Our Social Workers

Pediatric Cardiology Social Work

Providing Patients and Their Families Psychosocial Support in the Transition between Life in the Hospital and Life at Home.

Social workers at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital work closely with pediatric cardiology/cardiothoracic surgery patients and their families, and collaborate with the entire medical team including your child's pediatric cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, nurses, dieticians, child life specialists, and other allied health service providers. Along with the Chase Child Life Program at UCLA, we understand the psychosocial impact that heart conditions can have not only on pediatric patients but also on their families. We work collaboratively to develop care plans that meet your child's medical, developmental and emotional needs. We respect and complement the family's vital role in ensuring the well-being of all pediatric cardiology patients.

Services that we provide depend on the individual needs of each patient and family, but may include:

• Crisis intervention and psychosocial support surrounding trauma, catastrophic or chronic illness (major forms of congenital heart disease)
• Counseling to help patients and families cope with cardiac diagnosis, illness, hospitalization and/or role changes
• Psychoeducation regarding the patient's illness and care plan
• Advocacy to promote patient- and family-centered care while respecting language and cultural differences
• Facilitation of family conferences with your child's team to ensure collaborative communication and comprehensive treatment plans
• Referrals to community agencies for basic needs
• Creation of early transitional plans to ensure patient's readiness to move from pediatric to adult cardiology services.
• Assistance with grief, loss and end of life issues
• Support with behavioral, developmental, or educational concerns
• Assessment of mental health or family issues including depression, anxiety, substance abuse and violence

Sarah K. Miller, LCSW

Pediatric Cardiothoracic Intensive Care
757 Westwood Plaza, Ste B788
Los Angeles, Ca 90095
Phone: (310) 267-9759 || Fax: (310) 267-3528
samiller@mednet.ucla.edu

BSW - Southwest Missouri State University 2004; MSW - Missouri State University 2005; LCSW - California 2011

Sylvia Villaseñor, LCSW

Outpatient Pediatric Cardiology
757 Westwood Plaza, Ste B788
Los Angeles, Ca 90095
Phone: (310) 825-4470 || Fax: (310) 267-3528
svillasenor@mednet.ucla.edu

BA - San Francisco State University, 2001; MSW - UCLA 2006

Sabah Akmal, LCSW

Pediatric Clinical Social Worker
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital 
200 UCLA Medical Plaza Suite 265
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: 310.825.3503
Email: sakmal@mednet.ucla.edu

BA - University of California, San Diego - 1996; MSW - University of California, Los Angeles - 1999

Jennifer Chou, MSW

Outpatient Pediatric Cardiology
757 Westwood Plaza, Ste B788
Los Angeles, Ca 90095
Phone: (310) 794-7024 || Fax: (310) 267-3528
jchou@mednet.ucla.edu

BA - UCLA, 2009; MSW - UCLA 2015