How Social Workers Can Help
Social workers provide compassionate support to you, your family and caregivers as you manage the stress and emotional strain of cancer.
The Cancer Institute social work team is uniquely qualified to advocate, empower and enhance your physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being at all stages of your cancer journey. This includes empathetic, culturally sensitive support during hospitalizations and readmissions. They also help with psychological distress, planning advance directives and coping strategies.
Our goal is to provide care with empathy and cultural sensitivity. Social workers typically have a broader scope of care than counselors and work with you on a shorter-term basis. You or a family member can speak to a social worker at any point during your cancer treatment.
Ask a member of your care team to have a social worker contact you.
Resources
Social workers are available to you and your family, typically in person.
You may benefit from talking with a social worker when you:
- Need support communicating with your healthcare team
- Want someone to listen to your concerns
- Feel worried about the future
- Wonder about advance directives and who will speak for you if you can’t speak for yourself
- Feel sad, depressed or frustrated
- Have concerns about your safety
- Need counseling or guidance
Our Social Work Team
The Cancer Institute’s team of licensed clinical social workers provides services at no charge to you. Social workers may refer you to a counselor if you need long-term support.