MARTHA E. SHELDON, M.S.W

EDUCATION

1981  Master's in Social Work,  Barry University  School of Social Work, Miami, Florida

1977   Bachelor's of Arts in Liberal Studies,  University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida

1973    Associates of Arts,  Miami-Dade Community College,  Miami, Florida

PROFESSIONAL CERCIFICATE

1999     Partners in Policy, Florida Developmental Disability Council, Tampa, Florida

1999   Supervision of Social Work Student Seminar, Barry University, Miami, Florida

EMPLOYMENT

January 2000 to Present

Mailman Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida

Contract work

Duties included: Lecture to graduate students in social work, psychology, residents, and other related fields about “Self-Determination.”  Develop a teaching module on Self-Determination for a graduate course as well as developing health care policy, and doing needs assessments on persons with developmental disabilities who are not being serve by Florida’s Department of Developmental Services. 

September 1998 to 2000

Robert Woods Johnson Foundation Self-Determination Project, Department of Children

and Families, Developmental Services, Tallahassee, Florida

Advisory Team Member

Duties included: Make presentations on self-determination to a various groups such as civic groups, schools, and professional organizations.

June 1994 to December 1999

Center for Independent Living of South Florida, Inc., Miami, Florida

Outreach Specialist /Advocacy Coordinator/independent Living Skills Trainer

Duties include: Obtaining services for persons with disabilities; individual and group peer counseling. Teach independent living skills; plan and run leisure time activities.  Provide in services on the "Independent Living Philosophy," recruit peer support specialist, and developing fund raising strategy.  Supervising graduate level students in the fields of social work and psychology.

July 1991 to August 1995

Comprehensive Rehabilitation Consultants, Miami, Florida

Researcher/Librarian/Data Entry Clerk

Duties included: Set up office library, organized notebooks on different topics; Advised on material needed in the library; library research in rehabilitation field. Enter data into the computer. Created Activities of Daily Living assessment package.

January 1991 to June 1991

United Cerebral Palsy, Inc., Miami, Florida

Live-in Companion

Duties included: Supervised Daily Living Skills for an adult with developmental disabilities. Monitored and developed daily routines and community activities, Crisis intervention and required documentation.  Some knowledge of sign language.

Summer 1988

Camp Challenge, Sorrento, Florida

Night Security Person

Duties included: Staff development and training of camp counselors in the areas of disabilities and sexuality. Night supervision of entire facility and crisis intervention.   

December 1986 to March 1987

Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services, Landmark Learning Center,

Miami, Florida

Human Services Counselor II

Duties included: Participated in habilitation and activities planning.  Document clients progress with case notes, quarterly progress reports and interpretative letters. Acted as liaison between family, client and facility. Provided supportive counseling to families and clients as needed.  Maintain legal and financial affairs for clients (such as applying SSI/SSDI, MEDICAID/MEDICARE). Represented clients in legal proceeding regarding informed consent, medical procedures, and involuntary admissions. Supervision of a social work aide.

July 1982 to August 1986

Grant Center Hospital, Miami, Florida

Researcher/Librarian Medical Records Clerk

Duties included: Started and maintain school and professional libraries, Researched literature in the fields of psychology/psychiatry; reviewed patients' medical records after being discharged.

September 1981 to June 1982

Hospice, Inc., Miami, Florida

Social Worker

Duties included: Develop and maintain community resources contacts, locating appropriate services for patients and families, and assisting with medical records.

Summer 1979

GOAL, Inc., North Miami, Florida

Intake Worker

Duties included: Provided intake interviews and developed of active treatment plans for adults with developmental disabilities.

May 1978 to December 1980

Miami-Dade Community College, Miami, Florida

Research Assistant

Duties included: completed index searches that dealt with specific topics in educational literature, located articles under specific topics and wrote a detailed bibliography.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

September 1998 to May 1999

Barry University, Miami, Florida

Field Instructor

Supervised a foundation year graduate student in the field of Social Work.

September 1996 to May 1998

University of Miami, Miami, Florida

Field Instruction

Supervised four psychology graduate students in the field of counseling.

