For baccalaureate, master's, PhD students, junior faculty, and practicing social workers, Hartford Foundation programs are helping to define and promote the special role of social workers to improve and provide vital services in the care of older adults. Geriatric social workers provide a holistic coordination of care by assessing the social, psychological, environmental and economic situation of older adults. They are knowledgeable about systems of care, community services and other resources available to the aging society.

Starting in 1998, the Hartford Foundation has provided support to prepare social work faculty for research and leadership, support dissertations focused on gerotological social work, bring geriatrics into the curriculum at social work schools and reengineer the masters practicum to better prepare students for practice with older clients.

Senior Program Officer James F. O'Sullivan discussed the Geriatric Social Work Initiative with the Board of Trustees in March 2007. Please click here to view the presentation.

These programs were featured in the 2003 Annual Report and are also described at www.gswi.org, a publication of the social work initiative's grantees.