Social worker at UVM Children’s Hospital awarded for mental health work
Kate Cappleman Sinz, a longtime social worker and complex care manager at University of Vermont Children’s Hospital, has been named Mental Health Advocate of the Year by the National Alliance on Mental Health of Vermont.
The annual award recognizes “exceptional” contributions to complex care coordination and efforts ensuring people receive the support needed to succeed.
Cappleman Sinz was awarded for her work with pediatric patients and their families across a broad spectrum of needs.
From families in need of housing support, to young adults struggling with mental health, Cappleman Sinz “blends hope and compassion” with an exhaustive knowledge of local and regional support systems and resources, according to UVMMC’s announcement of her award.
Cappleman Sinz works with more than 100 patients at a time, helping with all things that fall under the umbrella of mental health support: school, family issues, clinical needs and helping families procure further help if needed.
She is referred to as a “central point” between patients, families and specialty care teams at the hospital and in communities throughout Vermont. She often identifies patients and families who may be in need of assistance by working with various clinical services, school districts and emergency departments.
She said that after a need is identified, she will work with the patients and families to develop a plan with goals, assessing needs and previous history. She then makes referrals to specific agencies and services, while advocating for those patients when needed.
“Kate is a fierce advocate for her patients, and always has been,” Danielle DeLongis, network manager at Integrated Care Management and a longtime colleague of Cappleman Sinz, said. “She always speaks out for people who may not be heard and gives them a voice.”
Cappleman Sinz joined UVM Children’s Hospital in 2016 after working at the Howard Center as a social worker and supervisor for 10 years. She said her passion for the work stems from her mother, who worked as a public health nurse in Vermont schools.
She said the award means a lot to her and highlights the importance of clinical mental health work.
“Kids often have no agency; someone has to speak for them or act for them,” Cappleman Sinz said. “So the most important part of what I do is show up wherever I need to be. Even if I have no capacity to solve the problem, I can try to get people who can to the table and say, ‘This is serious, and we need to do something about it.'”
Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
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