Samira K. Beckwith, ACSW, LCSW, FACHE

2009 Knee/Wittman Lifetime Achievement in Health & Mental Health Practice

Samira K. Beckwith, ACSW, LCSW, FACHE, has over 30 years’ experience in professional health care and social services. She has served as President and CEO of Hope Healthcare Services, based in Fort Myers, Florida, since 1991.

When she joined Hope, the agency was caring for a small number of hospice patients in the immediate Fort Myers area. Under her leadership, Hope has created an array of services for the frail elderly and children and today serves more than 2,200 people and their families in a 10,000 square-mile area throughout southwest and mid-Florida.

Her career in social work as a “social architect” began unofficially when she was a student at The Ohio State University, where she earned her BA in Sociology and Master’s in Social Work. At that time, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Spending countless hours and days in the hospital, clinics and doctor’s offices with fellow cancer patients, she realized that medical practice at the time was not advanced in regard to pain control, symptom management – and empathy. That was when she made a promise to herself to use her experience to help others live a better life, even during serious illness or in the final chapter. That promise became the foundation of her career.

Since then, Samira Beckwith has become a leader in improving and advancing health care on the local, state and national levels. She has pioneered and broadened the continuum of health care, enabling adults to live comfortably and with dignity through old age and into the final chapter of life. She has given hope to children through programs to help them cope with illness, grief and dying. Adults with special needs can look forward to a warm meal delivered to their home every day. Frail elderly people, home alone, can count on special caregivers to deliver medicine, monitor their vital signs, and even provide light housecleaning. She has created a new model of health care that has garnered the attention of health care agencies, policy makers and associations around the country.

In developing new and innovative programs of care, she has applied two guiding principles:

? Improve health care quality and reduce costs
? Expand coverage and access for everyone in need

In recognition of her work, Florida Governor Jeb Bush described Samira as “a visionary who provides leadership on a local and national level – passionate about ensuring the highest quality of service.”

She continues to receive national and international recognition for her work:

? Stevie Awards for Women in Business – International Lifetime Achievement Award, 2009
? Alumni Medalist Award – The Ohio State University Alumni Association, 2009
? The National Association of Social Workers Social Work Pioneer, 2007
? The Ohio State University College of Social Work Hall of Fame, 2007
? APEX Award: Tribute to an Outstanding Woman in Business, Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, 2007

Regardless of the scale of her work and her accomplishments, Samira Beckwith maintains her focus as a Social Worker, committed to meeting the needs of each individual.