Master's Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project

The Master's Advanced Curriculum (MAC) Project, 2007-2010, enhanced three advanced MSW specialty practice areas - mental health, substance use, and health - with gerontological competencies, content, and measures of student attainment.

Rationale and Mission

Currently, little gerontological content is included in advanced social work curricula in the specialty practice areas of mental health, substance use, and health. Yet practitioners in these advanced areas often interact with older adults and their families. The MAC Project aims to prepare such practitioners through two separate, but interrelated projects:

• Gero Innovations Grant: The Gero Innovations Grant funded 14 MSW programs to develop teaching materials, such as case studies, media, and modules, to infuse gerontological competencies in their advanced curriculum for one or more of the three specialty practice areas.
• Resource Reviews: The Resource Reviews, conducted by national experts in the three advanced practice areas, examined the existing evidence-based literature and identified gero curricular resources for inclusion into the advanced curriculum. PowerPoint presentations, case studies, and comprehensive literature reviews are available for faculty to infuse in their classes. 

Through user-friendly teaching resources, both projects serve to increase gerontological competencies in mental health, substance use, and health.

Leadership

Sadhna Diwan, PhD, San Jose State University
Project Principal Investigator

Nancy Hooyman, PhD, University of Washington
Co-Principal Investigator, CSWE Gero-Ed Center