Social workers are at the very core of family-centered care at Nemours. Our social workers understand and have unique training in helping and providing therapeutic support to patients and families during an illness, a surgery or procedure, or confronting a new diagnosis. Social workers play an integral role in the medical team, supporting families in conversations with their medical providers and in managing the emotional toll of a difficult illness or diagnosis. Social workers also assist families in preparing for discharge and connecting to community agencies and resources.
What We Do
How We Can Help
Social workers are mental health providers trained to evaluate and address each family’s unique psychosocial needs. Help starts with your social worker talking to you about your immediate needs and concerns. With this information, your social worker is better equipped to address issues like:
- therapeutic support and counseling with a new or existing diagnosis and hospitalization, and communication with your child’s medical team
- community resource questions and needs such as transportation, language services, therapy services outside of Nemours and disease-specific support
- financial concerns
- information on government program such as WIC, Medicaid, SNAP and Social Security
- help with communicating with school or employer, or finding an advocate
- if you or your child are feeling unsafe
- assistance finding a medical equipment or home health agency
- housing concerns and food insecurity
- experiencing a mental health crisis
- compassionate care during end of life
Services We Provide
Providing ongoing needs assessment, service coordination, information and referrals, consultation regarding custody and consent issues, and transition to adult care for kids with chronic conditions and complex illnesses.
Coordinating your child’s home health care and home equipment needs, providing referrals/placement in residential facilities, coordinating ambulance transportation and Medicaid transportation providers, referrals to and coordination with community services, and assisting with school services.
Helping your family cope with trauma, death, or a life-threatening/serious diagnosis by orienting you with the hospital and our services, mobilizing your support system, and providing end-of-life assistance. In cases of child abuse or domestic violence, we can help coordinate safe discharge with outside agencies.
Helping your family cope with trauma, death, or a life-threatening/serious diagnosis by orienting you with the hospital and our services, mobilizing your support system, and providing end-of-life assistance. In cases of child abuse or domestic violence, we can help coordinate safe discharge with outside agencies.
Helping your family secure emergency assistance, identify state and federal programs, and access nonprofit services as needed.
Coordinating services with community agencies, schools, and insurance companies, serving as board members of local
non-profit organizations, and impacting government policies and public awareness about pediatric health care issues. Our social workers also inform children and families of their health care rights and responsibilities.
Establishing and assisting onsite support groups for parents
and youth.
Meet the Team
Our Social Work Team
Our social workers will do whatever it takes to improve the emotional well-being of your child and your family. We’re specially trained to assess the overall psychosocial functioning of patients and families — and we’re assigned to specific areas of medicine and specific children, so we’re familiar with what you’re going through.
Jodie Puzio-Bungard, MSW
Director of Social Work, Patient Relations and Escorts, and Language Services
(302) 651-5044
jodie.puzio-bungard@nemours.org
Lee Lucas, LCSW
Patient and Family Services Clinical Manager
(302) 298-7525
lee.lucas@nemours.org
David Gregory, LCSW
Patient and Family Services Clinical Manager
(302) 298-7075
david.gregory@nemours.org
Dora Temple, LCSW
