Dr.Sujeeta Elizabeth Menon
Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work)
Licensed Master Social Worker (ASWB, TX)
Registered Social Worker (RSW, Singapore)
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Biography
Sujeeta Elizabeth Menon, Ph.D, L.M.S.W, R.S.W practice and research focuses on justice-involved youth, desistance of justice-involved young women, Trauma and evidence-based services/ programs for youth involved in the justice system, school to prison pipeline, positive youth development and empowerment, social work education and field education. She has disseminated her research across a number of forums nationally such as the Council of Social Work Education APM conference, Society for Social Work Research Conference, Association for justice-involved Females Conference, UH graduate research conferences and Internationally such as the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD) 2018. She has also published in the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, Child and Youth Services Review, Criminal Justice and Behavior, Journal of Social Work Education, and the Journal of Policy Practice and Research.
Sujeeta's Social Work career began in 2006 with Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) in Singapore, after graduating with her Bachelor's degree with Honors in Social Work from the National University of Singapore in 2006. She was first employed at the local Family Service Center known as MWS Tampines Family Service Center and provided casework and counseling services for all cases, financial counseling, worked with the grassroots, and with youth involved with the juvenile justice system. Thereafter, she was appointed by MWS to head a female residential treatment center; MWS Girls Residence where she worked with girls aged 15-21 years who were involved in the justice system. This service fueled Sujeeta's interest in research within the juvenile correctional settings. Between 2019-2020, she worked as a Risk Assessment Specialist at Change Happens!, A community-based non-profit located in the Third Ward, Houston, TX.
Sujeeta currently works as a Program Coordinator with Change Happens CDC and manages a new grant funded program, VOICES, which aims to reduce the risk of girls in the juvenile justice system. This program utilized the research conducted by Sujeeta as well as an evidence based and gender specific curriculum known as Voices. As a social impact scholar who uses her research to create social change, she has organized community events that sought to achieve social, economic and racial equity. Sujeeta was awarded the Community Partnership Action Award by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) in 2020 and was awarded with the Tan Kah Kee Postgraduate Scholarship in support of her PhD program in 2020. Sujeeta's dissertation is an effort to better inform us about young women in the juvenile justice system by providing an in-depth investigation of social functioning in multiple areas of their lives, and highlight the complex and interconnected risks and resilience to offer suggestions for evidence-informed policies and programs.
Professional Experience
December 2020- Current
Program Coordinator
Change Happens, Houston TX
Provide implementation and oversight for a new gender-specific and evidence-based program known as VOICES, designed to reduce the risk of justice involvement among girls aged 10-18. This program offers group sessions using the evidence-based curriculum Voices (Covington, 2017) which explores the self, connecting to others, healthy living and the Journey ahead in small group setting, wraparound case management for girls who are high risk and live in poverty zip codes, and trainings for providers such as Mental Health First Aid, Secondary Trauma, Monthly circles, Human trafficking awareness and JJDPA.
August 2019- December 2020
Risk Assessment Specialist
Change Happens, Houston TX
Assess the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) risk levels of high school students benefitting from the administration of a sexual risk avoidance program (INSIGHT), provided therapeutic support in collaboration with the school support staff and ascertained the appropriate services needed to alleviate the risk levels. Established partnerships with community agencies and referrals for the provision of services.
2017 - Today
Teaching Fellow/ Instructional and Research Assistant
Graduate College of Social Work
University of Houston
2019- present: Teaching Fellow for the online Master in Social Work program at the UHGCSW. Provided assistance with course instruction and grading for more than ten online courses such as Brief targeted interventions, Groups in clinical settings, School Social Work, Assessment in Social Work and Advances Social Policy. In Fall 2020, she will be the adjunct faculty responsible for two cohorts of the Human Diversity and Human Development Course for MSW Foundation students.
2017-2019: Guest lecturer for 5 Face to Face classes, provided input for teaching materials and grading exam papers for 5 different classes, group facilitator for BaFa BaFa cultural simulation exercise.
Consultant on research and programming for Ford Bend Probation County Services and Harris County Juvenile Probation Department and 8 million stories
Research conducted for a variety of research studies in juvenile delinquency and Education in Social Work.
May - August 2018, May- August 2019
Adjunct Lecturer
National University of Singapore
Provided field supervision to social work students weekly, group supervision bi-weekly and mid- placement visits for social work students on internships and graded their portfolio at the end of their field placements.
May- August 2018
Group facilitator
New Life Community Services, Singapore
Conducted group sessions based on Choice Theory Reality Therapy, for ten female inmates in Reformatory Training Center, Singapore Prison Service
September 2016 - May 2017
Social Work Clinical Intern
Odyssey House, Cenikor foundation, Houston, TX
Odyssey House is a substance abuse residential treatment facility for youth aged 13-17 years of age. The job responsibilities include in depth initial assessments, clinical therapy and group skills for drug addiction.
January 2017
Consultant
Portal, Houston, TX
Development of Standard Operating Procedures and a handbook for Portal mentors, for the women who are leaving the Texas State prisons.
June 2016 – December 2016
Lead Social Work Intern, Youthbuild
SER jobs for progress, Houston, TX
Created a Social work department, developed Standard operating procedures, Counseling and case management and group activities. The individual case management included handling a case load of 10, developing their individual treatment plans, mental health assessments, case conferences and home visits. Job requirements included peer supervision for the interns and ensuring quality service provision.
2002 - 2006
Head of Center, Methodist Welfare Services
MWS Girls Residence, Singapore
MWS Girls Residence is a residential treatment facility that houses troubled females aged 15-21 on probation/ Child Welfare or referred by other agencies. Job description includes the daily management of operations and services, development and implementation of facility SOP, supervision of 13 staff and 8 interns, development of volunteer management, casework and counseling, supervision of therapeutic intervention, networked with stakeholders, established an Education scholarship, implemented Restorative practice, attachment, and systems theories, and developed programs according to the Social-emotional learning framework
January 2012 - March 2012
Senior Court Social Worker, State Courts
Child Focused Resolution Center, Singapore
Provided mandatory counselling and casework to divorcing couples with children under the age of 8, mediated and brokered between the couples to arrive at agreements on ancillary matters based on the best interest of the child, conducted workshops highlighting the needs of the children impacted by divorce and conducted evaluation of the services provided.
2006 - 2011
Social Worker, Methodist Welfare Services
Tampines Family Service Center, Singapore
Tampines Family Service Centre is a neighborhood one stop center for the residents living in Tampines. Job descriptions include providing case management and counselling, Information and Referral service, advocacy and mediation to marginalized families, children, juveniles, couples, low income families and the elderly. Offered crisis management for clients, participated in a post- prison program for young offenders. Headed the Financial Resiliency Program team and provided holistic services to families
Education
Fall 2017- Spring 2021
Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work)
University of Houston- Graduate College of Social Work
3 paper Dissertation: The Needs and Experiences of Justice-Involved Young Women
Graduate Tuition Fellowship, Presidential Scholarship for P.h.D program, Cullen travel grant (2018 and 2019) and Doctoral Travel Grant for Conferences
2016-2017
Master of Social Work (Clinical Practice)
University of Houston- Graduate College of Social Work
Class of 2017 (GPA: 4.0)
Individual specialization for MSW: Social Work in the Juvenile Justice system
Deans Advisory Council, Hammill Foundation and Phi Alpha Honor Society Scholarships for MSW
2002-2006
Bachelors of Social Work, Class of 2006
National University of Singapore
Honors Graduate
Social Work training scholarship by the National Council of Social Service
Professional Leadership and Development scheme recipient