Deanna Douglas

Deanna Douglas is a human services professional with more than 25 years of experience supporting individuals and communities, with a particular focus on substance use, addictions counseling, mental health, rehabilitation, and youth services. She currently serves as a TEAP Specialist with Job Corps | Eckerd Connects and previously worked as an addictions counselor with WestCare. Her career reflects a longstanding commitment to helping individuals navigate challenging circumstances while providing education, support, and resources that promote personal development and recovery.

Douglas began her transition into the human services field after a career as a police officer was interrupted by a car accident in 1997. She returned to college in New York in 1998 and began working at an orphanage, an experience that helped shape her subsequent career. Her professional background includes working with underprivileged youth and individuals with autism, Asperger's syndrome, and Down syndrome, as well as experience in psychiatric emergency rooms, courts, and a county jail. While working as a counselor at a county jail, she earned her addictions certification within six months. She is currently pursuing a master's program in addictions and behavior and has aspirations of eventually earning a doctorate.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Douglas remains engaged in community service and professional development. She is affiliated with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and participates in its trainings, while also volunteering through WestCare events and fundraisers, her church, and suicide prevention walks. Integrity, character, faith, and honesty are central to her approach to both work and life. Through her continued education and service to others, Douglas demonstrates a commitment to assisting and educating people while contributing to the broader human services community.