Trainer Biography
Bridgette Hernandez, MS, MSW
Bridgette Hernandez graduated from California State University, San Bernardino in 2000 with a Master’s in Social Work. She also graduated in 2011 with a Master’s of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She was published with two classmates in September 2014 in the Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership and Governance, which is the official journal of the Network for Social Work Management. The article was titled: Job Embeddedness and Job Engagement: Recommendations for a Supportive Social Work Environment. Bridgette and one of her co-authors presented on their journal article at the 20th Annual National Association of Case Managers Conference in Philadelphia, PA in 2014. Bridgette is also an adjunct faculty member with University of Phoenix and primarily teaches in their Human Services undergraduate program. She has taught for University of Phoenix since 2007.
Bridgette has over 20 years experience working with abused and neglected children and their families, 18 of which in Public Child Welfare. Since her time in Child Welfare, she has experienced the following programs: case managing children placed in group homes, which included Family Maintenance (FM), Family Reunification (FR), and Planned Permanent Living Arrangement; investigating worker for out-of-home abuse investigations, supervisor on the 24-hr child abuse hotline; supervisor of a hybrid emergency response and court dependency unit; and supervised FM/FR workers. She was promoted to an Assistant Regional Manager where she experienced managing an operational region, adoptions, and the county’s first training region. Bridgette promoted to Regional Manager in 2013 and has managed the Centralized Placement Unit, Out-of-home Abuse Investigations, Criminal Records Desk, Family Connections Unit, and Resource Family Approval Program.
Bridgette has participated in various workgroups locally and at the State level to assist with the implementation of the Continuum of Care Reform. She was instrumental in the development of the new Level of Care Protocol, she participated in the creation of the Background Assessment Guide for the RFA Program, and she actively participates in CWDA committees, to include co-chairing the Southern Counties RFA subcommittee.