Review of the Literature

1
The Congregational Social Work Education
Initiative Integrating Gerontology Content in
BSW and MSW Field Instruction Wayne R. Moore,
Ph.D. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical
State University John Rife, Ph.D., Jay Poole,
MSW, LCSW, Fran Pearson, MSW, LCSW, R.N., The
University of North Carolina at Greensboro Leila
Moore R.N., Director, Congregational Nurse
Program
Introduction With the aging of America, there is
a need to increase gerontology education for
social workers (Council on Social Work Education,
2006 Rife, 2007). Helping older adults to
remain independent and in their own homes is a
challenge which often requires multidisciplinary
assessment and intervention (Giffords and
Eggleton, 2005 Cowles, 2000). However, many
older persons are reluctant to use public
agencies for their social service and mental
health needs. Instead, they often turn to their
faith communities for guidance or assistance with
personal or family issues. Research from a recent
poll indicates that over 65 of older Americans
claim to be members of a church or synagogue (The
Gallup Organization, 2004). Other research has
found that older persons prefer and desire social
services from their religious organizations (Choi
Tirrito, 1999 Walls, 1992). Unfortunately,
studies have also found that most clergy and
congregations are ill-equipped to provide
therapeutic intervention, or prepared to assist
families to navigate the complex web of formal
community social service agencies (Tirrito, 2000
Biegel, Farkas, Song, 1997 Goldstrom, et.al.,
1987)
Discussion This project is designed to 1) provide
social work students with classroom and field
instruction learning experiences in gerontology
and 2) to train students to become future
practitioners in community settings serving older
persons. As an exemplary model for
interdisciplinary service and collaboration
operating within faith communities, the CSWEI may
serve as a national model for duplication in
other social work programs, clinical training,
and as a collaborative model for parish nurse
programs nationally. To date, the collaborate
effort between the CNP and the CSWEI has been
successful as evidenced by the number of people
served through direct and indirect means. Five
additional MSW students will join the program in
spring of 2008.

• Case Examples
• A 76 year old woman sought case management
  services following a fall that resulted in a
  broken shoulder. A social work intern conducted a
  comprehensive strengths-based psychosocial
  assessment in order to link the client to
  appropriate community services. During the
  coordination of care process, the intern
  discovered that the clients husband of 53 years
  had died 5 months previously. Under the
  supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker,
  the student initiated counseling services to
  assist the client in processing her grief.
• A Montegard refugee and his 5 children are
  undergoing treatment for tuberculosis. To obtain
  treatment, he must learn how to access the
  indigent county pharmacy services program, as
  well as how to find it in an unfamiliar area of
  town. The social work student guides him to the
  pharmacy, escorts him inside, and they meet with
  the pharmacy technicians so that they will be
  able to assist him and his family with their next
  round of treatment.
• A homeless man with a criminal record is unable
  to find employment. His hopes of leaving the
  homeless shelter where he is currently residing
  is dependent upon his securing a job. The social
  work intern assigned to the shelter notes that
  this is a primary need of the residents. In
  response, she conducts an employment training of
  which her client is an attendee. A week later,
  she sees the client again and he exclaims, I
  used what you taught us and I found a job! He is
  currently planning his move out of the shelter.

