About Veronica Cruz

Veronica Cruz is the CEO of Cruz and Associates, a consulting firm she founded in 2015 which specializes in Forensic Social Work (criminal defense), continuing education and psychotherapy.  

Ms. Cruz is a bilingual (Spanish/English) clinical and forensic social worker who has worked with children, adolescents and families for over eighteen years. Ms. Cruz was employed for ten years, as a forensic social worker at the Office of the Public Defender in Montgomery County. She specializes in presenting ethics and trauma workshops and attributes her sixteen years of hospital work in combination with her extensive forensic experience, in helping her to see a situation and address it from various perspectives. She has extensive experience in inpatient psych and partial hospitalization psych programs. Ms. Cruz specializes in criminal defense mitigation, dual diagnosis, crisis intervention, addiction, trauma and working with diverse ethnic groups. 

Ms. Cruz is a graduate of the Catholic University of America with a B.A. in psychology and received her Masters of Social Work, specializing in mental health and addiction from the University Of Maryland School Of School Work. In 2014 she completed an advanced two year post graduate Forensic Social Work Certification through the University of Maryland Continuing Education Department. In 2008 she co-created the Forensic Social Work Committee for NASW and in 2010 became the sole chair, a position she maintained until 2016 when she resigned due to other professional obligations but she continues to advocate for legislative changes. Under her leadership the committee successful hosted two national forensic social work conferences and successfully advocated for various legislative bills and reform. 

She maintains various professional memberships and affiliations. 

Ms. Cruz is an Adjunct Professor:

· In 2016 Ms. Cruz joined The University of Maryland (Shady Grove) School of Social Work teaching Advanced Trauma

· In 2015, Ms. Cruz joined The Catholic University of America School of Social Work teaching Advanced Ethics