Spiritual Care, Social Work, and Palliative Care

Integrated Care Management provides a variety of support services to patients and their families while at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, including Social Work services, Spiritual Care, and Palliative Care.

Social Work Services

Clinical social workers in the medical setting understand the enormous impact that illness and hospitalization can have on a family. When a child is in the hospital, families are not only worried about the child's health but also have the stress of caring for other children, jobs, and just being away from home.

Clinical social workers at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital receive a master's level degree in social work that includes course work in child and adolescent development, family systems theory, and behavioral/mental health counseling. As part of the multidisciplinary team, social workers help the medical team to understand each family's specific situation and needs. Through work with both the family and the medical team, social workers are able to provide education, advocacy, and support services.

At Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, the goal of the social work team is to support the family through counseling and resource management. They work to not only reduce stress while in the hospital, but also to connect families to the resources that will provide additional support in their community when they return home.

For more information about Social Work services, please call 727-767-4147.

Spiritual Care

The Spiritual Care program provides emotional and spiritual support to children and their families throughout their visit/stay in the hospital. Our clinically-trained, professional chaplains are available for people of all traditions and worldviews, both religious and nonreligious, and value and respect our families' beliefs.

Our chaplains provide a wide variety of services, including:

• A calming presence and emotional/spiritual support during times of crisis
• A listening ear at any point during your stay
• Arranging for faith-specific rites and rituals, such as baptisms or blessings
• Assisting patients 18 and older to understand and complete an Advance Directive
• Bereavement support
• Helping families explore medical ethical issues
• Prayer and supportive conversation with patients and families
• Providing prayer rugs, Sabbath candles, rosaries, Bibles, or other religious, spiritual or inspirational items

Chaplains are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. To reach a chaplain, ask your nurse or call 727-767-4258. 

Chaplains are available after hours for emergencies. Contact your nurse to request an emergency chaplain visit after hours.

Palliative Care

The Palliative Care program at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital is a multi-faceted inpatient service devoted to improving the quality of life for patients and their families and providing patients with relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness or complicated condition.

Our team includes hospice and palliative medicine pediatricians, nurse practitioners, child life specialists, social workers and chaplains. The team provides patients and families with long-term continuity of care between services and multiple admissions and is available to patients in all areas of our hospital.

For more information about Palliative Care, please contact 727-767-7290.