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Norton Children's Heart Institute
411 East Chestnut Street, Level 5A
Louisville, KY 40202
502-588-7450
My name is Denisha, I am the LCSW pediatric cardiology social worker, specializing in the adult congenital heart team.
My role with our patients with the ACHD is to identify any psychosocial needs that need to be met. That could be basic needs like food, clothing, housing, connecting them with resources to address that. Or it could be assisting them with their mental health needs, and I'm sure with COVID and everything going on mental health is a forefront issue within our country. With our patients stress can cause additional issues in regards to their cardiac health, my role with that is to either make a referral to a mental health agency, if need be, and I can also see our patients for psychotherapy either virtually in person. So I do do at as well with our team.
Most of our patients, when they're in the pediatric world, their parents are their care managers. So part of my role is to prepare them for them to become their own care managers and their parents become more of a support. That'll just kind of promote their overall health and wellbeing, and also to improve their own sense of being able to advocate for themselves.
I definitely support my patients and encourage them to speak up if they have concerns or questions with providers, walking them through recommendations, making sure that they have everything that they need in place, whether that be medical equipment, making sure they come up with their appointments, making sure that they have everything that they need and have that continuity of care to just improve their overall health.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, hanging out with my friends and family. My one de-stressor that I love to do is I love to go to the driving range and hit golf balls, as well as fishing. It's very therapeutic and it's just a way that I can clear my mind.
