ICCAC Social Work & Allied Mental Health Professionals Committee

Committee Chairs:
Shay Rogillio, LCSW, CCTSW-MCS
Kristin Malaer, LCSW-S, CCTSW-MCS

Contact: 

socialwork@vadcoordinator.org

Welcome

The ICCAC Social Work & Allied Mental Health Professionals Committee is an international interdisciplinary committee dedicated to advancing psychosocial excellence within LVAD, advanced heart failure, and cardiothoracic transplant care.

Our committee brings together social workers, psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists, case managers, palliative care professionals, behavioral health specialists, researchers, educators, and allied mental health professionals committed to improving psychosocial outcomes, caregiver support, quality of life, and patient-centered care across the LVAD continuum.

We recognize that successful LVAD outcomes extend beyond surgical and medical management alone. Emotional functioning, caregiver capacity, behavioral health, social determinants of health, treatment engagement, health literacy, access to care, and long-term psychosocial adjustment all significantly influence patient outcomes and quality of life.

As the field of LVAD care continues to evolve internationally, psychosocial clinicians play an increasingly important role in interdisciplinary care delivery, quality improvement initiatives, education, ethical consultation, research collaboration, and best practice development.

Join the Committee

We welcome clinicians across disciplines and experience levels who are interested in advancing psychosocial excellence within LVAD and advanced heart failure care.

Whether you are new to the field or an experienced clinician, we encourage you to connect with our committee to collaborate, learn, mentor, research, and help shape the future of psychosocial care within LVAD programs internationally.

Please complete our committee interest survey:

Committee Interest Survey

Mission

The mission of the ICCAC Social Work & Allied Mental Health Professionals Committee is to strengthen the psychosocial presence within LVAD and advanced heart failure care through interdisciplinary collaboration, education, mentorship, advocacy, research, and the advancement of evidence-informed psychosocial best practices.

Vision

Our vision is to promote holistic, patient-centered LVAD care models that fully integrate psychosocial expertise throughout every phase of the patient and caregiver journey while fostering international collaboration, professional development, and psychosocial leadership within the field.

Why Psychosocial Care Matters in LVAD

Current national and international research continues to demonstrate the critical impact psychosocial factors have on LVAD outcomes, including:

• Mental health and emotional functioning
• Caregiver burden and caregiver sustainability
• Treatment engagement and adherence
• Health literacy and communication barriers
• Social determinants of health
• Chronic illness adjustment and medical trauma
• Substance use concerns and recovery support
• Financial stress and access to resources
• Palliative care integration and goals-of-care discussions
• Quality of life and long-term psychosocial adaptation

Psychosocial clinicians provide essential support to patients, caregivers, families, and interdisciplinary teams as they navigate the complex medical, emotional, behavioral, and practical realities associated with advanced cardiac therapies.

What Do LVAD Social Workers & Allied Mental Health Professionals Do?

Psychosocial clinicians within LVAD programs provide specialized assessment, intervention, education, advocacy, and support throughout the continuum of care.

Comprehensive psychosocial evaluations for LVAD candidacy may include assessment of:

• Social support systems and caregiver capacity
• Mental health history and emotional functioning
• Coping strategies and resilience factors
• Treatment engagement and behavioral patterns
• Substance use history and recovery support
• Financial, insurance, housing, and transportation concerns
• Health literacy and learning needs
• Cognitive and communication considerations
• Cultural, spiritual, and family dynamics
• Understanding of the LVAD process and informed decision-making
• Patient goals, expectations, and motivation for therapy
• Body image adjustment and identity changes related to device support

However, psychosocial care extends far beyond the initial evaluation process.