VOLUNTEER

January 2000 to Present

Socialization Group

Rivera Middle School

Work with a class of 17 - 20 year old mildly mentally retarded young adults on appropriate social skills related to relationships 

Spring 1993 to May 1994

Project Able

South Miami Senior High School

Mentor

Role model for high school students with physical and developmental disabilities.  Acted as community resource person to the teacher.

July 1989 to June 1991

HEALTHSOUTH Regional Rehabilitation Center, Miami, Florida

Duties included: Assisted in developing and implementing treatment plans and facilitated activity groups, provided one to one support and counseling, Xeroxing, and delivery of patient mail.

January 1988 to May 1988

Easter Seal's Society -- Dade County, Alzheimer Day Care Center, Miami, Florida

Duties included: implemented treatment plans for persons with Alzheimer.   

INTERNSHIPS

May 1981 to August 1981

Hospice of Miami, Miami, Florida

Second year “large system” field placement in partial fulfillment of requirements towards a Master's Degree in Social Work.  Duties included: Set up of community resources system, trained staff on the uses of the system, assisted with personnel files and general office work.

September 1979 to May 1980 

United Cerebral Palsy of Miami, Inc., Miami, Florida

First year field placement in partial fulfillment of requirements towards a Master's Degree in Social Work. Duties included: Completed psychosocial assessments and develop habilitation plans and facilitated two consumer empowerment groups. Provided daily living and social skills training in group home.

PRESENTATIONS

Numerous speaking engagements and workshops on disability, sexuality, and abuse, women issues involving people with disabilities including:

2002 – Keynote Speaker, Self Determination Conference – Ethical Issues in Promoting Self Determination, Orlando, Florida

1999 - Guest Speaker during ESE Week, Dade County Public Schools, Miami, Florida

1999 - Present Interviewing Skills for Police Officers:  Working with the Disabled,  Miami Dade Police Institute, Miami, Florida

1999 - The Social Worker Role as an Advocate Working in Health Care Settings for Older Persons with Developmental Disabilities,  Barry University, Miami, Florida

1999 - Choices Presentation, ARC of Florida, State Conference, Orlando, Florida

1997 -  Guest Speaker during ESE Week, Dade County Public Schools, Miami, Florida

1996 -  Sexual Abuse and Developmentally Disabled, In Service, The Rape Center, Jackson Memorial, Miami, Florida

1984 - 1988 Lecturer and Group co-Leader at “Sex Week”.  School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida

1985  -  Social skills Group for Young Adults with Learning Disabilities, Palmetto General Hospital,  Miami, Florida

1985  -  Sexuality and Your Adult Child, Florida Association for Retarded Citizens State Convention, Fort Walton Beach, Florida

1984 - 1986 Six week Workshops for Parents on “Handicapped Children and Sexuality: the Parent Role”, The Seagull School, Broward County, Florida

1984 - 1986 Six week Workshops for Parents on “Handicapped Children and Sexuality: the Parent Role”, The Quest School, Broward County, Florida

1981 - Sensitivity Workshop for Police about the Handicapped,  Cutler Ridge, Florida 

1981 - Four workshops on the following: Sexuality and the Retarded, Handicapped Support Group for Women, Sexual Myths and Realities about the Handicapped, and   Workshop on Women, Sexuality, and Disability  at the Disability and Body Changes Conference, Institute on Sexism/Sexuality,  Florida International University, Miami, Florida 

1979 - Panel Member,  Sexuality and Disability,  Institute on Sexism and Sexuality, Florida International University 

1976 - Introduction to Disabilities, School of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida

COMMITTEE WORK

Board Member, The Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry, United States

Board Member – Vice President, People First of South Florida, South Dade Chapter, Miami, Florida, 2002 – Present

Member, Support Coordinator Redesign Work Group Developmental Services, Department of Children and Families, Tallahassee, Florida 2002 

Member of Stakeholder Committee in redesigning Developmental Services, Department of Children and Families, Tallahassee, Florida 2002 

Board Member – Treasurer Statewide Southern Movement for Independence, Tallahassee, Florida, 2002 - Present

Chairperson – District 11, Southern Movement for Independence, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, 2002 - Present 

Member – Legislative Committee, Association University Centers on Disabilities, Washington DC  2001 - Present

Chairperson of Program Committee, Florida First Self-Determination Conference plans for January, 18-20, 2002. 

