Three Groups Brought Together for a Successful Forum

The 2007 Gero-Ed Forum, held in Charleston, SC from February 2-4, 2007, was a huge success. Highlighting the interconnections of field and classroom curriculum, the Forum presented an opportunity for the Social Work Leadership Institute’s Practicum Partnership Program (PPP) at the New York Academy of Medicine, and the Gero-Ed Center Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) to join forces at this annual meeting. The Gero-Ed Forum provided networking opportunities and resources to “gerontologize” programs for the more than 270 conference attendees. Many of these resources are now available in the 2007 Gero-Ed Forum section of our Web site.

We were delighted to welcome our partners from the PPP. Nearly 40 faculty from 35 PPP sites across the country attended a workshop on sustainability and strategic planning for their programs. Grantees also shared opportunities to present their programs to the larger gerontological social work community, particularly through a lively Showcase reception. A third and final funding cycle for 25 additional schools seeking to implement the PPP model will be announced in fall 2007. For more information on the PPP, please visit www.socialworkleadership.org.

One hundred four (104) CDI faculty from 64 social work programs joined the PPP grantees. Faculty from across the nation met and collaborated for the first time at this third and final annual CDI, in contrast to prior regional meetings. Innovative accomplishments from this three-year curricular infusion program were disseminated at the CDI Resource Fair and the Gero-Ed Forum Showcase, where Forum participants also had a chance to interact with and learn from CDI faculty. CDI faculty collaboration will continue however, since many CDI regional groups made plans to present and meet at the 2007 CSWE APM and other future conferences.

The CDI and PPP programs both held pre-conference meetings on Friday, with a joint networking session in the afternoon, then joined the other Gero-Ed Forum participants for the intensive workshops on Saturday and Sunday. Thus, the Gero-Ed Forum presented a new opportunity for CDI and PPP participants to interact and collaborate as well as for faculty not affiliated with the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Initiative to network with and learn from their colleagues.

A highlight of the Gero-Ed Forum was an interactive and dynamic Showcase Event that featured 50 presentations of the best practices in gerontology infusion nationally. Select presentations from this event, the Gero-Ed Forum intensive workshops, and a summary of the conference are available in the 2007 Gero-Ed Forum section of our Web site.