Developing Evidence-Based Curricula For Social Work Practice At The Intersections Of Mental Health, Substance Use, Health And Aging

Both demographic and workforce data point to a critical need for social work education to prepare MSW students to address the mental health, substance use, and health needs of a rapidly growing aging population. A 2005 NASW survey indicated that 75% of licensed social workers reported working in some capacity with older adults and their families, yet few MSW students are trained to address these issues with older adults. Since social workers are likely to encounter older persons in practice settings focused on mental health, health and substance use, they need to be prepared to address their age-associated issues and needs.

To address this gap in social work education, the Master's Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project funded through a grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation commissioned three research and curriculum resource reviews in the areas of mental health, substance use, health and aging. The purpose of each review was to 1) scan and synthesize the existing evidence-based research literature relevant to practice with older adults in each of the three specialty practice areas; 2) identify and assess the quality of existing curricular resources, and 3) develop curricular resources based on the research evidence to facilitate their use by faculty teaching advanced content in the three specialty areas.

This workshop session will begin with the rationale and demographic evidence for including aging competencies and content in mental health, substance use, and health courses. Three presenters will briefly describe the evidence-based research reviews related to specific topics such as schizophrenia, dementia, depression, and anxiety; issues related to substance use, misuse, and abuse; and health care issues such as chronic care management and care transitions, health promotion, and palliative care. Finally, the coordinator of the Science to Service Initiative from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will describe the newly created Workforce Development Initiative addressing recruitment, education, and retention of social workers and other professionals in the addictions and mental health arenas; and describe the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs (NREPP), which currently contains approximately 91 interventions.

Participants will learn different methods to incorporate this research-based content into their courses, as well as a framework for conducting research reviews in other topic areas. They will also learn how to engage students in accessing evidence-based literature about older adults that is available in the three specialty areas. Social work researchers will learn how to use the NREPP as well as how to submit their own interventions to NREPP, and educators will understand how to utilize these tools to incorporate evidence-based content in teaching advanced practice and policy courses in mental health, substance use, and health.

The format of the workshop will include PowerPoint presentations (with handouts) and time for answering audience questions. Participants will receive instructions on how to access the evidence-based curriculum resources that have been specifically designed for faculty who teach advanced practice content in the three areas. These resources are designed as self-contained packages that do not require faculty to have in-depth knowledge of aging issues.