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March is Social Work Month When do social workers step in to help? by Beverly Lavoie, LISW Clinical Effectiveness and Cardiovascular Unit Social Worker MUSC, along with the National Association of Social Workers, announces the kickoff of National Social Work Month 2006.   This year’s theme—Life’s Journey: Help Starts Here—focuses on how social workers help all people at every stage of life, while promoting dignity for everyone, especially the most vulnerable among us.   Social Work Month provides an opportunity for social workers to highlight the essential role they play in alleviating some of America’s most difficult problems. Through education, training and dedication, social workers provide assistance in many different practice areas including health, mental health, child welfare, end of life, adolescent health, HIV/AIDS and family violence.   MUSC employs more than 60 social workers (inpatient, outpatient and Institute of Psychiatry) to assist  patients and their families in all stages of life, from children to the elderly, and in all situations from child protective services to hospice care. The scope of social work practice includes identification, assessment intervention and coordination of care provided to patients and caregivers with psychosocial needs that impinge upon diagnosis, treatment, hospitalization, recovery and transitions between care environments.   MUSC social workers are a part of the health care team, working closely with doctors, nurses, case managers and other medical professionals. Their focus is one of advocacy, empowerment, consultation and collaboration.   MUSC patients receive a broad range of social work interventions including: 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.   In addition, MUSC social workers are there to provide help for our patients with vocational/educational concerns, cultural and communication barriers, legal and ethical problems, family violence issues and many other complex psychosocial needs. Social Work Services have been available at MUSC since 1969.   Our social workers all have a master’s degree in social work, have done extensive field work and are licensed by the state of South Carolina. Many have more than 20 years experience working in health/mental health related settings.   “In these times of health care changes, social workers must be active, creative, committed and competent as they are key participants in shaping both health care and social work services for the future,” said Carol Jaskunas, MUSC social worker since 1991 and vice president of the National Association of Social Workers.   To honor our accomplishments and bring to light the issues faced by social workers every day, MUSC is celebrating National Social Work Month with a series of articles during March. Each week this month, The Catalyst will spotlight an MUSC social worker with “A Day in the Life of …………,” giving readers a glimpse into a typical medical social worker’s day.   A special thanks to all the MUSC social workers for a job well done.     Friday, March 3, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.