Intro: This is Weekly Dose of Wellness, brought to you by Memorial Care Health System. Here's Deborah Howell.

Deborah Howell (Host): So, many of us are aware that social work is being done in our children's hospitals, but we really don't know much about it. Lori Rabner, licensed clinical social worker and team lead at Jonathan Jaques Children's Cancer Institute, and Ana Perez Rodriguez, licensed clinical social worker at Jonathan Jaques Children's Cancer Institute at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital, are here to talk about the scope of practice and responsibilities of social workers in children's hospitals, highlighting their critical role in supporting families and patients. Welcome, Ana and Lori.

Lori Rabner: Thank you.

Ana Perez Rodriguez: Hi.

Host: So glad you're here. So first off, diving right in, what is social worker? Lori, why don't you start us off?

Lori Rabner: Yes. Thank you for asking. I mean, in general, social workers carry many different roles within the community. I would say that social work is a profession that's focused on helping individuals, families and communities, enhance well-being and navigate challenges. Social workers can provide emotional support, connect people to resources, advocate for their needs, and assist them with problem-solving strategies in various settings, including healthcare, schools, and social services.

Host: Got it. Now, Ana, what role does social work play in a hospital setting?

Ana Perez Rodriguez: We are really an integral part of the health care team. We often serve as the connecting thread, as I like to call it, between the patient family and their medical team. We support, guide, advocate, mediate, and mentor our families as they collaborate with their medical team, as they navigate their healthcare system, and as they adjust to the new changes that come with their complex diagnosis and their treatments.

Host: Sure. And Lori, how do families benefit from utilizing a social worker?

Lori Rabner: I would say that families benefit from social workers by gaining access to essential resources, emotional support, and practical assistance during stressful situations in the medical environment. Social workers can help alleviate some of the logistical and emotional burdens, offering guidance on things such as insurance, financial aid, caregiving, and community services.

Social workers often act as like the mediator between the hospital experience and managing the logistics of life. Imagine being newly diagnosed with a chronic illness and not knowing where to start in managing both your day to day tasks and this new medical illness. Social workers can help with that.

Host: Yeah, that's wonderful. Ana, how do you tailor your approach to meet the unique needs of families, especially when dealing with complex or uncommon circumstances?

Ana Perez Rodriguez: You know, we serve families that come from all walks of life, and we know that no family or patient is like any other. Social workers assess the interconnectedness of how a person's social, cultural and emotional needs, for example, can impact how someone copes with change, particularly In the healthcare setting when it can be emotionally distressing by understanding what's important to our patients and their families. We are able to create focus, short and long-term goals and identify resources that meet their specific needs. It's important to know that having compassion and empathy to meet the patient where they are in that moment in time is critical as we navigate those special circumstances.

Host: Yeah, this is all wonderful and good and a great resource, you know, we didn't have 50 years ago. So, how does someone access a social worker when their child is hospitalized? This is for Lori.

Lori Rabner: Yes. That's an excellent question. A lot of people don't know that they can easily access a social worker. Families access social work services simply by asking their health care provider. Anyone, like a nurse or a physician, can place a referral for a social worker in the healthcare setting. Many hospitals, including children's and women's hospitals have social work departments that can be contacted directly as well if you're feeling like you need the assistance from a social worker.

Host: Got it. That's so wonderful. Ana, what does your day to day look like?

Ana Perez Rodriguez: This is my most favorite question. Our day to day typically involves meeting with patients and families. We're assessing, re-assessing, evaluating, reevaluating for changes that can impact a patient's coping and adjustment during their hospitalization or their clinic visit. We also coordinate care with the medical team, and we collaborate with other subspecialties. You'll also find us connecting families to resources, initiating referrals to outside or community agencies and addressing barriers to care or discharge. Our day to day can also look different based on the needs of the patient, their medical acuity, or their state and prognosis

Host: You know, just to follow up on that, at what point do you ask for a social worker to get involved?

Ana Perez Rodriguez: At any point in time. That's the beauty of having our service, that we can start at the beginning, we can come in at the middle or at the end. There is really no perfect timeframe on when a patient or family can request to speak with us or seek our support.

Host: Oh, that's wonderful news. All right, Lori, what are some misconceptions about social work? Because I know there are many.

Lori Rabner: There are many, but I do think one of the most common misconceptions is probably that social workers only intervene in cases of child abuse or neglect. When in reality, they provide a wide variety and a range of services, including, like we've mentioned the emotional support, the resource navigation, the advocacy for their roles in the hospital and what they're entitled to. But I would say that, in addition to helping families from all backgrounds and in multitudes of settings, this is really the core of what social workers do provide.

Host: I am so glad you're getting this information out there because usually people think, you know, just based on what they've heard is, "Ooh, social worker had to step in. You know, something must be wrong." And that's not necessarily the case, right?

Lori Rabner: That's correct. I think in the social work setting, it's common to have social work visit a family and a patient for just the simple fact that you're admitted to a hospital. This is a new environment. This is a new experience. We're just here to help you navigate that.

Host: Wonderful. Ana, what are some common resources social workers offer to patients and families at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital?

Ana Perez Rodriguez: Some common ones include, for example, wellness and mental health, and that can encompass behavioral health and rehabilitation centers. Another one could be parenting, counseling, grief and bereavement, and that is a cluster for resources, such as youth group support, parent classes, other support groups. We also have resources on food insecurity, such as food banks and donation centers that we can offer to families, and emergency shelter if families are experiencing homelessness or intimate partner violence or domestic abuse as well. And we also navigate those resources at the state and federal level where we can provide that education to families and teach them how to access those resources when they're ready to do so.

Host: Boy, that's gotto be a game-changer for some families, I mean really, who are in desperate straits, especially the housing resources and, on and on and on. So before we wrap up, I would just like both of you to just say your favorite thing about your job. What it is that motivates you to get up and go on out to Miller Children's and Women's Hospital.

Lori Rabner: It's easy to answer. I mean, really, it's the patients. I particularly work with Pediatric Hematology Oncology patients. And I do just think that children are amazing. I love the way their minds work. And I think that they're incredibly resilient. And they show me hope and courage on a daily basis. And helping them and their families guide through the difficult journey of a medical illness is my pleasure. And I really do enjoy just helping them through the process and doing anything I can to relieve some of their stress during what is a very stressful journey.

Ana Perez Rodriguez: I mean, I would definitely echo Lori's sentiments. For me, it's when I went into social work school was to be able to make a difference for people. And this profession allows me to do that every single day. The moment I say good morning to someone, you're changing people's lives without even realizing it. And I think that's very selfless work, and it's amazing.

Host: Boy, that's coming through in both of you. So strong. Lori, where can families go to learn more about the resources offered at Miller Children's and Women's Hospital?

Lori Rabner: The families can visit the hospital's local website, speak directly to their care team, or contact the Social Work Department directly. Additional information is also available through the resource centers that are on the campus of Miller Children's and Women's Hospital and patient handbooks that get provided out. There's a lot of different ways to reach out to social work.

Host: And you can also call the Miller Children's and Women's Social Work Services Department at 562-933-0017. Thank you so much, Ana and Lori, for your time and your expertise and all the good work you do. We really enjoyed having you on the show.

Lori Rabner: Thank you so much, Deborah.

Ana Perez Rodriguez: Thank you so much.  

Host: For more info or to listen to a podcast of this show, please visit memorialcare.org. That's memorialcare.Org. That's all for this time. I'm Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.