Exploring Strategies to Advance Public-Sector Funding in Geriatric Social Work Education

Changing U.S. demographics and family composition are challenging social work education programs to reposition and reconsider how to prepare students for practice in the field of geriatrics. Implications for future social service and health care needs include ongoing training and education of students with competencies in serving geriatric populations; identifying barriers to training, educating and employing geriatric-trained social workers; and advancing public-sector funding for these initiatives. The proposed strategies presented here identify educationally relevant service dollars, a rationale for this funding, as well as strategic initiatives to maximize Medicaid funding for geriatric social work education.