Talia is an experienced medical social worker who works with patients and families diagnosed with chronic medical illnesses, specializing in end-stage organ failure and transplant. Talia has thirteen years of experience in individual, family, and group counseling, working with area resources on financial and health insurance issues and coordinating client/patient care with multi-disciplinary health team members at area hospitals. For the last 10 years, she has been the Caregiver Lifeline and Family Services Manager at Gift of Life Family House, a lodging facility for patients and their families receiving solid organ transplant-related treatment at any of the 8 Philadelphia-area transplant centers. Talia provides individual, family, and group counseling to guests staying at the Family House and oversees ongoing guest eligibility and care coordination with the hospital transplant teams.
In addition to the support provided to patients and families at the Family House, the Caregiver Lifeline Program provides web-based support and services to transplant families throughout the Gift of Life region and beyond. This support includes multiple online support groups for transplant patients and caregivers, monthly educational webinars on various transplant topics, web-content specifically tailored to the psychological and social issues related to transplant caregiving, and a complimentary live continuing education programs for transplant social workers. Additionally, through the Caregiver Lifeline Program, Talia coordinates continuing education for transplant social workers locally and nationally.
Lastly, Talia oversees ongoing transplant, caregiver, and healthcare hospitality house research conducted at the Family House. Since 2011, Talia has assisted in the coordination and completion of two qualitative research studies at the Family House (2014, 2017), both studying the emotional and physical impact a hospitality house has on transplant patients and their caregivers. She is (at the time of the conference) published for their most recent research in the journal, Progress in Transplantation, June 2021 edition. Talia has presented at multiple transplant conferences both nationally and internationally.
Talia received her Masters of Social Work Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, is licensed to practice clinical social work in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
