Summary: Rev and Ali sit down with Cassie Smith - an absolute change-agent in social work and more. Cassie Smith has served as a faculty member in the School of Social Work at Texas State University since 2018. Cassie is a graduate of Texas State University, where she received both her BSW and MSW degrees. Ms. Smith serves as an Adviser for a student organization called, First Generation Bobcats. She will begin as a University Mentor in the Fall of 2019. Ms. Smith is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in the State of Texas and has worked in the dependency field for 4.5 years. During her time in the field she worked in a variety of departments ranging from admissions, detox, to the residential units for both men and women. Much of her time was spent working with the young to older adults who suffered from substance abuse and or co-occurring mental health and substance dependence. She provided therapeutic counseling, group work and taught psycho-educational lecturers to the residents and families. Ms. Smith remains an active member within the addiction field and serves as volunteer with Texas Association of Addiction Professionals ‘TAAP’. Ms. Smith also worked in non-profit world as a shelter director where she assisted victims of domestic violence and abuse. It was there that she provided trauma-informed care, direct service to clients, staff, volunteers and interns. She enjoyed providing training bi-annually for the incoming interns and volunteers. She also developed and sustained relationships within her community and with community partners in order to improve the work in this field and provide resources for the clients at the agency.
