Discover Social Services | Cincinnati Children's

Kami Runzo: "The Inpatient Social Worker is an integral part of the medical team. We’re embedded with every specialty within the hospital."

Laura Monhollen: "We are a crucial part of providing that strength based family centered care."

Kami Runzo: "We are the consistent voice that the medical team and our patients and families turn to when we're discussing things like discharge planning or care coordination, completing safety assessments and then providing supportive counseling to patients and families throughout their hospitalization."

Ashli Dees: "I am a medical Social Worker in the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic. We serve the primarily lower income population. Ninety percent of our population is served by Medicaid. In my clinic, poverty is the illness. A lot of barriers stop them from being able to think and keep up with adequate medical care. We help them with a lot of resource connection. If they do have a significant illness, understanding their illness and helping them navigate through the hospital for resources and navigating the community resources as well."

Laura Monhollen: "We are all Masters prepared Social Workers. Most of our Social Workers have their independent licensure, but all Social Workers are licensed here at Children's hospital. We're that liaison that helps the patients and families understand what's going on with their medical complexities and helping the medical team understand what the patients and families are going through."

LaDonna Morales: "What we've learned is that we have to address the basic needs because in addressing the basic needs that allows us to begin to address the more medical needs of the patients."

Amy Holden: "We see a lot here in the Emergency Department. We work a lot with local police and Children's Services to investigate cases of child abuse and neglect. We also do some risk assessments or providing resources to families. We also do some end of life care. Most people don't wake up expecting to in their day in the Emergency Department. So we have to just recognize that and meet them where they're at and provide them with compassion and support that they need."

Jarod Kees: "I'm an Inpatient Social Worker in Psychiatry and the Lead Coordinator here, but I think we have a really an important part in the overall process and in the treatment team. It's a very unique and valuable position."

Laura Monhollen: "We are guided by our core values which include promoting self determination, dignity and respect for all beliefs, religions and cultures, and also promoting the strengths of the patients and families as they take their journey through the medical world."

Jarod Kees: "We've seen the number of patients that we treat grow dramatically. So, I think knowing that it's an area of great need is a big part of what keeps me going."

LaDonna Morales: "I like best that my job is unpredictable. It's challenging. We make a difference in the lives of families and patients."

Kami Runzo: "Families know that they can count on their Social Worker to sort of be their go to person."

Ashli Dees: "I want to help you. I want to understand you and that we care here."