Meet Keely Ricks, MSW
Medical Social Worker and Veteran Liaison
with Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice
Keely Ricks is a medical social worker and veteran liaison with Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice. After she earned her BSW, and before earning her MSW, she worked in foster care with a local social services organization, did in-home family counseling with children in foster care and in the juvenile justice system.
She went on to earn her Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. After earning her MSW she worked as a substance abuse case manager with people experiencing homelessness. She has also had experience running a program for pregnant and parenting women with substance use issues, worked in middle and elementary schools as a school social worker, and ran a grant program to support students experiencing homeless to help them attend school. Keely also worked with the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment to ensure that suicidal marines received the follow-up care they needed.
She currently works with Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice as a medical social worker and veteran liaison. She works in a hospice house counseling patients and their families, visits with patients in their homes and in residential treatment facilities and organizes group activities to promote socializing among patients and their families.
"A lot of the social work skill of just being present, of giving that empathetic connection with someone, building that relationship is so important in this line of work."
To learn more about Social Work as a profession, or the Florida State University College of Social Work visit csw.fsu.edu