated PACE (Protecting All Children through Education) groups and ensured the smooth functioning of the PACE Program
  • Collaborated with other agencies on coalitions and task forces
  • Provided crisis intervention and de-escalation with clients
  • Made referrals for mental health, substance abuse and trauma services
  • Provided supervision to case management staff in supervisor's absence
  • Provided support to case managers and assisted with case conferences and home visits
  • Provided monthly clinical supervision to seven case managers
  • Acted as supervisor in supervisor's absence
  • Referred clients to outside substance abuse and mental health services for both adults and children
  • Conducted home visits, hospital visits and interagency meetings to support clients
  • Co-Chaired the division's Safety Committee

Case Manager 2001-2004

  • Visited participants at their residences on a weekly basis
  • Assisted participants in developing service plans
  • Completed and maintained up-to-date participant reports and charts on a timely basis
  • Collected random urine drug screens
  • Provided support to families
  • Researched and linked participants with community resources
  • Advocated in court for participants, as needed
  • Organized, arranged and supervised participant activities and trips
  • Helped organize and facilitate monthly Community Meetings
  • Provided linkage with community agencies
  • Collected random urine drug screens

The Consortium

Primary Therapist

1999 to 2001
  • Provided evaluation, development and implementation of client treatment plans
  • Provided individual and group therapy
  • Completed and maintained up-to-date client progress reports and charts on timely basis
  • Managed an average caseload of 20 individuals and met clinical service objectives
  • Participated in case conferences and staff meetings as required
  • Developed and oversaw psycho educational groups
  • Provided supervision to entire clientele during treatment day
  • Applied for Community Behavioral Health authorizations and hospitalize clients in crisis
  • Covered numerous caseloads at a time, including all paperwork and psycho educational groups
  • Provided case management services to client, and occasionally, their families
  • Provided team case management between client, case manager, family and other involved parties

Women’s Association for Women’s Alternative, Inc

Residential Relief Worker

2002 to 2003

Provided support and supervision to homeless families

Professional Credentials

  • Veterans Administration Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Certification
  • Veterans Administration Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy Certification
  • Veterans Administration Cognitive Processing Therapy Certification
  • Trauma Certificate, Bryn Mawr College
  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Education

M.S. of Social Work, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2004

B.S. of Science in Rehabilitation Services, Penn State University, University Park, PA, 1999

v. 06/14/22

Related Resources

See All of Abigail's Published Content

The Placement of Children by Social Service Agencies

By Abigail Rich
Expert Article

In this article, licensed clinical social worker, Abigail Rich provides an overview of the process by which children are placed, reunified and/or removed from unsafe living environments into safe…

Child Welfare Cases

By Abigail Rich
Expert Overview

This article discusses the forensic process for determining if child services failed to protect children. Social Work expert Abigail Rich has investigated a variety of cases where children have…

Foster Care: Evaluating Claims of Abuse and Neglect

Thursday, November 12, 2020
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Featuring Abigail Rich & Staci B. Weiner
Webinar

This webinar will review child abuse and neglect through the perspectives of two different experts. First, licensed clinical social worker, Abigail Rich will discuss the role of child protective…