Go Navy!

Navy officers are not only helping to protect our seas, they also are here at Johns Hopkins working to help our patients and families. Johns Hopkins-wide program connects Navy social workers who are masters-prepared, and licensed in Maryland with Hopkins’ social work staff for a two-year fellowship. Robert Torrison, MSW, LGSW, and Philip Hensley, MSW, LGSW have joined the Cancer Center’s team.  Robert is working on 4B-hematology and in ambulatory, following the lymphoma and sickle cell patients.  He is from Albuquerque, New Mexico and he received his master’s degree in social work from New Mexico State University.  Philip is working in our Outpatient Department, following patients and families with lung cancer, sarcoma and GU cancers.  He is from Boone, North Carolina and a graduate of Appalachian State University where he received a master’s degree in social work. Philip was a U.S. Marine Corporal for four years, Army sergeant for four years and now serves in the Navy.

This idea began when former Johns Hopkins oncology social worker, Lieutenant Joseph Ford and his superior officers approached Johns Hopkins about becoming a civilian training site for Navy social workers.  In September 2009, there was a formal agreement made on this unique opportunity.  Carol Stansbury, director of Johns Hopkins Medicine/Surgery social work, and Louise Knight, director, Harry J. Duffey Family Patient and Family Services Program at the Kimmel Cancer Center, are coordinating the program. "We are honored to have the Navy consider us as a training site and we feel privileged to be able to contribute to the future care of our military men, women and their families," says Knight, M.S.W., LCSW-C, OSW-C. 

In addition to Oncology, there are five Navy social workers at Johns Hopkins Medicine in the departments of Medicine/Surgery, Psychiatry, and Pediatrics/OB-GYN. They are:

Medicine/Surgery:
Crystal Taub, MSW, LGSW
William Kelly, MSW, LGSW

Psychiatry:
Cordon Daley, MSW, LGSW

Pediatrics:
Laurien Hayes, MSW, LGSW
Eileen Hood, MSW, LGSW

Johns Hopkins expects to train more Naval social workers in the next fiscal year.  After training, they will sit for their LCSW-C state license and then be commissioned as U.S.Naval officers.