Recipient of the 2017 HOSPITAL SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR

Yael Diamond

Nominated For: HOSPITAL SOCIAL WORKER OF THE YEAR

Yael is honoured to be nominated for the 2017 Awards of Excellence in Brain Injury Rehabilitation in the area of Hospital Social Worker of the Year. Yael works at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Canada’s largest paediatric rehabilitation hospital, as a social worker on the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Team. Here, she provides intensive counselling support, resource connection and brain injury psycho-education to her clients and families in individual, family and group settings. Yael works closely with a dedicated interdisciplinary team to provide the best possible care for clients and their families living with the effects of brain injuries and she feels privileged to work with these clients and families through their rehabilitation journey. With over nine years in social work experience, Yael’s career has spanned clinical care, research and education. She is recognized and well known for her passion in the field, drive and support to the clients and families she serves.

While at Holland Bloorview, Yael has participated in many cross-organizational committees and projects, including writing a Standard of Care for Social Work Assessments and Custody and Access Policy. She was an integral member of the Discharge Planning Committee, which included the implementation of the Transition Passport, which is a tool for families to stay organized. Yael conducted a review of Social Work documentation screens for the Electronic Medical Record, and developed a pathway for inpatient clients in the restorative stream. Currently, Yael co-facilitates a weekly inpatient teen brain injury support group and is helping to lead the review and roll out of the Family Needs Questionnaire – Paediatric Version. She is also a member of the Social Work Practice Council and the Association for Teaching Centres. In addition, Yael is the clinical education liaison for Social Work where she coordinates all facets of the social work student education program at Holland Bloorview. Committed to lifelong learning, Yael holds Adjunct Lecturer status at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) at the University of Toronto. Yael is the recipient of numerous staff and client nominated awards in the areas of Quality of Care, Respect, Information Sharing and Partnership.

Yael earned her Bachelor of Social Work from York University in 2008, and in 2010, earned her Master of Social Work from Wurzweiller School of Social Work, where she was the recipient of The Research Award for Excellence in Research. Yael is a member in good standing of the Ontario Association of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and the Association of Social Workers.