Hi all! My name is Meg Hall and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) at the Maine Medical Partners Pediatric Specialty Care- Pulmonary and CF clinic in Portland, Maine. I have been in my current role as the social worker for our CF clinic for 9 years and also worked in our adult clinic for approximately 4 years under our mental health grant. As you have likely noticed and have perhaps connected with, social workers are present on CF teams. Perhaps, though, you have wondered- what do social workers really do as part of the CF team? Many social workers working in CF clinics have a Masters in Social Work (MSW). This is 

equivalent to two years of graduate school education and 900 hours of internship/field work. From here, social workers may go on to work towards a clinical license. The highest level of licensure may look different for each state. For example, as an LCSW I had a qualifying exam post MSW, 2 years of supervised work under an LCSW andas Licensed Master Social Worker-clinical conditional LMSW-cc), and a final qualifying exam. My professional license allows me to practice independently as a mental health clinician and to diagnosis and provide therapy.

Getting back to how this ties in to CF! I often think of the CF social worker as someone who can wear many hats. We can be advocates, resource helpers, and provide mental health coordination and support. The degree to which we carry out these respective roles may vary from center to center, but at the end of the day we are here to take stress off of patients and families! Here are some ways that these roles may be more defined.

 Advocacy may look like being patient centered: pulling together patient’s needs and assisting in co-production of care. It can be advocacy within the larger medical institution or at the government/policy level to support efforts to bring more affordable care options.

 As resource helpers we help with transportation, housing, copay/medication assistance, financial assistance and school/work/college needs.

 And as mental health professionals, we may help to administer mental health screenings and provide therapeutic interventions in clinic. We may offer up groups, provide counseling services, and support patients in accessing therapy and other mental health services These are just some of the hats that we wear and some examples of how we are here to support patients with CF and their families. I often say that if you are unsure of where to go for assistance for the most obscure things, ask the social worker! See you for the next blog on self-care and self-

compassion! M

Help Others Live STRONGER and LONGER-