March 13, 2017

by: Renee Canfield

Social Work Appreciation Month

March is Social Work Appreciation Month. We would like to show our appreciation by asking our Case Managers to “Stand UP” and be noticed. The work you do every day for our clients is noticed and valued!

Social workers stand up for millions of people every day, helping individuals tackle crises, connect them to basic needs and listen to their stories. They carry with them the weight of their clients’ challenges, yet find balance in the success of being able to help those same clients find workable solutions. LeafBridge, a Center of Excellence for Children at UCP of Greater Cleveland, is privileged to have two hard working and caring Case Managers, Celia and Brian, as part of our therapy team.

Case Management is a critical part of the success of our therapy programs. Every year, over 90% of our children receiving therapy meet or make significant progress toward their therapy goals. This is not only due to the work of our knowledgeable and diligent therapists, but also to a significant extent, the efforts of our case managers, who coordinate care and address the needs of the entire family in order to make sure the child is fully supported.

Either Celia or Brian is one of the first people you will meet when you walk in the front door at LeafBridge. They walk each new family through the intake process, learn of their concerns and goals for their child, and discuss where there might be gaps in support for the entire family. They assist with referrals to a wide scope of services, including but not only, for basic needs (food, housing and clothing), utilities, money management, mental health and health services for family members. They listen to family stories, and help families tackle crisis situations through crisis management strategies. They work with the family and therapy team to develop goals for the child that meet the needs of the family. You can often find Celia or Brian working through complicated funding applications or helping a family navigate their health care insurance. But most importantly, they both make sure the family knows they are not alone and are a part of the greater LeafBridge family.

---