It was a chance conversation with her cousin that brought Adriana Pocius to The Arc of Essex County in 2017. After studying sociology and criminal justice at Caldwell College, Adriana explored social work and earned her master’s degree in the field at Monmouth University. She initially worked with a clinical team on out-of-district placements for children ages 5 to 21, which she says she thoroughly enjoyed. “I saw a lot of growth with the people I was working with, and a lot of positive changes.”
Life circumstances sent Adriana back up to northern New Jersey and she began looking for new job opportunities in the area. She remembered that her cousin’s brother attended The Arc of Essex County’s SYA day program, and casually asked her cousin if The Arc might be hiring social workers. “As it turns out, there was a job opening, which I applied to,” she says. “And here I am, eight years later!”
As Assistant Director of Clinical Case Management, Adriana has a caseload that takes her to visit residents in their group homes and at their day programs. She helps people when they face behavioral challenges, prepares them for transitions, and supports them through grief. “I’m also just there as someone they know they can talk to and feel comfortable around,” she says. “I don’t put demands on them, I’m just someone they can share information with, who gives them that extra support.”
She says every conversation starts with her asking, how are you doing? “To get to be the person who asks that question as part of my job is a very special thing.”
More recently, her role has expanded to be a liaison who helps bring individuals into The Arc’s residential programs, reviewing their information and evaluating whether there’s a good place for them within The Arc’s homes. These potential residents come from other Arc programs or have been referred from NJDDD intensive care management teams. “With the residential team, we come up with a plan for whether this is someone who can be a good fit in a specific opening,” she says. “It’s really nice to work with families to help find an individual their forever home.” Even if there’s not currently a suitable placement, she holds names on a waiting list in case new opportunities arise. “Our residents are constantly evolving and changing, sometimes over time and sometimes quickly, so we’re always trying to be ready for whatever comes our way.”
Over the years, Adriana says, she has learned so much from staff at all levels and from consumers themselves and has felt the strong support of both the residential and clinical departments. “Our work goes hand-in-hand, and we make a great team.”
Being able to go out to programs and meet with consumers and their friends remains her favorite part of the job. “I’m so lucky to be able to make these connections with people. The fact that they let me into their lives is such a gift.”