Deanna M. Dotson
Chicago
Summary
Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 7 years of progressive leadership in behavioral health operations, payer compliance, and utilization review. Proven ability to transform clinical workflows into scalable, compliant systems that reduce denials, enhance documentation standards, and drive revenue integrity across Medicaid and commercial payers. Skilled in leading multi-site and remote teams, optimizing EHR systems, and ensuring audit readiness in high-volume environments. Adept at aligning organizational strategy with payer expectations through clinical excellence, regulatory fluency, and trauma-informed care models.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Clinical Utilization Review Lead & Behavioral Health Strategist
Chicago Institute for Change
01.2022 - Current
- Directed behavioral health utilization review across 45–50 weekly cases, reducing denial rates by 35% and achieving 98% documentation compliance through real-time clinical audits and targeted workflow enhancements.
- Developed streamlined prior authorization protocols using InterQual/MCG criteria, improving payer response times and accelerating reimbursement cycles.
- Oversaw coding accuracy for CPT/HCPCS behavioral health services (e.g., 90791, 90837, 90853), ensuring clean claims and maximizing revenue integrity.
- Supervised and mentored MSW interns and LSW clinicians, increasing team documentation audit scores by 40% and standardizing compliance protocols.
- Maintained a caseload of 20–25 psychotherapy clients, integrating trauma-informed approaches with payer-aligned treatment models.
Adjunct Professor – Trauma & Crisis Intervention
Aurora University
Aurora
01.2023 - 06.2023
- Designed and led graduate-level coursework on trauma-informed law enforcement, acute crisis response, and mental health field interventions, preparing over 30 future professionals for real-world application.
- Developed immersive training modules covering de-escalation, psychological trauma response, and officer-involved critical incidents, resulting in a 95% competency pass rate in simulated scenarios.
- Integrated virtual learning technologies, asynchronous assessments, and applied case studies, achieving a 4.8/5.0 student satisfaction rating.
- Taught frameworks such as PTSD, dissociation, moral injury, suicide risk assessment, and crisis negotiation, with an emphasis on culturally competent field response.
- Promoted officer wellness, vicarious trauma prevention, and long-term field effectiveness through peer support and resilience training.
Clinical Intern – Foster Care & Medicaid Services
SOS Children’s Villages Illinois
Chicago
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Coordinated clinical services for high-acuity foster youth in Medicaid-funded programs, ensuring 100% compliance with DCFS documentation and treatment authorization protocols.
- Partnered with psychiatrists, case managers, and state agencies to improve continuity of care and reduce hospitalization rates by 25%.
- Delivered trauma-informed interventions via telehealth while maintaining HIPAA-compliant records and passing all state-level audits with zero findings.
Clinical Program Coordinator – Trauma-Informed Services
Generations Healthcare
Chicago
01.2018 - 01.2021
- Oversaw trauma-focused behavioral health programming serving 150+ clients annually, leading to a 30% improvement in clinical outcomes and a 95% payer compliance rate.
- Implemented EHR workflow enhancements that reduced administrative rework by 45% and elevated first-pass claim acceptance rates to 92%.
- Developed and standardized remote onboarding and training protocols across clinical teams, improving staff readiness and competency by 38%.
- Coached multidisciplinary teams on documentation best practices, reducing audit flags and accelerating reimbursement cycles.
- Served as a cross-functional liaison between clinical staff, compliance auditors, and IT to ensure documentation aligned with payer, Medicaid, and licensing standards.
People & Change Operations Coordinator
Northern Trust Corporation
Chicago
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Managed onboarding, compliance tracking, and ATS processes for 200+ professionals across legal and operational divisions, ensuring full adherence to internal governance and external regulatory standards.
- Maintained secure personnel records and confidentiality protocols, supporting a high-integrity culture in a sensitive, compliance-driven environment.
- Improved cross-functional project efficiency by 35% by implementing secure collaboration platforms and streamlining digital workflow execution.
- Partnered with HR and operations leadership to identify process gaps, contributing to enterprise-wide policy updates and improved employee lifecycle management.
Education
Master of Social Work (MSW) - Clinical Mental Health Focus
Aurora University
Aurora, ILBachelor of Science - Psychology
Capella University
Chicago, ILLicensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) -
Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
Chicago, ILSkills
- EHR & Clinical Platforms: Epic, Cerner, Valant, TherapyNotes, Simple Practice Coding & Revenue Cycle: CPT, HCPCS, ICD-10, RCM Platforms Utilization & Compliance Tools: InterQual, MCG Guidelines, HIPAA, Medicaid/Commercial Portals Productivity & Collaboration: Microsoft Office 365, Secure Telehealth Systems, Remote Team Platforms
Websites
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Clinical Operations Leadership
- Utilization Management (InterQual/MCG)
- Strategic Compliance & Audit Readiness
- Revenue Cycle & Reimbursement Strategy
- EHR Workflow Optimization (Epic, Cerner, Valant)
- ICD-10, CPT, HCPCS Coding Precision
- Medicaid/Commercial Payer Expertise
- Appeals & Denials Management
- Remote & Hybrid Team Oversight
- Trauma-Informed Program Development
- Accreditation & Quality Improvement
- Clinical Supervision & Staff Training
Timeline
Adjunct Professor – Trauma & Crisis Intervention
Aurora University
01.2023 - 06.2023
Senior Clinical Utilization Review Lead & Behavioral Health Strategist
Chicago Institute for Change
01.2022 - Current
Clinical Intern – Foster Care & Medicaid Services
SOS Children’s Villages Illinois
01.2021 - 01.2022
Clinical Program Coordinator – Trauma-Informed Services
Generations Healthcare
01.2018 - 01.2021
People & Change Operations Coordinator
Northern Trust Corporation
01.2015 - 01.2018
Master of Social Work (MSW) - Clinical Mental Health Focus
Aurora University
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Capella University
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) -
Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR)