SOCIAL WORKER R&R MY ROLE AND YOUR RESOURCES

1. SOCIAL WORKER R&R MY ROLE AND YOUR RESOURCES Lindsey Martins, MSW

2. Role of Medical Social Worker • Work closely with families while in the hospital and out, to provide education, assistance with resources and emotional support. • Can help families identify needs and help them gain access to outside resources for both emotional and practical needs. • Assist family with navigating the hospital system

3. Role of CF Social Worker • CF Social Worker can serve as a liaison between the patient, family, and medical team • Assist patients and families with learning how to cope with maintaining a “normal life” while struggling with a child who has a chronic illness • Help identify resources specific to CF

4. Psychosocial Support for Parents A social worker can help with……… • Be an effective advocate for your child • Career and financial issues • Relationships within the family system • Coping skills and styles

5. Support For Parents Cont… • New diagnosis • Identify risk factors for patient non-adherence • Importance of an adequate support system • Quality family dynamics • Temperament of the child/adolescent

6. Potential Psychosocial Concerns • Feeling different from his/her peers • Feeling alone and unsupported • Lack of motivation • Nonadherence with treatments

7. Community Center For Health & Wellness • The Community Center for Health & Wellness (CCHW) is a non-profit professional counseling center and training institute offering quality services at an affordable sliding scale fee. The CCHW offers a wide variety of services by combining contemporary psychotherapy with values that honor the mind, body, & spirit. The CCHW offers holistic programs for marriage and family therapy, health counseling, and the treatment of trauma. • http://www.itp.edu/resources/cchw/index.php

8. Psychosocial Concerns Cont…. • Traumatic experiences with treatments and procedures • Falling behind with schoolwork • Missing out on everyday activities, events, vacations because of illness • Depression & adjustment to illness

9. Newborn Diagnoses • Supporting parents through new diagnosis • Connecting parents with other parents • Providing links to resources • Offering ways to organize information • Remaining available throughout process for support and resources

10. Support in the Hospital • Parent mentor • Social worker • Child Life • School • Chaplaincy • Child Psychiatry • CF Education • Patient Relations

11. Support Outside The Hospital • Parents mentoring parents • Connections through email • Support groups – in person and online • Counseling and psychiatric services for both families and patients

12. Insurance • California Children’s Services • http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/ccs/Pages/default.aspx • CCS is a state program that helps children with certain diseases, physical limitations or chronic health problems. • Family income of $40,000 or less out-of-pocket medical expenses expected to be more than 20 percent of family's adjusted gross income.

13. GHPP • GHPP Genetically Handicapped Persons Program • http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/ghpp/Pages/default.aspx Who is this program for? 
 GHPP is a state‐funded program that can help individuals with genetic diseases pay for 
medical costs, including equipment and medication. 
 What are the eligibility requirements? • The program is open to California residents 21 years of age or older. Persons under 21 may be eligible for California Children’s Services (CCS). If a specific condition is not covered under 
CCS, an individual under 21 can apply to GHPP.

14. Financial Support The Living Breath Foundation http://www.thelivingbreathfoundation.com/ • This foundation supports research, medical assistance, scholarships, financial aid Change of Life Foundation http://www.changealife.org • The ultimate mission of the founder is to inspire and challenge grant recipients to follow his charitable example, and one day repay the favor by helping others in need. • Grants are available for a variety of categories

15. College Scholarships • The Cystic Fibrosis Scholarship www.cfscholarship.org For students with CF enrolling in an undergraduate college program or a vocational school • SolvayCARES Scholarship www.solvaycaresscholarship.com. Awards are based on applicants’ creativity, academic excellence, community involvement and ability to serve as a positive role model for the CF community.  • Elizabeth Nash Foundation www.elizabethnashfoundation.org Scholarships for CF patients that can help them to resume undergraduate and graduate degrees • Boomer Esiason Foundation Scholarship Program http://www.cfscholarships.com/BEFScholarships/index.htm Scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate degrees

16. Social Work Goals 2010 • CF Mentoring program • Focusing on patients schooling and connection between patients • Spending more time with patients in the hospital • Learning the insurance process