September 12, 2003
Thomas R. Insel, M.D.
Director
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892
Dear Dr. Insel:
The National Association
of Social Workers (NASW) would like to take this opportunity
to acknowledge the National Advisory Mental Health Council’s
(NAMHC) Workgroup on Aging Research draft report titled, Aging
Well, Staying Well: Research for the Mental Health Needs of Older
Americans. This report highlights some key issues for NASW
and social workers, specifically the following principles detailed
in this report:
- A life-span approach is vital to understanding
mental health and illness;
- It is important to understand successful or
healthy aging, as well as the causes, course, and consequences
of mental illnesses in later life;
- Effective preventive interventions in late life
mental illnesses are greatly needed; and
- Knowledge born of NIMH-sponsored psychogeriatric
research must be broadly disseminated to the benefit of all
older Americans and their caregivers.
This report emphasizes a strengths-based approach
to mental health services for older Americans. As one of the
few professions that historically have focused on strengths-based
interventions, NASW is supportive of this language. NASW is encouraged
by the fact that this report includes specific language regarding
the psychosocial impact of mental illness.
Furthermore, NASW supports the sixth recommendation
of the report, suggesting that a meeting be convened of the professional
associations and other stakeholders to foster the development
of training models that provide exposure to geriatrics research.
As the largest organization representing the social work profession
in the U.S., NASW represents a wide variety of professionals
who work with the aging population and in the mental health field.
A large majority of social workers who work in community settings
provide services to older adults and their caregivers.
According to a 1998 report by the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), social workers
provide the majority of direct mental health services in the
U.S. Furthermore, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts
that social work jobs will increase faster than the average for
all occupations through 2010. This same report indicates that
one of the largest growth areas for social work jobs will be
in the area of gerontology. As the population grows older, and
the need for mental health services associated with aging increases,
it is anticipated that the role of social workers in providing
mental health services to the aging population will increase
as well.
NASW is proud to represent social workers who are
committed to providing mental health services to the aging population.
The Association is also committed to helping ensure that future
opportunities are secured for the social work profession and
our members. NASW encourages the adoption of the recommendations
contained in this report by the National Institute of Mental
Health. We look forward to the benefits that may result from
implementing these recommendations.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH
Executive Director
