Elin’s decades of experience as a clinical social worker in San Bernardino have equipped her as a regional and topical expert. As a former foster youth herself, she dedicated the first five years of her career to working with adolescence and transitional-aged youth (TAY). During this time, she successfully lobbied for AB12, which transformed the foster system and extended foster care to the age of 26. Elin then worked as a medical social worker in the Emergency and Trauma Unit, providing critical patient support and clinical chart audits. Her personal commitment to mental health led her to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), where she led numerous initiatives, including peer-to-peer training and vital family education services that addressed early signs of mental health challenges amongst youth and children.
Throughout her career, she supervised teams of clinicians and ensured the highest quality of care. As an Applied Suicide Skills Intervention Trainer (ASIST) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), she also served as a Crisis and Intervention Training instructor and coached law enforcement officers to best engage community members with mental illness. At Lutheran Social Services, Elin utilizes these cumulative skills to deliver trauma-informed and whole-person care services that best advance individual and community health.
Current role