Social Work Supervisor, Independent Living Donor Advocate
(302) 651-4837
dora.temple@nemours.org
Alethea (Lisa) Thomas
Administrative Assistant
(302) 651-4230
alethea.thomas@nemours.org
Evenings and Weekends
Laura Boyer, MSW
(302) 651-4173
laura.boyer@nemours.org
Ray Hendricks, MSW
(302) 651-4558
e.hendricks@nemours.org
Richard Houseal, LCSW
Cortney Jones, LCSW
(302) 651-5452
cortney.jones@nemours.org
Social Work Department Listing
Valerie Aptt, LCSW
Orthopedics, Cerebral Palsy Center, Rheumatology
(302) 651-4503
valerie.aptt@nemours.org
Hope Bleyer, MSW
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
(302) 651-4806
hope.bleyer@nemours.org
Laura Boyer, MSW
Nephrology, Evenings and Weekends
(302) 651-4173
laura.boyer@nemours.org
Erin Butler, MSW
Pulmonology
(302) 651-4231
erin.butler@nemours.org
Shannon Davis, LSW
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(302) 298-7469
shannon.davis@nemours.org
Emily Delaplane, LCSW
Cardiac Center
(302) 651-6634
emily.delaplane@nemours.org
Bailey DeLong, MSW
Neurology, Down Syndrome Clinic
(302) 651-5212
bailey.delong@nemours.org
Kristin Drouin, LCSW
Palliative Care and Bereavement Counselor
(302) 651-6448
kristin.drouin@nemours.org
Steve Fratterelli, MSW
Nemours Deptford, New Jersey
steve.fratterelli@nemours.org
Denise Fuller, MS
General Pediatrics
(302) 651-4236
denise.fuller@nemours.org
Gabrielle Gordon, LSW
Orthopedics, Neuromuscular Clinic
(302) 651-4575
elle.gordon@nemours.org
Sara Henao, MSW
Solid Organ Transplant and Urology
(302) 651-4823
sh0083@nemours.org
Ray Hendricks, MSW
Evenings and Weekends
(302) 651-4558
e.hendricks@nemours.org
Leah Heyel, LCSW
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(302) 651-8454
leah.heyel@nemours.org
Richard Houseal, LCSW
Evenings and Weekends
richard.houseal@nemours.org
Cortney Jones, LCSW
Evenings and Weekends
(302) 651-5452
cortney.jones@nemours.org
Siobhan Joseph, LSW
Gastroenterology
(302) 651-4233
siobhan.joseph@nemours.org
Tara Kalamchi, LSW
Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
(302) 651-4550
tara.kalamchi@nemours.org
Jenifer Keller, LCSW
Cystic Fibrosis, Pulmonology, Organ Donor Program
(302) 651-5043
jenifer.keller@nemours.org
Lauren Kirn, LSW
Endocrinology, Weight Management
(302) 651-4556
lauren.kirn@nemours.org
Jennifer Macaulay, LSW
Emergency Department and CARE Team
(302) 651-4255
jennifer.macaulay@nemours.org
Katie Marks, BSW
Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Social Work Navigator
(302) 651-6878
katie.marks@nemours.org
Kidian Martinez, LCSW
Adolescent Medicine, Foster Care Clinic
(302) 298-7530
kidian.martinez@nemours.org
Cory Nourie, MSS
Transition Program
(302) 377-0565
cory.nourie@nemours.org
Diana Rash-Ellis, LSW
Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorder, HIV
(302) 651-4571
diana.rashellis@nemours.org
Laura Ryan, LSW
Trauma Program
(302) 651-5454
laura.ryan@nemours.org
Carrie Sewell Roberts, LCSW
Swank Autism Center, Developmental Medicine
(302) 651-6680
carrie.sewellroberts@nemours.org
Briana Smith, MSW
Swank Autism Center, Developmental Medicine
(302) 651-4563
briana.smith@nemours.org
Alexa Ujlaky, LSW
Rehabilitation Program
(302) 651-4235
alexa.ujlaky@nemours.org
Claudia Van Lenten, LCSW
General Pediatrics
(302) 651-4550
claudia.vanlenten@nemours.org
Margaret Volk, MSW
Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
(302) 651-4554
margaret.volk@nemours.org
Camile Walker, LCSW
Nephrology, Cleft Palate Program, Cochlear Implant Program, Gender Wellness, Evenings and Weekends
(302) 651-4558
camile.walker@nemours.org
Lisa Wood, LCSW
Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Psychosocial Service Coordinator
(302) 651-4553
elizabeth.wood@nemours.org
Helpful Information
Coping With Complex Conditions
To learn more, check out these articles from Nemours’ KidsHealth.org (the most-visited website in the world devoted to children’s health):
Contact Us
Social Work
Department of Patient and Family Services
Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware
Phone: (302) 651-4230
Fax: (302) 651-5066