3/24/2025
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Posted by Julia Williams, Brave Health Chief Clinical Officer
At Brave Health, we are committed to making high-quality behavioral healthcare accessible to those who need it most. As a virtual provider of mental healthcare, we offer telehealth services designed to remove barriers to access, ensuring individuals receive support regardless of location, transportation, or time constraints. Our partnership with Fidelis Care allows us to extend these critical services to Medicaid members across New York, providing them with high-quality, effective, and timely care.
A Calling to Help—Before It’s Too Late
Reflecting on my journey into social work is always a powerful reminder of why I do what I do. My passion for helping children led me first to a career as a pediatric respiratory therapist. I had the privilege of caring for young patients and families in extremely high stakes moments. But one day, that role changed my entire perspective.
I was on duty when I had to airlift a child who had been a victim of severe abuse. In that moment, I realized that I was helping after the harm had already been done. That experience stuck with me—I knew I wanted to work with children and families earlier in their journeys. That’s when I made the decision to transition into social work, where I could provide direct support and intervention, ideally before situations became crises.
The Power of Social Work
Social workers play an essential role in intervention and advocacy, ensuring that individuals of all ages and backgrounds have the resources and support they need to thrive. At Brave Health, we live out this mission by providing mental healthcare that’s effective and accessible, removing barriers like transportation and long wait times. Through our partnership with Fidelis Care, we’re able to connect Medicaid members with essential behavioral health services quickly, typically within less than a week, empowering them to lead healthier lives.
A Message for Social Work Month
Social Work Month is an opportunity to recognize the dedication and resilience of those in this field. Social workers are often the quiet force behind life-changing moments—offering support, advocating for families, and ensuring people have access to care when they need it most.
To my fellow social workers: Your work matters. Whether you’re in child welfare, mental health, healthcare, or community outreach, the impact you make is immeasurable, and the positive changes you help individuals make have domino effects throughout communities. To anyone reading this who needs help, don’t hesitate to reach out. Organizations like Brave Health and Fidelis Care exist to support you.
I’m grateful to be part of a field that creates change before it’s too late. Every day, I’m reminded of why I chose this path, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Julia Williams, LCSW-QS, MBA, RRT, is the Chief Clinical Officer at Brave Health. She began her career as a pediatric respiratory therapist before transitioning into social work to better support children and families during their most critical moments.