Social Work in Palliative Care

Find CAPC-curated courses and tools based on your practice area, discipline, or area of interest. CAPC courses provide free continuing education credits for all staff at member organizations, and ABIM MOC credits for physicians.

Online training curriculum for all specialties and disciplines to strengthen their care of patients living with serious illness. Free continuing education credits for all, and physicians receive ABIM MOC credits for select courses.

Definition of palliative care and how it improves quality of life for patients living with a serious illness, and their families.

Overview for organization leaders and other key decisionmakers about how specialty palliative care social work enhances the value of care for people living with serious illness.

Recommendations to policymakers and specialty palliative care social work champions to improve access.

Steps that specialty palliative care social workers can take to further improve the value case through messaging, data collection, and research.

The National Consensus Project (NCP) Clinical Practice Guidelines are the national standard for high quality palliative care. National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care, 2018.

A place to ask questions and learn from fellow social workers (and includes an archive when you register)

Hire and onboard your staff, manage program operations, and ensure a healthy high-functioning team using this toolkit.

Monograph on processes that promote team health. Center to Advance Palliative Care, 2014.

Watch this CAPC on-demand webinar, Improving Team Effectiveness: An Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) Panel Discussion.

Certification in hospice and palliative care is available through the National Association of Social Workers for a bachelor's or master's level social worker.

The APHSW-C certification recognizes bachelor’s and master’s level social workers with experience, specialized skills, and competency in hospice and palliative social work. The APHSW-C assures the public that certified practitioners have the knowledge and skills to provide safe, high-quality care at an advanced level. Individuals eligible for certification include experienced hospice and palliative care social workers that practice in clinical and academic settings in the United States and Canada.

The mission of the Board of Oncology Social Work Certification is to promote excellence in psychosocial care for oncology patients, families, caregivers, and their community through the process of Oncology Social Work Certification.

Palliative care social work leadership and professional development.

Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (ESPEC) is an innovative training program designed for health social workers by social workers to promote the integration of primary palliative care skills into clinical practice.

In this Virtual Office Hour, ask questions related to strategic planning, program development, communication techniques, and managing operations for the pediatric palliative care program.

Guidance on program design and program operations for the pediatric palliative care program.

Empowering parents and families of children living with serious illness.

Ask questions about the role of the social worker on the palliative care team, including distinguishing the role from other disciplines on the team and navigating competing demands on palliative care social workers from the social work department.

Part of the Improving Team Effectiveness series, this session covers building and sustaining a stable, effective interdisciplinary team. Ask questions on topics such as hiring and onboarding, role clarity, team communication, and preventing burnout.

Small-group consulting calls with national subject matter experts.

CAPC case reviews of complex patient cases cover topics such as pain management, family dynamics, service partnerships, disease-specific care, spiritual care, and more.