Social workers heal through
empowerment
by
Natasha Simeon-Major, LMSW Clinical Effectiveness, Pediatric Social Worker
“Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish; you feed him for a lifetime”—Chinese Proverb.
This proverb, which emphasizes the importance of empowerment, echoes the philosophy of the social work profession. By “teaching a man to fish” versus simply “giving a man a fish,” social workers empower individuals to gain the skills and confidence they need to effectively find and continuously utilize the resources available to them.
The theme for this year’s Social Work Month, “Hope and Health, Help Starts Here,” could not be more suitable to highlight the social worker's role at MUSC and other health care facilities across the country. Social workers in the medical field serve as integral members of the health care team, as they focus on the patients social environment, and the impact that environment has on their recovery. Moreover, social workers assist the medical team in treating a disease or illness by taking a holistic, psychosocial approach to provide the best overall care possible for patients and their families.
Medical social
worker Natasha Simeon-Major, center, discusses patient challenges with
Lindsay Gallagher, left, child life specialist, and Renee Stratton,
Education Inc., as part of a collaborative meeting.“Social workers in the health care setting remove barriers to effective treatment for a client,” said Elizabeth Clark, Ph.D., executive director of National Association of Social Workers. “They provide hope throughout the course of an illness, helping clients to overcome their initial crisis and look to the future.” Furthermore, social workers focus on clients’ competencies, not deficits, promoting the development of skills and resources to remove social barriers for individuals and communities to ensure that patients are empowered beyond their encounter with the social worker.
In addition to empowering families, MUSC social workers in the adult and pediatric hospitals serve families by arranging a multitude of services. They provide individual and family counseling regarding illness and treatment options, information/referral for those with inadequate financial resources and/or medical coverage, emergency food/housing and medication assistance, end of life planning, substance abuse treatment and/or referrals, crisis intervention, protective risk assessments/referrals, and continued care planning and coordination. Rather than just fixing the problem, MUSC social workers link families to the resources they need, and teach them how to build upon their own strengths so in the future they are equipped with the skills necessary to avert a crisis or offset the impact it has on the family or patient.
March is National Social Work month. Help celebrate by recognizing and applauding a social worker in your area.
Friday, March 16, 2007
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