Resume for Bill Betzen, LMSW (Emeritus)
Dallas, Texas bbetzen@openadoption.org
EXPERIENCE:
Since 2000: Computer Applications Teacher within Dallas Independent School
District at Quintanilla Middle School
In 2005 he started the Middle School Archive Project to provide a
connection and focus on the future for middle school students. Through the
creation and use of the Achievements & Goals Archive middle school students
think more often of their futures. This helps in goal formation, increasing
achievements, and hopefully will prove to be a factor in lowering the tragic
student dropout rates that plague our urban schools. The Archive Project is documented
at www.studentmotivation.org.
From November 1995 to present: Web Author and creator of
www.openadoption.org (1996),
www.wearethechurch.org (2003),
www.diyrammedearth.com (2005), and
www.studentmotivation.org (2005).
From January 1990 to November 1995: Administrator of Catholic Counseling Services
(CCS), Dallas, Texas, one of the agencies of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Dallas
Duties included management of the services of the Counseling, Maternity & Adoption,
Emergency Assistance, and Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Programs, as well as a $1,000,000+
budget, with the following accomplishments:
* Expansion of Emergency Assistance Program into more
poverty stricken areas of Dallas with experience in developing an automated network between the
agencies providing such services in Dallas.
* From 1990 through 1995 the Counseling Program increased the number
of service locations from three to ten.
* The Maternity and Adoption Program more than doubled the number of
adoptions from 1989 to 1992, achieving a 24-year infant placement record of 33 placements. In
1995 the largest number of maternity clients in the 100-year history of the agency was served. In
1991 maternity and adoption services were established in the Tyler Diocese in cooperation with
the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
* Services for all three of these programs were established, or expanded, in
Spanish with the number of bilingual staff more than doubling.
* Developed the Adopting Parent Outreach Project at CCS so as to expand
adoption services and provided training to more than 50 agencies nationwide on this system.
* Designed and implemented the automated information system for CCS using
Paradox for Windows 5.0.
* Active in the United Way task force studying and implementing Total
Quality Management methods and exploring managed care networks.
September 1986 through December 1989: Regional Director for the North Texas Region
of Lutheran Social Service of Texas, Dallas, Texas
Duties included management of Counseling, Maternity and Adoption, and Emergency Response
Services with the following achievements:
* The Counseling Program doubled in size.
* The Adoption Program grew to serve two additional locations.
* Infant adoptions in the North Texas Region grew from 26 adoptions in 1986 to 43
adoptions in 1989 while the other Regions within the agency, as well as many other established
agencies in Texas, saw their numbers decrease.
September 1976 to September 1986: Child Placement Supervisor, Texas Department of
Human Services, Dallas, Texas
Duties included supervision of the Night Intake Unit for the Child Abuse Hotline and
the child abuse investigations work of 24-hour staff with the following achievements:
* Automation of the Intake Information System.
* Development of the most effective, most highly tenured, and one of the largest (12 staff) child
abuse investigations' units in the State of Texas.
February 1973 to September 1976: Child Abuse Intake Investigator for the Texas Department
of Human Services, Dallas, Texas
Performed investigations of child abuse referrals and placement of victimized
children.
EDUCATION:
- 1979: Masters in the Science of Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington
with specialization in Planning and Administration. Master's thesis involved the automation of the
Intake Information System for Child Welfare in Dallas.
- December 1972: Texas State Teaching Certificate was received from University of Dallas,
Irving, Texas.
- 1971: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy degree was received from the University of Dallas.
Made five trips, leading three of them, with other University students into a small village in the
mountains south of Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. Work was done building homes and installing a
pure water system. This work, in combination with college classes, was instrumental in learning to
speak Spanish.
- 1967: Graduation from St. Johns Minor Seminary, Montour Falls,
NY, minor seminary for the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, Graymoor, NY
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
- 1975 - 2004: Member of National Association of Social Workers, ACSW since 1981
- 1987 - 2004: Licensed Master Social Worker in Texas
- 1993 - Present: Founding and Current Board Member, Texas
Coalition for Adoption Resources
and Education,
www.txcare.org
SKILLS:
- Client assessment and service delivery
- Program design and expansion
- Knowledge of, and experience with, Total Quality Management methods
- Automated information system design and implementation
- Comfortable speaking Spanish
REFERENCES:
An extensive listing of references is available.
Return to main menu.
 |
