Social Work Professor Earns Excellence Award
Suzanne Marmo demonstrates excellence in policy administration, earning recognition
Sacred Heart University assistant professor of social work, Suzanne Marmo, will receive this year’s Award of Excellence for Policy and Administration from the Social Work Hospice & Palliative Care Network (SWHPN).
The award is given to someone who makes remarkable contributions to hospice and palliative care social work through policy analysis or advocacy, program development, administration or public engagement. The recipient’s actions demonstrate leadership and commitment to promoting community access to palliative care services and advancing the field of palliative social work.
SWHPN strives to promote the best psychosocial care for people with serious and terminal illness and their families through the advancement of the role of hospice and palliative care social workers. The organization seeks to advance hospice and palliative care social work professional development via education, evidence-informed practice, research and specialty certification. It also advocates for stronger policies, greater funding and additional opportunities for social workers in hospice and palliative care.
“Prior to becoming a professor, I worked in this field as a medical, hospice and palliative care clinical social worker for over 20 years,” Marmo said. “However, helping people one at a time is not enough to improve care for chronically and terminally ill people and their families. It’s essential that, as social workers, we also find ways to influence policy by engaging in political advocacy. That’s the work I have tried to do through my research and my work with SWHPN.”
Marmo’s peers in the social work hospice and palliative care community nominated her for this award. She is a certified advanced palliative and hospice social worker and has been a licensed clinical social worker since 2001. She is particularly experienced in medical and oncology social work, hospice, palliative care and working with older adults. She is actively involved in several national organizations such as SWHPN, the National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care and has served on several national committees to provide recommendations for federal legislation to improve community-based palliative care. At Sacred Heart, she helps coordinate the SHU Interprofessional Palliative Care Committee and co-teaches a course entitled loss and life transition in the School of Social Work.
“I am really proud to be recognized by my hospice and palliative care social work colleagues, especially for my work in policy and political advocacy,” Marmo said.
Marmo also serves as a mentor to new, hospice and palliative care social workers. Her research interests include the role of hospice and palliative care social workers in organizations, political palliative care social work, and social justice and equity in palliative care.
To learn more about SHU’s social work program visit the graduate program webpage and the undergraduate program webpage.