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National Association of Social Workers |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2009 |
Contact: Theresa Spinner |
Finding Help for the Uninsured in North Carolina
Q&A with Licensed Clinical Social Worker Jessica S. Sawyer, MSW, ASCW, LCSW, QCSW
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Jessica S. Sawyer of Rockingham is a clinical social worker in rural North Carolina. She works at a health access site where she provides screening, triage, referral, and crisis services to mental health, substance abuse, and the developmentally disabled individuals within the community. Ms. Sawyer helps people without health insurance get care. Ms. Sawyer is a 2004 graduate of Clark-Atlanta School of Social Work where she earned a Master of Social Work Degree with a Health/Mental Health Specialization. |
Q. What services are available to the uninsured?
People who come to my health access site may have mental health problems, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse concerns. Services available for them include psychiatric services/medication management, outpatient therapy, community support, vocational rehabilitation, residential treatment, intensive in-home, detox, inpatient services, to name a few.
Q. What are some of the saddest cases you have seen?
Some of the saddest cases to see are adults accessing mental health or treatment services for the first time. Many have suffered because they were unaware that they could access services without insurance or had stigmas about mental health treatment.
Q. How do insured people find their way to you?
Many people are referred to me by medical and mental health professionals. Quite a few of the people seen at the access site where I work at are referred by community physicians, nursing homes, group homes, or private providers, to name a few. The access site has been around maybe about 30 years, so many referrals are received due to reputation and recommendations made by others.
Q. Do you have to be creative to help them find care?
In rural areas, there are limited resources. Caring clinicians sometimes have to be creative and “look under every rock” to fill service gaps for consumers. The Internet is a wonderful resource to tap into for a referral source.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, D.C., is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world with nearly 150,000 members in 56 chapters throughout the United States and its territories. It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.
