Sarah Handsman, LCSW

Sarah Handsman, LCSW, is OCRA’s Oncology Social Worker. Sarah joined the OCRA team in April 2023 and is a passionate clinician and fervent advocate for those living with cancer and their loved ones. She is highly involved in OCRA’s Support & Education programming, including the Patient Support Line, Woman to Woman Peer Mentor Program, Staying Connected Support Series, family programs, and online community through Inspire.

Prior to joining OCRA, Sarah worked within the Mount Sinai Health System in NYC. She began her social work career in the Emergency Department at the Mount Sinai Hospital before transitioning to the Mount Sinai Brooklyn Infusion Center as the sole Oncology Social Worker on the multidisciplinary team. Sarah gained valuable experience in conducting comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments, providing supportive counseling and psychoeducation to patients and their families, addressing gaps in care through referrals to community resources, and advocating on patients’ behalf to insurance carriers and public benefit corporations. She also facilitated support groups for patients and caregivers as a volunteer with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Sarah obtained her MSW Degree from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work in 2018 and her B.S. in Applied Psychology from NYU’s Steinhardt School in 2014. She was awarded the American Cancer Society’s Training Grant in Clinical Oncology Social Work and is a proud Fellow of the Zelda Foster Fellowship in Palliative and End-of-Life Care.