A Salute to Social Workers!

Published on March 30, 2023

March is Social Work Month, dedicated to educating people about the importance of the work done by the nation’s social workers. In Wyandotte County, social workers play important roles throughout the community, whether it’s at the Unified Government Public Health Department (UGPHD), hospitals and mental health centers, schools, government, community organizations or social service agencies.

What Social Workers Do

Social workers enrich society by empowering people and communities to overcome hurdles that prevent them from living life to the fullest. According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), “people become social workers because they have a strong desire to help others and make society a better place.”

Social work is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Currently, more than 700,000 people are professional social workers in the U.S., and that number is expected to climb to approximately 800,000 by 2030.

Social workers are key parts of several divisions within the UGPHD. In fact, the new Acting Director of the UGPHD is Ambur Banner, who has a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) degree. Other social workers within the UGPHD include:

• Jennifer Allen Caudle, who is the maternal child health social worker for UGPHD clinical services. She works with clients to provide information, education and resources such as emergency assistance, housing, food and mental health resources, among many other duties.
• Christina VanCleave, who serves as the Program Supervisor for Health Program Initiatives and Application Services.
• Christina Casper and Michelle Smith, who work with the Healthy Families program.

“Growing up in poverty and being a teen mother gave me experiences that I share with many of the people we serve at the UGPHD,” explains Banner. “Fortunately, I lived in a community where the public health department could link me to the community resources I needed, and that created an intense desire in me to be able to uplift people and change their lives, the same way my life was changed. That’s why I’m a social worker.”

“Social workers are the connectors,” says Allen Caudle. “We help clients access services and resources that help them succeed. We guide them and link them to programs and services that improve the overall health and quality of life for the patient and their family.”

“Social workers are vital to the public health system,” says VanCleave. “Social workers are the gate keepers to resources, and they provide clients the opportunity to be validated and express their needs.”

All of the UGPHD social workers agree that it’s a rewarding profession.

“The satisfaction of seeing the social workers on our staff interact with clients is something I treasure,” says Banner. “They aren’t just providing resources and a way for people and their families to have better health and better futures – they’re providing a sense of hope and purpose. That’s the heart and soul of what social work was created to do.”

We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of social workers at the UGPHD and throughout the Wyandotte County Community. To learn more about the services and programs provided by the UGPHD, call (913) 573-8855 or visit wycokck.org/health.