Professional experience.
Personal understanding.
My formal name is Asim Hafeezullah, although professionally and personally I am known as Sam.
I am a qualified social worker and the practitioner behind Complex Support Coordination, an independent professional practice providing NDIS funded services in Western Australia.
My work has developed particularly around people whose circumstances span disability, health, mental health and multiple service systems.
I believe good professional support requires more than understanding an individual service or funding system. It requires understanding the person, the circumstances around them and how the different parts of their life and support network fit together.
Why I became a social worker
My interest in disability and complex service systems began through my own family's experience.
For many years, my family and I helped a close family member navigate significant disability, health and mental health needs. We experienced first hand how difficult it can be when numerous services and professionals are involved, each responsible for one part of a much larger picture.
That experience gave me an appreciation of the importance of listening carefully to the person, looking beyond individual services and keeping their quality of life, preferences and priorities at the center of decisions.
It ultimately led me to undertake postgraduate training in social work and develop a professional career working across disability, health, mental health and government services.
Personal experience does not replace professional knowledge. It has, however, strongly influenced the kind of professional I aim to be: thoughtful, persistent, responsive and attentive to the whole situation.
Qualifications & professional experience
I hold a Master of Social Work with Distinction from Griffith University in Queensland and a Bachelor's degree with Honours in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Chicago, United States.
My professional experience has included work across:
Disability services
Hospital social work
Mental health services
Community services
Government services
I have worked in hospital settings including Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group and Albany Hospital, as well as in mental health, community and government environments.
How I work
People with complex circumstances are often involved with several services at the same time.
An NDIS participant may also be dealing with GPs, specialists, hospitals, mental health services, allied health professionals, housing or community services, government agencies and family or informal supports.
My approach is to understand the broader picture rather than view each issue in isolation.
That means taking time to understand:
what matters to the person
what is working and what is not
which services and professionals are involved
where gaps, barriers or problems exist
what options are available
what needs to happen next
I place particular importance on clear communication, careful coordination and continuity.
Where advice, recommendations or options are provided, the participant's preferences and choices remain central. My role is to provide professional support and relevant information so that people can make informed decisions about their own lives and supports.
Professional recognition
I have been recognised with a Rising Star Award from Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group.
The recognition reflected qualities that remain important to my professional practice, including dedication and persistence in supporting people experiencing complex circumstances.
Complex Support Coordination
I established Complex Support Coordination in 2021. It is intentionally a small professional practice.
Keeping the practice small supports the kind of work I value: knowing people's circumstances well, maintaining continuity and being able to take a considered approach when situations become complicated.
The practice provides NDIS funded services in Western Australia, with particular experience in circumstances involving disability, health, mental health and multiple service systems.