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USF SARASOTA MANATEE’S DR. KATHY BLACK RECEIVES THE PRESTIGIOUS HARTFORD NATIONAL SCHOLAR AWARD FOR GERIATRIC SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH

(Sarasota, FL, June 30, 2004) -- Dr. Kathy Black was recently selected as a Hartford Faculty Scholar and will receive a $100,000 research grant. Twelve scholars were chosen from universities across the country. During the two years of funding each scholar will conduct research focused on evaluating and improving the field of geriatric social work. The purpose of the Faculty Scholars Program is to improve the well being of older adults by strengthening the field of geriatric social work to meet the needs of an aging population.

The scholars are paired with a National Research Mentor who will guide the research projects. They will also have the opportunity to participate in institutes and workshops further enhancing their teaching, research and leadership skills.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by the Hartford Foundation. The Gerontological Society of America is the premier organization serving the research needs for an aging society,” said Black.

“USF’s Center for Palliative and End of Life Studies is top-notch and coordinating all regional activity is the School of Aging Studies,” Black said, “It’s a real plus for our school to receive the national recognition.”

The focus of Black’s work is advance care directives planning, which consists of training community-based managers who work in a network of affiliates of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Made up of 50-60 agencies each has two to 10 case managers. All have elderly clients that they are required to provide service to or individually care for at home. They could provide and anticipate future advanced care planning needs and directives for these clients.

In the U.S. it’s estimated that somewhere between 4 percent and 25 percent of the population has advance care directives in place. Federal and state legislature has been enacted to promote advance care directives. A lot of case managers are social workers and are in a pivotal position to help, but they need training. Black said, “We really don’t know how they are doing - it requires time and skill to evaluate them.”

Black’s research project topic, which is called Examining Case Managers’ Advance Directive Communication Practices with Older Clients, is important to the aging population, according to Black, especially in light of the recent Terry Shaivo case and the issues involved when end of life decisions aren’t made in advance.

“The Sarasota and Manatee county area has a large population of elderly and the state of Florida has one the largest elder populations in the country. It’s important to look at what will happen to these people when they can’t make decisions for themselves,” said Black.

According to the Gerontological Society of America there are approximately 600,000 practicing social workers in the U.S. Less than 5 percent at the master’s level and 7 percent at the doctorate level specialize in aging. The Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program is a $5.4 million dollar project designed to ensure the country has a pool of trained geriatric social workers ready to meet the needs of an aging population.

For more information about the School of Social Work, or other USF programs, please check out the Web site at www.sar.usf.edu or call 941- 359-4219.