Our Health Care Team

Social Worker

Please note To obtain an appointment with the Social Worker, you may have a referral form completed by your physician, health care professional, community liaison (i.e. member of clergy) or you may arrange an appointment through self-referral. Social Worker Referral Form (PDF Format)

Social Work Counselling Services
Social work is a recognized profession and the designation RSW - Regulated Social Worker that the therapist is registered social worker governed by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and a university graduate.

According to the Ontario Association of Social Workers the goal of social work practice is to:

• restore, maintain and enhance functioning by mobilizing strengths
• provide psychosocial education to facilitate independence and informed decision making
• optimize coping skills and safety
• modify dysfunctional patterns of relating and behaving
• link individuals to necessary resources
• alleviate environment stress and medicate, facilitate multicultural environments and diversity.

Social workers at community-based settings addresst he following needs:

• adjustment to illness and disability
• caregiver distress
• communication difficulties, challenging social interactions and stressful situations and behaviours
• individual psychosocial issues that impact on emotional, behavioural, physical, spiritual cognitive and social well being
• assess abuse and neglect
• advocate and facilitate referrals to community agencies
• enhance parenting skills.

Group counselling with the social worker at the Grand Bend Area Community Health Centre is provided in the following realms:

• Chronic Pain Management
• Bereavement
• Elder Abuse and Neglect
• Single Parents
• Affective and Behavioural Difficulties
• Well Women/ Well Men
• Palliative Care.

Referrals to the social worker come form the family, caregiver, health care providers, community members and through individual requests. Hours of service are generally full-time week-days although Saturday mornings are also available. Home visits can also be arranged for emergency/ trauma related counselling.