Updated March 2023
March is Social Worker Month! To celebrate our social workers, we’ve interviewed Allison Dowty, one of the Family Health Clinic’s Licensed Clinical Social Workers and a Behavioral Health Specialist.
Read our interview with Allison to learn more about what social workers do, how social workers impact the Family Health Clinic and the community and find out how you can support social workers in your life.
In your words, what is a social worker?
A social worker is a person who has earned a degree in social work and follows the National Association of Social Work’s Code of Ethics. Our code is based on six core values: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the individual, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. In social work, all of our decisions should be made with these core values in mind. Social workers advocate for vulnerable populations and try to effect positive changes and increase the quality of life on individual, group/family, and societal levels.
What do social workers do at the Family Health Clinic?
At the Family Health Clinic, our social workers serve primarily as therapists but also frequently consult with your medical providers to ensure we are looking at all aspects of our patients’ health. The therapists at our clinic provide individual, family, couples, and occasionally group therapy to try to help meet our patients’ needs. When patients are in crisis, our social workers often meet with them to help them create safety plans, problem-solve or teach them about community resources they might need.
Our clinic’s social workers often do behavioral health consultations with patients when a nurse practitioner identifies a possible mental health need, such as the recent death of a loved one or a patient who has reported anxiety attacks. When a social worker is called into an appointment for a consult, we talk to the patient about coping skills, support systems, and can give recommendations for groups or agencies that might be needed to aid help in their healing.
How do social workers affect our community?
From the National Association of Social Workers: “Social workers are found in every facet of community life, including schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centers, elected office, private practices, prisons, military, corporations, and in numerous public and private agencies. Some social workers help clients who face a disability or a life-threatening disease or a social problem, such as inadequate housing, unemployment, or substance abuse. Social workers also assist families that have serious domestic conflicts, sometimes involving child or spousal abuse. Some social workers conduct research, advocate for improved services, engage in systems design or are involved in planning or policy development.”
What are some ways people support family or friends that are social workers?
My sarcastic answer would be, “Give us chocolate!” But my truthful answer would be that social work can be a stressful, intense career field. We are often present with individuals as they celebrate the highs and lows of life, which can be emotionally draining at times.
As social workers, we can sometimes get so wrapped up in taking care of others that we forget about our own needs. Remind us that we need to put ourselves on our priority lists. If you are lucky enough to love a social worker, remind them to do self-care or, better yet, do it with them! Ask the social worker in your life to do something fun, workout with you, or just spend some time relaxing with you.
Thank you to our social workers!
We are grateful for the social workers that are an integral part of the Family Health Clinic!
If you’d like to learn more about the behavioral health services we offer, click here. You can also call (800) 321-5043 to learn more.
