March is National Social Work Month, a moment to celebrate the necessary and diverse work managed by social workers on the frontline every day.

As a national leader in the transformation of health and social systems toward person-centered care, the Camden Coalition could not accomplish its mission without the vital role played by our social workers. To commemorate the end of the national awareness month, we spoke with a group of social workers from the Camden Coalition:

• Arley Styer, Associate Director, Community and Health Information Exchange
• Catherine Fahey, Clinical Manager, Social Work
• Laura Sorensen, Associate Director, Harm Reduction Programs
• Lisa Mojica, Program Manager, Population Health Initiatives
• Mary Pelak, Senior Program Manager, Housing First
• Rebecca Koppel, Associate Director, Curriculum and Content Development
• Sheryl Mathis, Director, Technical Assistance
• Victor Murray, Senior Director, Community Engagement & Capacity Building

The group shared their paths and inspirations toward social work, thoughts on how their field is changing in 2025, and what they think the complex care community needs to better understand them and their colleagues.

How did you get into social work? Can you share your inspiration and career path to the Camden Coalition?

Catherine: When I was working in a substance use outpatient program, I was taking courses in counseling psychology, studying the therapeutic theories of (Albert) Ellis, (Margaret) Mahler, and others. One of my co-workers was studying social work and reading about the mental effects of poverty and violence — we could see the relevance of those topics to the daily lives of our clients. I decided to change courses and study social work.  I have also worked in different agencies — Women Against Abuse, Women in Transition — and homeless shelters, and seen the different perspectives of social workers.

Rebecca: After college, I joined a service corps and was placed in a drop-in center as a case manager for people experiencing homelessness. I had never done that type of work before but fell in love with the person-centered orientation, blend of advocacy and direct service, and relationship-based work. I then worked as a service coordinator on a mental health treatment team and saw how social workers could make a difference in so many ways — from bringing someone to a grocery store, to negotiating with landlords, to making city policies. When I found the Camden Coalition, I knew that with my social work skills and the opportunities at the Coalition, I could make the type of impact I wanted while still remaining rooted in relationships and the people we serve.

Sheryl: Growing up, I had an aunt who was a medical social worker. She worked tirelessly and was so passionate about making sure that people in her community were able to connect to the services they needed. It made an impression on me from an early age that this is important and meaningful work.  She helped connect me to an internship with the state health department during college, and that really shifted my career path. From there a series of jobs ranging from a community social services agency, to a Head Start program in New York, to federal and state health programs, and public health workforce development programs led to my current work at the Camden Coalition.

Victor: My journey into social work was driven by a desire to address the systemic inequities I witnessed growing in Camden. I saw firsthand how factors like housing, education, and access to healthcare shaped lives. This fueled my passion for community- driven change, leading me to pursue a degree in social work. Early in my career I spent time at Bancroft Neurohealth, where I developed programming to support emotional, vocational, and academic growth for neurodiverse individuals. I started at the Camden Coalition working in clinical programs and progressing through leadership roles. Over the years, I’ve shaped care management programs, spearheaded Regional Health Hub initiatives, and lead community engagement and capacity building efforts, all while keeping health equity at the center.

What are some of your specific roles and responsibilities within the Camden Coalition?

Arley: I lead the Camden Coalition’s strategy for Health Information Exchange and resource referral platforms with an emphasis on helping to make health data available for the various social, health, and community providers that care for individuals with complex health needs and Medicaid beneficiaries. Access to shared data enables the holistic ecosystem that cares for individuals and communities to improve collaboration and the quality of care, identify population-level needs, and design data-based interventions.

Lisa: I am currently working as a Program Manager for Pledge to Connect. In this program, we are focusing on connecting individuals that are visiting the emergency departments to behavioral health services. In my role, I am working with our health system partners as well as our Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic partners to create workflows that improve care for people with complex health and social needs. We also strategize on ways to tackle our patients’ barriers to care.

Mary: I currently manage the daily administrative and clinical workflows for the Housing First team. This includes providing reflective supervision to three staff, facilitating our weekly care planning sessions, and connecting with community partners to best support our participants in maintaining their housing and working towards their goals. On the administrative side, I work with our Housing Coordinators on relationship management with both landlords and property managers and our contacts at the Department of Community Affairs. I also work closely with the Camden Coalition’s finance team on coordinating effective processes.

Sheryl: I currently lead technical assistance projects that involve listening to the needs of direct service providers, leaders at community-based organizations, and public agency administrators. It’s my job to understand how health-related social needs can be addressed through the healthcare services system, and collaborate with organizations to bridge social services, public health, and healthcare to improve access to care for communities and populations that are experiencing health disparities and limited access to care. 

What makes our social worker team unique compared with the rest of our field?

Laura: The Camden Coalition social work team is unique because it operates at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels, creating a comprehensive approach to care. At the micro level, we provide direct support to individuals with complex health and social needs, addressing barriers like housing and healthcare access. On the mezzo level, we collaborate with community organizations and healthcare providers to improve service coordination. At the macro level, we advocate for systemic policy changes to address structural inequities, using data and lived experiences to drive innovation in healthcare and social services.

