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Foundation-Supported Projects
In recent years several foundations have made major investments
in supporting social work research, in supporting the development
of social work research agendas, and testing social work-led
interventions.
The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF):
www.jhartfound.org
- •The John A. Hartford Foundation has made investments
in several domains in regard to gerontological social work
research. These include support for 40 faculty scholars
through the Faculty Scholars Program in Geriatric Social
Work. The Foundation also supports a program to
support doctoral studies in aging. For more information
on these programs, which are cultivating faculty leaders
in gerontological education and research, visit: http://www.geron.org/Hartford/socialwork.htm
- • The Hartford Foundation, through the New York
Academy of Medicine (NYAM) ( http://socialwork.nyam.org/resources/index.html#cost )
supported an effort to analyze social work research to examine
the cost effectiveness of social work interventions. The
Studies of the Efficacy of Social Work Services in Aging with
a Focus on Cost Outcomes: Preliminary Key Points and Information ,
identify current knowledge on effectiveness of social work
services, and can be a helpful resource for policy-makers,
educators, practitioners, and researchers.
- • The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE),
through its Strengthening Aging and Gerontology Education
for Social Work (SAGE-SW) project, supported by JAHF, developed
an important document, Blueprint for the New Millennium ( http://www.cswe.org/sage-sw/resrep/blueprint.pdf )
The blueprint identified that gerontological
social work research- particularly practice-based, outcome
research- is
very limited, and suggests a set of recommendations to
address this issue.
The SAGE-SW project also developed
a set of 65 gerontological social work competencies ( http://www.cswe.org/sage-sw/resrep/competencyitems.htm ),
which provide a framework for the skills, knowledge, and values
the profession should have to work with older persons and their
families. These competencies provide domains for further research
testing.
- Burnette, Morrow-Howell and Chen, with support
from JAHF, used a Delphi process to gather information
from researchers and practitioners to develop a gerontological
social work research agenda (see agenda setting).
- JAHF also
supported, the Social Work Labor
Market: A First Look , by Michael C. Barth The
report developed recommendations that can build on
existing research to help the profession proactively
influence the job market for social work practitioners.
For more information, see:
-
- Barth, M. C. (2003). Social work labor market: A first
look. Social Work , 48 (1) , 9–19.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
www.rwjf.org
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary
for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and the Administration
on Aging (AoA) are making an investment in social work research
and social work- relevant plans and programs.
Kevin Mahoney of Boston College (http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/rvp/pubaf/04/medicaid.html ),
received a grant for the expansion of Cash & Counseling
(http://www.cashandcounseling.org/index.html), a successful
model program in which disabled Medicaid consumers decide for
themselves how their personal assistance needs will be met.
Program participants use the allocation to purchase their own
care-with the option of hiring friends, family members, or
others-instead of receiving it from an agency. They can also
use their budgets to modify their homes or vehicles or to purchase
a range of items-from chair lifts to touch lamps-to help them
live independently. Consulting and bookkeeping services are
available to help participants weigh their options and keep
up with required paperwork.
Atlantic Philanthropies
www.atlanticphilanthropies.org
Atlantic Philanthropies is funding the Institute for Geriatric
Social Work (IGSW) at Boston University ( http://www.bu.edu/igsw/ ),
to address the critical need for research that documents the
effectiveness of geriatric social work practice and interventions.
IGSW will conduct at least one randomized clinical trial in
a health care setting to demonstrate the effectiveness of targeted
geriatric social work interventions. State-of-the-science meetings
will be held to refine research designs, review research findings,
and identify appropriate interventions to study.
The Soros Foundation has just completed funding for the Project
on Death in America Social Work Leadership Development awards.
The awards supported several cohorts of social workers, to " promote
innovative research and training projects that reflect a collaboration
between schools of social work and practice sites that will
advance the ongoing development of social work practice, education,
and training in the care of the dying." http://www2.soros.org/death/social_funding.htm
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