A phone hovering above a mattress, a foster care caseload on hold, and a pandemic looming set the unlikely scene for this week’s social work conversation.

Basiliso “Bas” Moreno, Host of the Social Work Rants Podcast, joins Michael Fulwiler to recount a journey spanning Bronx streets, foster care units, and pandemic caregiving.

Bas recalls starting foster care work at eight dollars an hour, failing the licensing exam five times, losing ten clients and his mother to COVID, and channeling the heartbreak into two hundred podcast episodes and a self-published poetry collection of reflections.

Listen for candid lessons on blending case management and caregiving, stories from pandemic fieldwork that reshaped his mission, and practical advice on protecting family wealth through the emerging practice of financial social work for overburdened parents and children.

In the conversation, they discuss:

• The realities of caregiving while managing a career in social work
• How podcasting and poetry support mental health and outreach
• The business skills social work programs rarely cover

Connect with the guest:

• Bas Moreno on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basmorenoconsulting/ 
• Bas Moreno on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basilisomoreno/ 
• Visit Bas Moreno’s website: https://basmorenoconsulting.com/services 
• Check out the Social Work Rants Podcast: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basilisomoreno/ 
• Check out Bas Moreno’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Through-Pain-Maximize-Potential/ 

Connect with Michael and Heard:

• Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfulwiler/ 
• Newsletter: https://www.joinheard.com/newsletter 
• Book a free consult: joinheard.com/consult 

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Welcome to Heard Business School

(01:00) Meet Bas Moreno

(03:13) Growing Up During Crack Epidemic

(05:02) Early Glimpse Into Case Management

(07:03) 9/11 Shifted Career Direction

(09:50) Starting Foster Work At $8

(11:50) Fordham Internship Through Networking

(15:16) Cultural Gaps In Client Sessions

(17:14) Burnout, Divorce, And Holding On

(21:54) From Rooftop Party To Marriage

(23:03) Personal Caregiving Meets Professional Skills

(25:51) Home Discharge Before Lockdowns Began

(27:42) Navigating Pandemic Visits And Grief

(30:32) Emergency Call As Mom Chokes

(33:26) Flat Affect And Hospital Return

(35:22) Turning Grief Into A Book

(38:58) Becoming A Financial Social Worker

(41:39) Growing A Podcast And Directory

(44:06) Landing First Paid Podcast Sponsor

(47:04) What Social Workers Can Build

(50:55) Advice For The Sandwich Generation

This episode is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this episode.