Lisa: We stand out because we are rooted in empathy, compassion, advocacy, and person-centered care. We are not afraid to test things out or hear directly from our patients. We value and cherish all our patients and their feedback. Some of the feedback we get helps us guide and design some of the work we do.

Mary: There are so many talented people at the Camden Coalition bringing social work values and perspective to all types of projects, and I think that is invaluable. It is unique to work in an organization that is doing micro, mezzo, and macro social work.

Victor: Our team stands out because of its interdisciplinary, community-embedded approach. We bring together social workers, nurses, community health workers, and program specialists to address not just medical needs but social needs impacting people’s health. What makes us unique, though, is the diverse leadership roles social workers hold beyond clinical programs. Social workers at Camden Coalition lead in research, content development, and even executive roles — including past leadership on strategy and data, and in my former role directing HR. Social workers also play a role in training and empowering other organizations nationwide. This breadth of influence demonstrates the versatility and leadership capacity of social workers in transforming systems.

In what ways have you noticed the field of social work change over time? Where do you anticipate social work is headed to in 2025 and beyond?

Arley: Social work has evolved to demonstrate its necessity in all sectors and systems that people interact with.

Catherine: Social workers have become part of many interdisciplinary teams in diverse environments, in addition to being service providers in the child-protection and family service areas. There is an increased awareness of the impact of social and environmental factors on daily life.

Laura: The social work field is increasingly embracing an anti-carceral approach that prioritizes harm reduction and client-centered care. Recognizing the failures of punitive systems, social workers are shifting away from approaches that rely on incarceration and surveillance, instead advocating for supportive interventions that address the root causes of harm, such as poverty, trauma, and systemic oppression. The model affirms dignity while promoting autonomy and healing — aligning social work with movements for social justice.

Rebecca: Social work is only becoming more important in our world and especially in the healthcare field, where social needs are being increasingly recognized. Although social workers alone cannot solve the housing crisis or poverty, we bring a whole-person approach to all the work that we do. I hope that social workers continue to be recognized and appropriately compensated for our hard work.

What do you believe are the most harmful misconceptions about social work today?

Laura: I think that some of the most harmful misconceptions come from social workers ourselves: when we think of ourselves as experts who need to fly in and “save” the communities or individuals we are serving. Social workers are at our best when we recognize that our clients are the experts in their own lives, resilient, and have unique strengths and strategies to overcome barriers.

Mary: I think many people have a limited understanding of the roles and settings that social workers can work in, and it is a loss not to have social workers at the table in all stages of program design and administration.

Sheryl: That social work is limited to direct service practitioners serving individuals.  The field of social work is so much broader.  It encompasses micro-focused work as well as mezzo- and macro-focused work across a range of populations and topics where social work champions, changemakers, and connectors are an integral part of the ecosystem.

Victor: One of the most harmful misconceptions is that social work is charity or emotional support. In reality, social workers are highly skilled professionals who combine clinical expertise, systems thinking, and policy knowledge to tackle complex, multi-layered issues. Another misconception is that social workers are reactive, stepping in only during crises. Much of our work is proactive, focused on prevention, empowerment, and long-term change. Additionally, there’s a false belief that all social workers are Child Protection and Permanency workers, which overlooks the vast roles social workers hold in healthcare, leadership, research, and systems change. Another damaging misconception is that community health workers (CHWs) can replace social workers. While CHWs have an important role, social workers bring specialized training in mental health, policy, and systems navigation that complements — rather than duplicates — other roles.

What is your proudest moment as a social worker?

Arley: My proudest moments are those when I’ve played a part in the process of an individual or community actualizing self-determination.

Catherine: As a social worker in a Philadelphia family shelter, I supervised a student who won an award at West Chester University’s graduation as an outstanding undergraduate student. I knew that she was an excellent student, and I was happy that she was recognized. One of our clients at the shelter changed her major from nursing to social work after her interactions with this co-worker.

Lisa: Every moment I can help someone, regardless of the urgency of their need, is a proud one. However, there was one experience that truly confirmed my calling and solidified where I belong in my career.

I visited a hospital to meet an individual and connect them to primary care. They were facing multiple complex health and social challenges, including homelessness, substance use disorder, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and diabetes — all while primarily speaking Spanish.

At first, she didn’t want to talk and asked me to come back another day. I respected her request and returned the next day. This pattern continued for about two months until one day, she said, “Wow, you don’t give up.” I took that moment to explain why I was there, and she began sharing what she truly needed versus what she wanted. I listened and introduced her to the Camden Core Model. Though hesitant at first, she eventually accepted support.

Through consistent engagement, we built a strong and trusting relationship. Over time, she was able to manage her medical conditions, secure housing approval, and move into a home once she was medically stable. She has since remained housed and sober.

Rebecca: I’m genuinely so proud of the Complex Care Certificate. It borrows concepts and practices from social work (and other fields) and brings it to people who haven’t previously had access either because of the high cost of higher education or because of the siloed nature of medical and nursing education.