Medical Social Work Services

Medical Social Workers are located throughout the hospital and ambulatory settings at Children's Mercy and provide comprehensive assessment of psychological and social factors impacting health outcomes, provide supportive counseling, trauma response, crisis intervention, and care coordination to ensure patients and families are connected to services.

Therapeutic Support

• Supportive counseling related to:  

  • Adjustment to illness 

  • Lifestyle changes 

  • End of life

  • Grief and bereavement

  • Financial needs

  • Family stressors and other concerns 

• Mental health and intervention
  
  

Care Planning

• Healthcare Decision-making (advance directives, power of attorney, etc)

• School/IEP/504

• Transition to adult care

• Legal Needs

• Care transition externally and within CMH when support needs remain outside of an episode of care 
  
  

Resource Education and Community Referrals  
 

• Benefits (WIC, Medicaid, SSI, Food Stamps, Housing) 

• Transportation support

• Temporary Lodging via Caregiver Self-Referral to the Ronald McDonald House

• Child Care

• Parenting Support Resources

• Early Intervention Services

• Home Visiting Programs

• Waiver Programs

• Referrals and connection to disease specific resources

• Financial Assistance Programs for Durable Medical Equipment

• Center for Family and Community Connections