Psychosocial clinicians frequently follow patients and caregivers longitudinally across the entire LVAD journey, adapting interventions to evolving medical, emotional, behavioral, and psychosocial needs. This may include:

• Crisis intervention and emotional stabilization
• Adjustment counseling related to chronic illness and medical trauma
• Caregiver support and burnout prevention
• Facilitation of support groups and peer support opportunities
• Advance care planning and goals-of-care discussions
• Mental health referrals and behavioral health coordination
• Grief and bereavement support
• Resource coordination and systems advocacy
• Interdisciplinary collaboration and discharge planning
• Support during complications, readmissions, transplant transitions, or end-of-life care

Psychosocial clinicians within LVAD programs often utilize evidence-informed approaches including:

• Motivational Interviewing
• Family Systems Theory
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-informed interventions
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-informed interventions
• Strengths-Based Practice
• Solution-Focused Interventions
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Supportive psychotherapy
• Grief and bereavement counseling

The psychosocial team also plays an important role in identifying and addressing barriers that may influence recovery, treatment engagement, caregiver sustainability, and long-term patient well-being.

Professional Background & Credentialing

Psychosocial clinicians within LVAD programs often hold graduate-level training in social work or related behavioral health disciplines and may maintain independent clinical licensure depending on their professional background and regional requirements.

Many professionals pursue additional specialty education and credentialing related to transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. One recognized specialty credential is the Society for Transplant Social Workers Certified Clinical Transplant Social Worker – Mechanical Circulatory Support (CCTSW-MCS) certification.

Specialized psychosocial training supports the development of comprehensive, ethical, and patient-centered care practices aligned with evolving national and international standards.

Psychosocial assessment, interdisciplinary collaboration, caregiver support, discharge planning, and patient-centered care are increasingly emphasized within quality and accreditation standards promoted by organizations such as The Joint Commission and DNV Healthcare.

Committee Goals & Initiatives

The ICCAC Social Work & Allied Mental Health Professionals Committee is actively working to:

• Expand international psychosocial representation within ICCAC
• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across LVAD programs worldwide
• Develop mentorship and onboarding opportunities for clinicians entering the field
• Support psychosocial research collaboration and publication efforts
• Promote psychosocial education and conference engagement
• Develop practical tools, assessment resources, and educational materials
• Advocate for holistic and patient-centered LVAD care models
• Increase awareness of caregiver burden, mental health, moral distress, and social determinants of health within LVAD care
• Strengthen psychosocial integration within interdisciplinary LVAD teams
• Support professional networking and leadership development opportunities

Current & Future Committee Initiatives

Current and future committee initiatives may include:

• Psychosocial onboarding and educational resources
• Mentorship opportunities for new clinicians
• Psychosocial assessment and resource tool development
• Support group collaboration and best practices
• Research and quality improvement initiatives
• Conference presentations and publication collaboration
• Interdisciplinary case discussions and educational programming
• Development of psychosocial best practice recommendations
• International networking and professional collaboration opportunities

References & Supporting Literature

• The Joint Commission Advanced Certification Programs
  Accreditation standards emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, patient-centered care, discharge planning, behavioral health integration, quality improvement, and healthcare outcomes.
• DNV Healthcare Accreditation Standards
  Accreditation and quality standards supporting interdisciplinary care coordination, patient safety, risk reduction, and evidence-based clinical practice within advanced cardiac programs.
• Society for Transplant Social Workers (STSW)
  Professional organization supporting transplant and mechanical circulatory support social workers through education, certification, networking, and best practice development.
• PubMed – LVAD Psychosocial Research Literature
  Peer-reviewed research regarding depression, anxiety, caregiver burden, treatment adherence, social determinants of health, moral distress, trauma, quality of life, and psychosocial outcomes in LVAD populations.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Initiatives
  Regulatory guidance and quality initiatives relevant to interdisciplinary care coordination, readmission reduction, patient outcomes, and chronic disease management.

• International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) Guidelines & Standards
  International guidelines and consensus statements related to advanced heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, transplantation, psychosocial evaluation, and multidisciplinary care.
• American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statements
  Scientific statements and educational resources related to advanced heart failure, caregiver burden, quality of life, behavioral health, and psychosocial considerations in LVAD care.

Resources: 

Social Work Education and Onboarding Resources 2023 

Social worker Social Security Disability Toolkit to LVAD 

VAD social work Assessment tool

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