Michigan Cares

“Why do I need a social worker?” is a common response from many patients and families, until they learn the range of services social workers provide. That sentiment is also sometimes heard from patients in the University of Michigan Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, who are often surprised to learn all the ways that social workers can help them.

Susan Carlson, M.S.W., Clinical Social Worker, and Emily Gutmann, M.S.W., Clinical Social Worker, who job share a social work position, connect women with resources. They help pregnant women overcome issues such as the need for housing, addiction, domestic violence, and depression. Carlson and Gutmann work with women to create the most optimal situation for their babies. Gutmann says, “In every way, shape, and form, we try to enable and assist them in becoming successful parents.”

The social workers are also members of the Maternal Support Services (MSS) team. A state-funded infant mortality reduction program, the MSS team also includes nurses, a nutritionist, and two additional social workers, Christin Carthage, M.S.W., Clinical Social Worker, and Vicki Dawson, M.S.W., Clinical Social Worker. The University of Michigan Health System is one of many MSS providers that help women have healthier pregnancies.

MSS services are limited to women receiving Medicaid, but social workers are available to help any OB/GYN patient. Depression is a major problem for pregnant women regardless of their ethnic, economic, or educational background. “Depression is extremely common across the board,” Carlson says. “Many women don’t realize they are depressed or realize that help is available.” Gutmann adds that women of any background can be challenged by the birth of a baby. She says part of her job is to empower a person for the venture of parenting.

Sometimes the women who are most hesitant about how a social worker can help them are the ones who are most grateful after their babies arrive. Carlson recalls the drastic change of opinion in one new mom who overcame many challenges, including drug addiction, during her pregnancy. “By the time she delivered her baby,” Carlson says, “she was the most committed parent, and she was substance-free.”