By Ashley-Michelle Papon

In a year punctuated by loss on an unprecedented scale, some departures are, nevertheless, guaranteed to linger longer than others.  This is particularly true with the loss of dreamers and changemakers, the gifted whose time among us may be short, but whose incredible impact will continue on indefinitely. As William James once wrote, “The great use of a life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.”

Such is the case with the passing of Mitchell (Mitch) Sudolsky, a talented social worker, gifted friend, respected colleague, and beloved mentor known to many within the wider Austin community. Like many ordinary people capable of extraordinary service, Mitch felt called to the helping professions, earning a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cornell University and serving as a volunteer firefighter before relocating to Austin to complete his master’s degree in Social Work.  He had selected to continue his education in Austin for the food and music as much as the education itself. The Brooklyn-born Texas transplant   is lovingly remembered joking frequently with those who knew him best.

The completion of Mitch’s master's coursework helped to catapult him into the role of Executive Director of Jewish Family Service of Austin. This role brought him into the orbit of Deliana Garcia, Migrant Clinicians Network’s director of International Projects and Emerging Issues. Deliana, serving on the cabinet of Jewish Family Service of Austin, spoke with Mitch about the associates staffing Health Network, MCN’s patient case management program. Drawn to Mitch’s naturally compassionate persona, she expressed her concern about the burden Health Network Associates face from exposure to vicarious trauma resulting from serving clients in detention or on the move. 

To the surprise of no one who knew him, Mitch immediately volunteered to help—offering to provide a monthly support group for the Health Network team. The support group gave Health Network Associates the benefit of a compassionate, confidential space where they could process the unique stress presented in the scope of their jobs. As a licensed clinical social worker, Mitch had the skillset to witness their challenges and validate their triumphs. The support group generated an immediate impact, strengthening the natural resilience of Health Network Associates and inspiring them, even after moving on to other professional opportunities outside of MCN.

“He listened to us,” Ricardo Gray, a former Health Network Manager, explained. “He sat down and listened to us. What a beautiful story he told, by simply hearing our stories... His voice remains with me.”

Always an advocate for social justice, Mitch’s voice will forever remain a part of MCN, the Health Network Associates whose hearts he has touched, and the future good works committed by those who knew him.

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