Member - Consumer Advisory Council, University Affiliated Programs, Washington, DC 2000 - Present

Member  - State of Florida Family Care Council Work Group, Tallahassee, Florida 1999 - Present

Member - Health and Human Services Sub Committee on Adult Care - Developmental Services Department of Children and Families, Miami, Florida 1999

Family Care Council, District 11A, Department of Children and Families, Developmental Services, Miami, Florida 1998 - Present

Board Member - Treasurer, People First of South Florida, South Dade Chapter, Miami, Florida, 1998 - 2001

Member of working group, Women and Trauma, Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 1997 - 1999

Member of Family Care Council, Developmental Services, Department of  Children and Families, State of Florida 1997 - Present

Member of Consumer Advisory Board, Mailman Center, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 1996 - Present

Member of Advisory Board, "Special Friends" Project, Center on Aging and Developmental Disabilities, University of Miami, Miami, Florida 1993 - 1994

Secretary, Florida Consumer Action Council, Mental Health Association, Miami, Florida 1991

Consumer member - Selection Committee for Transitional Hospital Program, "Transit Company," South Florida State Hospital, Pembroke Pines, Florida 1989

Member at Large, Friendship Network, Miami, Florida 1989

Member, Dade County Committee for the Advancement of the Physically Handicapped, Miami, Florida 1980 - 1985

Member, Institute on Sexism/Sexuality, Miami-Dade Community College,  Miami, Florida 1980 - 1982

Member, Advisory Board, Center for Survival and Independent Living, Miami, Florida 1980 -1982 

Member, Planning Committee, Disability and Body Changes, Institute on Sexism/Sexuality, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 1981

PUBLICATIONS

Sheldon, Martha E., Self Determination and Transition From School to Community Units for the Developmental Disabilities Web Base Core Course, Mailman Center for Child Development, School  of Medicine, University of Miami.  Miami, Florida

Editor, LIVING WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, Web site through the Developmental Medicine Forum, Philp May, M.D. Director, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.  www2.umdnj/forumweb/cp2.htm    1998

Editor,  SPECIAL FRIENDS CONNECTIONS , "Special Friends" Project, Center on Aging and Development Disabilities, University of Miami,  Miami, Florida         1993 - 1994

Sheldon, Martha E., "An Open Letter to Health Care Mental Health Care Professionals From a Survivor of Sexual Exploitation", Published simultaneously in WOMEN AND THERAPY, (Haworth Press) Volume 14, No. 3/4, 1993, pp. 133 - 137 and WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES: FOUND VOICES, Editors: Mary E. Willmuth and Lillian Holcomb, Haworth Press, 1993, pp. 133 - 137

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

2000 - Society of Disability Studies

1979  - Member, National Association of Social Workers

AWARDS

Points of Light, presented by Governor Jeb Bush, Tallahassee, Florida, July, 2001

Spirit of the ADA, presented by Governor Jeb Bush, Tallahassee, Florida, July, 2000  

Marvin Collie Outstanding Self-Advocate of the Year presented by ARC, Miami, Florida, October 1998

Outstanding Student, Miami-Dade Community College, Miami, Florida 1972

 REFERENCES UPON REQUEST

Martha Sheldon, MSW

Bio

            Martha Sheldon is a unique person.  When Martha was born, she was not able to breathe for twenty minutes resulting in having Cerebral Palsy.  She was one of the first children to participate in an early intervention program.  Martha accredited getting services early in her life for making her the person she is today.  At the age of thirteen, Martha went away to school, where she learned to speak as well as being able to get the needed individual academic tutoring to be mainstreamed into a regular middle school.  After getting her GED Martha went to college and received her Master’s in Social Work.

            Like with most people, life had have its’ ups and down for Martha.  Despite of the challenges in life Martha has accomplished the impossible, some would say.  Presently, Martha is a consultant at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami. She is also the District Chairperson for the Self Determination Project and Treasure of the Southern Movement of Independence (Florida’s Self Determination Group, Vice President of South Dade Chapter of People First of South Florida and Family Care Council.  Martha is planning in getting a Doctoral Degree in Education emphasis in Disability Studies.