Valerie Iriarte

Vocational Specialist

Valerie has a BA in Criminal Justice/Sociology from SIUE. She started her career as a Unified Delinquency Intervention Services Case Manager at Children’s Home and Aid, where she provided wrap-around case management services to juveniles at risk of entering the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. 

Valerie then worked at Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC, Inc.), became a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor, and monitored substance use treatment referrals for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit in Illinois. She assisted with creating and facilitating the first outpatient substance use treatment program at TASC, Inc., facilitated the State’s Attorney’s Drug Abuse Program, and served as the Downstate Quality Assurance File Review Coordinator. 

After being at TASC, Inc. for almost fourteen years, Valerie accepted a position at Gateway Foundation as a Residential Treatment Counselor on the women’s trauma unit, a Residential Treatment Counselor on the coed unit, and an Admissions Counselor.  

Valerie’s next role was as an Intact Family Services Case Manager at One Hope United. This role entailed providing wrap-around case management services to families involved with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS.) This included advocating in court to assist in preventing children from entering the foster care system or being taken into Protective Custody by IDCFS, unless the children were unsafe in their home.  

In February 2023, Valerie joined Keyway Center for Diversion and Reentry as the Vocational Specialist. Valerie uses her career experience to provide a holistic approach in assisting participants who have experienced trauma, substance use, mental health concerns, lack of educational resources, homelessness, and justice involvement in safely transitioning back into the community via assistance with vocational/educational services. 

Contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)