Charu Stokes Receives the NASW Foundation 2011 Aron Fellowship

Fellowship Helps Support Health Care Policy Research

Washington, DC-- The National Association of Social Workers Foundation announces that Charu Stokes, a doctoral student at Boston College Graduate School of Social Work, in Boston, MA, has received an Aron Fellowship for 2011.

The Jane Baerwald Aron Doctoral Fellowship Program provides partial support to social work doctoral students who are engaged in dissertation research in health care policy and practice. The fellowship program was established in 1987 as a tribute to Aron, who was a leader in health care policy and education.

Charu Stokes is pursuing research into midlife African American women living with HIV/AIDS. The study is intended to describe how informal kinship caregiving impacts the health, social, financial, legal and psychosocial needs of these women. It will investigate how their health affects access to treatment and child welfare services.

“Studying access to care for African American women living with HIV/AIDS is an important component in understanding the needs of traditionally underserved populations,” says Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH, President, NASW Foundation. “We encourage Ms. Stokes in her efforts, and hope her research illuminates new ways to improve services.”

For more information on the NASW Foundation or the Jane B. Aron Doctoral Fellowship Program visit http://www.naswfoundation.org or email mailto:naswfoundation@naswdc.org.

The National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) is a charitable organization created to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through the advancement of social work practice.