Social work

Clinical social work services focus on the psychological and social impact of the health care needs on the family system. We assist patients and families with the physical, emotional and social issues and concerns that exist during a hospitalization. By providing information about health and illness (including grief and loss), we hope to encourage patients and families become active participants in their care.

Clinical social workers at Children’s Minnesota are masters-level educated clinicians (MSW) and most are clinically licensed (LICSW) by the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

Services provided

The services we provide are:

Crisis intervention
Short-term counseling to patient and families to assist them with emotional and psychological distress
Supportive counseling for patients and families as they adjust to a new diagnosis or chronic illness
Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments
Addressing issues of family violence and abuse

Grief, loss and bereavement care
Advocacy for children and families at Children’s Minnesota and in the community
Information and referral to hospital and community resources
Financial counseling
Consultation with the medical team to assure the strengths and needs of the patient and family are recognized

How to speak with a social worker

During normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), you can:

Call the Social Work department directly at 612-813-6138 (Minneapolis) or 651-220-6479 (St. Paul)
Ask your child’s nurse, physician or other care provider to request a social worker

After normal business hours, on weekends and during holidays, on-call social work services are available for emergencies. Contact a member of your child’s health care team for more information.