National Social Work Month

Hospice Care of South Carolina and National Association of Social Workers Celebrate National Social Work Month in March 2007

Receiving the diagnosis of an illness can be a confusing time for anyone. Will I be able to handle the treatment? How will I balance my care with the needs of my family? How will this affect my job? Who will help me figure all this out?

Hospice Care of South Carolina, along with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), proudly announces National Social Work Month 2007.

This year's theme - Hope and Health: Help Starts Here - highlights the important role of health social workers in the well-being of their clients. More than simply treating patients, health social workers take a holistic, psychosocial approach to working with a client providing the best overall care.

"Social workers in the health setting remove barriers to effective treatment for a client," said Elizabeth Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH, executive director of NASW. "They provide hope throughout the course of an illness, helping clients to overcome their devastation and look to the future."

As an integral member of the interdisciplinary team, more than 110,000 health care social workers across the country act as the advocate for a client's needs and guide them in making decisions about their physical and emotional care. Social workers also work with the family to understand and to help the client through counseling or support groups.

"Social workers play a key role in the quality of care for our patients in Cherokee County," said Amanda Knowles, Community Relations Director of Hospice Care of South Carolina. "Social workers see a client through the entire trajectory of their illness - from diagnosis to treatment and beyond."

Social Work Month also 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 aging, mental health, child welfare, cancer, end of life, adolescent health, HIV/AIDS and family violence.

Social workers are essential to the hope and health of their clients. To find comprehensive information about the role of social work and where to go for assistance for these and other issues, visit www.HelpStartsHere.org.

To honor the achievements of its members and bring to light the issues faced by social workers, Hospice Care of South Carolina is celebrating National Social Work Month by:

¦ Recognizing Social Workers in the community through special events and appreciation gifts

¦ Recognizing Hospice Care of South Carolina's Social Workers with a special celebration luncheon

¦ Proving educational materials to the community

"Social workers have the unique ability to look at a person's situation from a broad perspective," added Janine Fulton, Director of Social Services. "We understand that the best health care requires a broad view of social, environmental, psychological, and economic options."

For more information on how Hospice Care of South Carolina is supporting National Social Work Month, please contact Alice Grey Harrison at 864-542-6471 or via e-mail at aliceg@hospicecare. net or visit www.hospicecare. net.

Hospice Care of South Carolina is here to help you every step of the way when you or a loved one are faced with life limiting illness. We are staffed with a local interdisciplinary team of health care professionals who will provide symptom control, pain management and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to your needs and wishes. There is no out-ofpocket expense to the patient of the family and no one is ever denied service due to inability to pay.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, D.C., is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with 150,000 members. It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.