Kern Family Health Care | Family Health | Spring 2020

FAMILY HEALTH 3 KFHC mailing address: 2900 Buck Owens Blvd., Bakersfield, CA 93308 Celebrating social workers March is Social Work Month. That means it’s time to celebrate our social workers here at Kern Family Health Care (KFHC)! Social workers bring a lot of skills to the table. They must have a master’s degree in social work. They can have many roles in the community. Our social workers provide resources for KFHC members with complex cases. They work with nurses and other types of professionals on care management. They find community resources to address the needs of our members. These needs may include trauma, social needs, discharge planning and mental health issues. They work with patients who have high-risk medical and mental health and maternal mental health issues. They handle referrals from Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. They also receive referrals from Member Services. All of our social workers are board-certified professionals. Social workers in the health care setting provide a unique person- centered approach and skill set to help people obtain services such as counseling. They help improve health care, achieve better health outcomes and reduce the cost of care. The physical side of anxiety It’s normal to feel anxious when you’re facing something stressful. But if you’re often on edge for no reason or worry makes it hard to function, you may have an anxiety disorder. There are several types of anxiety disorders. They include panic attacks, which can strike without warning and can cause chest pain. Some people think they are having a heart attack. Red flags to watch for Anxiety is more than just a feeling. It can cause changes in your body too. You might: y  y Feel your heart beat fast. y  y Sweat too much. y  y Get headaches. y  y Have an upset stomach. y  y Feel dizzy. y  y Go to the bathroom too often or have diarrhea. y  y Feel short of breath. y  y Have tense muscles. y  y Shake or tremble. y  y Not sleep well. If feeling anxious or worried affects your daily life, tell your doctor about all your symptoms—in mind and body. Sources: HelpGuide.org; Mental Health America