By Sachie German Koufalis, LMSW, MPH, CCM
Sachie German Koufalis, LMSW, MPH, CCM, is a Behavioral Health HEDIS Manager at Healthfirst.
I didn’t set out to become a social worker. I fell into it, shaped by growing up in New York City and navigating public systems from an early age. I attended public schools, experienced housing instability, and spent periods without health insurance, so I understand what it means to rely on systems that are meant to help, but do not always show up when you need them.
Now, after spending the last 10 years working in managed care, I see this work at a population level through rates, measures, and outcomes. Still, I try to hold onto what brought me here in the first place: remembering that behind every number is a person, a family, a story. That is why this year’s Social Work Month theme, Uplift. Defend. Transform., resonates so deeply with me. It reflects the responsibility we have to center people, protect their dignity, and improve the systems they depend on.
In my work in behavioral health quality, I focus on working with and educating providers to ensure people receive appropriate care throughout their interactions with the health system. This includes supporting providers in completing timely follow-up care after hospitalizations or emergency department visits related to mental health or substance use, as well as promoting appropriate screening and early identification, such as depression screenings, before more acute needs arise. Much of this work happens behind the scenes, but it plays a critical role in helping people stay connected to care and avoid falling through the cracks. Behind every quality measure is a person trying to manage a chronic condition, access mental health support, or seek help for substance use.
Improving how care is delivered helps close gaps in care and ensures people receive services when they need them. This work is especially critical for the Medicaid population, one of the largest payers of behavioral health and substance use treatment in the country.
As social workers, it is our responsibility not only to defend access to essential services, but also to improve the systems themselves so that care is coordinated, effective, and responsive to people’s needs.
March is social work month and we’re celebrating more than 810,000 social workers practicing in schools, hospitals, corporate settings, foster care, policy, and many other environments.
Defending access to care does not always mean protesting or speaking publicly. Often, it looks like meeting with providers, discussing the needs of members, and identifying care gaps or risks in the system that could prevent people from receiving care.
At its core, this work is about defending the dignity of those who rely on these systems and ensuring they are treated with respect and compassion, even when the systems themselves can feel impersonal or difficult to navigate.
Social work is not only about responding to immediate needs; it is also about transformation. It is about improving the systems people must navigate, which can often feel confusing and disempowering.
That perspective shapes how we approach our work every day. Even without being policymakers, those of us working in quality improvement have opportunities to make a difference at the system level.
By identifying patterns and opportunities for improvement, we can help make services more accessible, better coordinated, and centered on the real needs of the people they are meant to serve.
Across the United States, more than 810,000 social workers practice in schools, hospitals, corporate settings, foster care, policy, and many other environments, and this month, we celebrate them.
I want to take a moment to thank every social worker who chose this challenging and often unrecognized field. Our work does not always come with the visibility or acknowledgment it deserves, but it matters deeply.
Being a social worker gives us the tools, language, and purpose to create real change; to uplift the people we serve, stand up for their dignity, and reshape the systems they rely on.
During Social Work Month, I encourage social workers to celebrate loudly, take pride in the work we do, and remember that your work truly matters. Whether on the front lines or behind the scenes, we continue to uplift, defend, and transform!
Sachie German Koufalis, LMSW, MPH, CCM, is a Behavioral Health HEDIS Manager at Healthfirst. With over 15 years of case management experience, her expertise spans utilization management, foster care, clinical programs, care management, and clinical quality.
