Chloe Rusca, LCSW, LICSW (she/her)
- Instructor of Family Medicine, School of Medicine
Biography
I specialize in managing ADHD, healing from trauma, and providing affirming care.
In 2011, I returned to my native Bay Area and received my MSW at UC Berkeley, focusing on Children and Families. Over the past 14 years, I have worked in Social Work and Behavioral Health across the lifespan. My career began in Child Welfare, and I later had the opportunity to work in Skilled Nursing and Hospice care for over five years at Kaiser and Legacy. I also gained experience as a Medical Social Worker in hospital settings, including the emergency room and labor and delivery, in both California and Oregon.
Eventually, I took a Behavioral Health position in Primary Care at Kaiser Northwest, ensuring experience with patients of all ages. I developed a Pediatric Behavioral Health program at Kaiser before transitioning to the Developmental Clinic, where I specialized in case management for neurodivergent populations and their families. Now, I have returned to family medicine as a Behavioral Health Supervisor and BHC, doing what I love most—providing direct care to patients across the lifespan.
I believe that patients are the experts in their own lives, and my role is to empower them to see themselves as the author of their own story. I practice from a trauma-informed lens and work intently to embed social justice values in my approach.
When I am not working, while I would love to be traveling, I can be found running the great indoors after my 4-year-old, reading with my 7-year-old, and enjoying the rare date night with my husband in Portland’s unrivaled food scene. I am an avid yogi, a lover of live music, and I savor the natural wonders of the PNW.
Education and training
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Degrees
- B.A., 2007, University of California, Santa Cruz
- M.S.W., 2011, University of California, Berkeley
Memberships and associations:
- Board of Licensed Social Workers, OR 2018
- Licensed Independent Social Worker, WA 2019