Gerontology Concentration

Transcription

1 Gerontology Concentration Brief Description The Gerontology Concentration aims to provide social work students with the knowledge and skills to be leaders in advancing social and economic justice for older adults and their families. The concentration provides students with the expertise for working with older adults, their families, the aging service delivery system, and the aging society. Graduating students are employed in both the public and private sectors. Some graduates work primarily serving older adults and their families in traditional settings such as adult day care centers, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and home health agencies. Others work in administrative organizations like local, state, and federal agencies overseeing home and community based service programs or engaging in policy advocacy for older adults. A growing number are working in newer areas such as health and wellness, productive engagement, and retirement planning. The Gerontology concentration is broad in scope, designed with the intent to provide a solid foundation in gerontological scholarship and practice skills. The Gerontology concentration has six courses designated as part of the required curriculum, with different tracks for students choosing to specialize in administrative practice and direct practice. All students in the concentration take the one required theory course, S Theories and Issues in Aging, in which they increase their knowledge of current issues in aging as well as learn to apply empirically-supported aging theories to practice. All students in the concentration also take the one required policy course, S Social Policy and Aging. In this course, they learn to critically analyze major social policies and to articulate how social policies related to aging are formulated and influenced. Clinical practice students take three required methods courses in the concentration; administrative practice students take one required concentration practice course and two courses selected from a list of administrative options. Clinical practice students are required to take: S Biopsychosocial Assessments and Interventions with Older Adults, S Social Work Practice in the Continuum of Care, and S Development of Programs and Services for an Aging Society. Administrative practice students are required to take: S Development of Programs and Services for an Aging Society and any two of the following: S Personnel Management and Supervision, S Budgeting and Fiscal Management, S Leadership, Planning, and Decision- Making, S Social Entrepreneurship, or S Marketing, Resource Development, and Community Relations. Students in the Gerontology concentration are allowed to take one of two different evaluation courses to fulfill their concentration evaluation requirement: S Social Policy and Analysis, or S Evaluation of Programs and Services. Competencies Concentration courses are designed to prepare students to obtain competence in 10 areas. Competencies are measured by practice behaviors that are detailed on each course syllabi as appropriate to the content. 1. Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly. Concentration course work builds on the content of S , Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups and S , Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, Evidence Based Practice Skills for BSW Graduates S and the

2 foundation practicum in the foundation curriculum. All required concentration courses and the concentration practicum support this competency. 2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice. Concentration course work builds on the content of S Social Justice and Human Diversity, S , Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups and S , Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, Evidence Based Practice Skills for BSW Graduates S and the foundation practicum in the foundation curriculum. All required concentration courses and the concentration practicum support this competency. 3. Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments. 4. Engage diversity and difference in practice. 5. Advance human rights and social and economic justice. 6. Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research. Because of the focus on evidence-based practice at the Brown School, this content is integrated throughout the foundation and concentration courses and practica 7. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment. 8. Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services Concentration course work builds on the content of S , Social, Economic and Political Environment S Social Justice and Human Diversity, S , Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, and S , Social Welfare Policies and Services in the foundation curriculum. At the concentration level this content is supported in S Theories and Issues in Aging, S , Social Policy and Aging, S , Social Policy Analysis and Evaluation and concentration field practicum. 9. Respond to contexts that shape practice. Concentration course work builds on the content of S Research Methods, S Social Justice and Human Diversity, S Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups and S , Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, Evidence Based Practice Skills for BSW Graduates S and the foundation practicum in the foundation curriculum. This content is integrated throughout the concentration courses and practica

3 10. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities Concentration course work builds on the content of S Research Methods, S Social Justice and Human Diversity, S , Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups and S , Social Work Practice with Organizations and Communities, Evidence Based Practice Skills for BSW Graduates S S , Social Welfare Policies and Services and the foundation practicum in the foundation curriculum. At the concentration level this content is supported for direct practice students in S Biopsychosocial Assessments and Interventions with Older Adults, S Social Work Practice in the Continuum of Care, S Development of Programs and Services for an Aging Society, and in the concentration evaluation courses: S Social Policy Analysis and Evaluation, and S Evaluation of Programs and Services. For the administration students this content is provided in the following courses: S Development of Programs and Services for an Aging Society, S Personnel Management and Supervision, S Budgeting and Fiscal Management, S Leadership, Planning, and Decision-Making, S Social Entrepreneurship, and S Marketing, Resource Development, and Community Relations, and in the concentration evaluation courses: S Social Policy Analysis and Evaluation, and S Evaluation of Programs and Services. The content is supported for all students in the concentration field practicum.

4 Gerontology Concentration Course Requirements (See Proposed Course Offerings for prerequisites and co-requisites) Social Policy S Social Policy and Aging Theory, Problems, and Issues S Theories and Issues in Aging Practice Methods Clinical practice students are required to take: S Biopsychosocial Assessments and Interventions with Older Adults S Social Work Practice in the Continuum of Care All students are required to take the following: S Development of Programs and Services for an Aging Society Administrative practice students select any two of the following: S Personnel Management and Supervision S Budgeting and Fiscal Management S Leadership, Planning, and Decision-Making, S Social Entrepreneurship S Marketing, Resource Development, and Community Relations Evaluation All students select one of the following: S Social Policy Analysis and Evaluation S Evaluation of Programs and Services Clinical Option The Clinical Option of the Gerontology Concentration is designed to signal to others that a student has structured his or her elective courses to focus on the clinical practice of social work with a focus on gerontology. These students complete the requirements of the gerontology concentration. In addition, they complete (1) a concentration field practicum that emphasizes the clinical practice of social work in gerontology and (2) at least 12 elective hours in clinical coursework using the framework provided below. 6 hours of required coursework: S Differential Diagnosis S Substance and Alcohol Abuse At least 6 credit hours in courses that emphasize clinical methods or clinical practice with specific populations: S Applied Behavior Therapy S Cognitive Behavior Therapy

5 S Applied Group Work Practice S Applied Psychosocial Therapy S Treatment of Mental Disorders S Introduction to Family Therapy S Theories and Practice of Family Therapy S Intervention Approaches for Treating Couples S Intervention Approaches with Women S Pharmacology for Social Workers Practicum Skills labs focused on evidence supported interventions (these labs will change and rotate as needed, but include S Motivational Interviewing, S Dialectical Behavior Therapy, S Interpersonal Therapy). Students are required to take a minimum of five credits (600 hours) of gerontology concentration practicum. Students will select a practicum site from among approved community agencies. Practicum sites offer opportunities for skill development including therapeutic counseling, case management, program administration, and policy advocacy. Practicum sites include acute health care services in medical settings, community-based services ranging from senior centers to housing programs to health and wellness programs, and administrative agencies and advocacy programs. Students must work with diverse populations in practicum. Gerontology Concentration Information: For further information on the Gerontology Concentration, contact Nancy Morrow-Howell, Ph.D., Goldfarb 238, (314) , morrow-howell@wustl.edu or Diane Beckerle O Brien, MSW, Brown 310, (314) , drb1@wustl.edu.