Overview of the Project Professional social
works origins are found in the history of the
rise and development of charity organizations and
the Settlement House movement at the turn of the
19th century. These were often affiliated or
supported by churches or sectarian agencies (Day,
2006). This educational initiative provides
social work students the opportunity to meet
their client(s) in their faith communities, to
observe, assess, establish rapport, and address
mutual identified issues or needs. BSW and
MSW students, under the direct supervision of a
licensed clinical social worker who is also a
registered nurse provide direct and indirect
social work services. The project has two
educational components 1) preservice training
and 2) field instruction in a faith-based setting
serving older persons. Prior to entering
fieldwork, students complete preservice content
that includes information on the biology and
psychology of aging, individual, interpersonal,
and social problems related to aging, and health
and mental health issues. Content on the major
developments in treatment and psychological
dynamics of major physical illnesses, with
specific focus on cardiac disease, dementia,
diabetes, stroke, pain, and oncology, is also
covered. Specific attention is given to
conducting psycho-social and functional
assessments, and treatment planning in a
multidisciplinary environment. Upon completion
of this pre-service education, students are
placed in area churches, synagogues, and other
faith-based communities including non-profit
faith based entities where they complete their
field instruction as a member of a nurse-social
worker team. Students complete two semesters of
field instruction in this environment. Using a
strengths-based model of intervention, services
provided by the social work student-nursing teams
include psychosocial and functional assessment,
treatment planning, case management, referral,
advocacy, and evaluation. In addition, students
present workshops independently, with faculty,
and nursing personnel on topics such as physical
and mental health issues in older age, community
services for older persons, care giving,
substance abuse, and healthy aging.
Participating students receive an educational
monetary fellowship and on-going specialized
training via a field instruction seminar
throughout the duration of the project. The
CSWEI is generously supported by a grant from the
Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health
Foundation of Greensboro, North Carolina.
.
Our Program Response The Joint Master of Social
Work Program, administered by North Carolina AT
State University and the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro, developed the
Congregational Social Work Education Initiative
(CSWEI). The project provides gerontology
classroom content and field instruction to MSW
and BSW students who are preparing for
professional social work practice with older
persons. In concert with the Congregational
Nurse Program, whose focus is the provision of
health care services to members of local
congregations, social work students work with the
nurses to provide a more broad array of services.
The project will provide health and psychosocial
assessment, case management, personal and health
counseling, screening clinics, educational
programs, advocacy and care giving assistance to
older members of urban and rural congregations in
central North Carolina. This initiative
addresses the need to prepare future social work
practitioners to reduce health and mental health
disparities among the elderly, and to provide
intensive case work services which will promote
opportunities for healthy independent living.
The purpose of this presentation is to discuss
this innovative initiative, the educational
curriculum, and strategies for replication in
other BSW and MSW programs.
References Biegel, D., Farkas, K., Song, L.
(1997). Barriers to the use of mental health
services by African-American and Hispanic elderly
persons, Journal of Gerontological Social
Work, 29(1), 23-44. Choi, G. Tirrito, T.
(1999). The Korean church as a social service
provider for older adults, Arete, 23(2),
69-83. Cowles, L. (2000). Social work in the
health field, New York The Haworth
Press. Council on Social Work Education, (2006).
Signs of success The year in review. Annual
Report 2004-2005. CSWE, Alexandria, VA. Day,
P. (2006). A new history of social welfare,
Boston Allyn and Bacon. Giffords, E.
Eggleton, E. (2005). Practical considerations for
maintaining independence among individuals
with functional impairment, Journal of
Gerontological Social Work, 46(1),
3-16. Goldstrom, I., Burns, B., Kessler, L.,
Feuerberg, M., Larson, D., Miller, N.,
Cromer, W. (1987), Mental health services use by
elderly adults in primary care settings,
Journal of Gerontology, 42(2), 147-153. Rife,
J. (2007). Infusion of Gerontology Content in
2005 and 2006 Bachelor and Master of Social
Work Accreditation Reports A Content
Analysis, Aging Times, 2 (1). The National Center
for Gerontology Education. The Gallup
Organization (2004), Church and synagogue
membership. The Gallup Organization, Princeton,
NJ. Tirrito, T (2000). The spirit of
collaboration social work/the church/older
adults, Social Thought, 19(3), 59-76. Walls, C.
(1992). The role of church and family support in
the lives of older African Americans,
Generations, 17(3), 33-36
Outcomes The inaugural class of 4 MSW and 3 BSW
students completed 40 hours of pre-service
training within the first three weeks of the
program and moved into community service with the
nurses as they simultaneously participate field
seminar instruction and other courses. The MSW
students provide 96 hours of service per week and
the BSW students provide 48 hours of service.
Referrals are made through the nurses. During
September to December 2007, interns made 252
individual client contacts including initial
assessment, counseling, mental wellness education
and case management services representing
10,377.60 dollars of service (based on Medicaid
rates). This includes over 150 referrals to local
human service agencies. The students have
provided training to congregants on a variety of
topics including, signs and symptoms of dementia,
employment training, and coping with stress and
anxiety. These community educational services
reached over 370 individuals and represented
11,765.28 dollars of service. Other activities
include participation in community wide health
fairs, World AIDS Day education conference and
joint health clinics with the CNP.
Review of the Literature