National Social Work Month 2022: Honoring Social Workers and the Contributions They Make Everyday

By Carolina Boyd, Communications Associate

Every March, National Social Work Month recognizes the work and dedication that social workers across the country deliver while providing services to children and adults in need. Social workers are advocates, advisors, counselors and facilitators in schools, clinics, businesses and government offices that are bringing about change in the lives of others.

“Social workers take on many roles in the lives of those they serve. At Legacy Community Health, social workers are a shining example of our mission statement of ‘driving healthy change’ in our communities,” said Carrie Hendrix, Director of Social Services at Legacy. “At the core of the profession is advocacy. Social workers at Legacy advocate for language justice, education rights, environmental equity and so much more.”

Jane Addams is considered to be the “mother” of social work in the United States. As one of the co-founders of Chicago’s historic Hull House in 1889, she was dedicated to improving the lives of immigrant families living in poverty. She eventually became the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for her work with women and the poor.

Even today, social workers have continued that long history of addressing the needs of society while helping to bring social problems to the public’s attention. For example, Legacy is committed to addressing the social determinants of health. Those are the conditions in which people are born, live, work or age that affect a wide range of health and quality of life outcomes. As part of Legacy’s multi-faceted approach to these issues, our social workers created data-driven programs to improve patient’s social determinants of health.

“Social workers are the connective tissue between patient care and psychosocial needs. Social workers utilize an ecological system perspective to identify how a patient’s environment and cultural history impacts their health,” said Hendrix.

It’s important to know that support is available to Legacy patients dealing with a wide variety of health issues. Patients are referred to a social worker through their Legacy medical or behavioral health provider. Talk to your medical or behavioral health professional to get a referral. Call 832-548-5000 to schedule an appointment with your Legacy healthcare professional.