CELEBRATING THIRTY YEARS OF AGING
AND HEALTH 2012 ANNUAL REPORT
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FIELD PLACEMENTS

1983

Geriatric Social Work Initiative: Field Placements

1999-present Many social work students are not aware of the range of settings and practice opportunities in gerontology, and they may reject this specialization due to misperceptions about working with older adults. The Social Work Leadership Institute at the New York Academy of Medicine received funding to create and spread what became known as the Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE), an innovative practicum model that gives master’s-level social work students opportunities to rotate field placements among various agencies that serve older adults.

The HPPAE rotational practicum model has been adopted in 97 schools of social work in 39 states. A final renewal grant from Hartford is supporting the integration of the model into Veterans Health Administration programs and into the Council on Social Work Education’s Gero-Ed Center.

It was interesting to be based in a senior center where there are healthy older adults and also be part of the elder abuse program, where you see more vulnerable seniors, and then the adult day center with people with dementia.” Anne Millheiser, MSW, LSW
Catholic Charities
Illinois Department on Aging
Elder Abuse and Neglect Program
HPPAE Fellow 2008
(Top) Anne Millheiser, MSW, LSW, a HPPAE Fellow in 2008, works from her car on Chicago’s North Side, investigating allegations of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of older adults.

(Below) Daniel S. Gardner, PhD, LCSW, a Hartford Doctoral Fellow (2002–2004) and a Harford Faculty Scholar (2006–2008) interviews an older adult for his research on family decision-making around chronic and terminal illness.
There’s a real synergy around the Hartford programs. It’s not just about helping one person. When students express an interest in aging, we have resources and contacts across the country to link them with and the process builds on itself.” Daniel S. Gardner, PhD, LCSW
Assistant Professor of Social Work
NYU Silver School of Social Work
Hartford Doctoral Fellow 2002-2004
Hartford Faculty Scholar 2006-2008
(Above) Debra Milner, MSW, walks with a client during her field placement with Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Long Beach, CA

(Above) Michael Tiratira, MSW, HPPAE Fellow: 2008, counseling an older adult client on the Boardwalk near Coney Island Hospital.

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