This textbook on palliative social work is a companion volume to the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine and the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing. To that end, this chapter will accomplish the following:

♦Social workers are essential members of the interdisciplinary team performing the functions of assessing and addressing psychosocial distress across the continuum of care.

♦Differential diagnosis of mental health disorders is a requisite skill for social workers in palliative care, as accurate assessment will determine the effectiveness of the treatment plan.

♦Cognitive/behavioral interventions can be helpful for patients experiencing anxiety and depression as well as other symptoms of distress such as sleep disturbance and lack of hope.

♦Treatment plans to address mental health risk involve interdisciplinary collaboration and include both medication and psychosocial interventions