The Impact Social Workers Have on Patients
Happy Social Workers Month! March is annually recognized as a month for awareness of the important and impactful work that social workers provide for patients and our community. This year’s theme is Compassion=Action, and it is very evident that the social workers at Bloomington Meadows put their compassion into action every day.
Social Workers Help Patients Recover
Social workers at Meadows play a vital role in a patient’s recovery. The compassion in action starts when a patient first walks into our reception area. Social workers assist with the assessment of a patient and determining the best course of treatment. Upon admission to either our inpatient hospital or intensive outpatient program (IOP), dedicated social workers are invested in the care of each patient.
Whether it’s individual or group therapy, social workers are building a rapport with the patient to find out the patient’s diagnosis, home and social environments, triggering situations, coping skills and goals. They are collaborating with others on the Meadows team to continue risk assessment and determine how the patient is responding to therapy. From here, social workers can assist in implementing a plan to further the patient’s recovery after discharge.
Social Workers Are Engaged in Treatment
Discharge planning starts on Day 1 of admission. Our social workers are engaged in treatment throughout the stay and work diligently on setting up next steps in the patient’s recovery. This can include transitioning to residential care or our Intensive Outpatient Therapy (IOP), making follow-up appointments with primary care physicians and therapists, scheduling transportation and working with families to ensure a safe environment for the return home. Social worker Natalie says, “I want to be the someone to others that I needed when I was growing up.”
What Makes Social Workers so Special?
Jaime Royal, Director of Meadow’s IOP, emphasizes, “Social workers must be compassionate and have a desire to help others. They display empathy and open-mindedness toward patients. Most importantly, they must have hope — hope that they can make a difference and hope that the patient wants to get better. We plant the seeds of recovery. Sometimes, we don’t see the fruit of our work, but we are giving them the best foundation for growth.”
Meadows is fortunate to have wonderful social workers who care deeply for our patients. Thank you for all you do!
About Bloomington Meadows Hospital
Bloomington Meadows Hospital specializes in providing each patient with a comprehensive behavioral and mental health counseling programs from a compassionate and caring staff. We pride ourselves on being dedicated to helping patients restore their health and obtain a fresh start.
We under that every person is unique, so all of our treatment plans and mental health counseling programs are individually designed to meet specific needs. Some of our services include our adults and children & adolescents programs, as well as our intensive outpatient programs.
We’re committed to the wellness of our patients, their families and the communities we serve. To schedule a no-cost assessment or for more information, please call 1-833-972-3358.
