Program Information Description updated: 2015
Contact info updated: 2016
Program approved for: MSW 1st Year [ X] MSW 2nd Year [X ]
Parent Agency Name: Institute on Aging
Program Name: The Geriatric Assessment Service and Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention
Website: www.ioaging.org
Agency/Program Address:
3575 Geary Boulevard
San Francisco, CA 94118
Internship contact person(s):
Catherine Ewing
Contact's phone number: 415-750-4134
Contact’s e-mail address: cewing@ioaging.org
Jeffery Chen-Harding, LCSW
County Agency is in:____S.F.______.
Program Description:
The Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention (CESP) at San Francisco’s Institute on Aging (IOA) has been helping older adults to remain independent since 1973. We provide phone-based counseling and support services, grief services individually and in group, as well as medication oversight services involving assessment, clinical intervention, and case management.The Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention (CESP) at San Francisco’s Institute on Aging (IOA) has been helping older adults to remain independent since 1973. The IOA will offer a fieldwork placement to first year MSW students who are interested in developing their skills in gerontological social work and mental health. Interns will have the following responsibilities:
Clientele Served: Older adults especially who experience chronic medical conditions and issues related to social isolation and grief.
Issues Program Addresses: Grief and loss, including traumatic loss. Social isolation, depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Matters pertaining to cultural isolation. Suicide assessment and prevention. Medication oversight.. Other case management needs.
Intern Assignments:
- One 4-hour shift on CESP’s Friendship Line, which is a telephone hotline for older and dependent adults. Interns will be trained to make calls to and accept calls from individuals who are either in crisis or just in need of support. Training includes reflective listening, risk assessment, safety-planning, appropriate documentation, and mandated reporting.
- Make 1 or 2 more extended, regular telephone calls each week to higher-need clients, giving interns a chance to develop deeper rapport and practice different interventions.
- Assessments: Interns will be trained to conduct initial assessments of Friendship Line clients over the phone. Training includes delivery of structured assessments such as the UCLA Loneliness Scale, PHQ-9 for depression, and MOS-SSS for social support. Interns will gain valuable psychosocial assessment skills.
- The IOA also provides grief therapy services to older adults in the office and in their homes who are experiencing grief related to the loss of a loved one. Interns will be expected to carry a caseload of 1 to 2 grief clients or co-facilitate a grief group.
- The IOA also provides medication oversight services to older and dependent adults, including psychosocial assessment, case management services focused on health and medication issues, and periodic re-evaluations of these clients. These services are provided primarily through in-home visits. This experience also involves contact with other professionals, agencies, doctors, pharmacies, etc. Interns are expected to carry a caseload of 1 to 2 medication oversight clients.
Intern Training & Educational Opportunities: Interns will receive once per week individual supervision as well as group supervision once per month if they are interested. Additionally, participation in once per week CESP staff meeting. At the beginning of the internship there will be period of intensive orientation on topics such as psychosocial assessment, risk assessment and management, safety planning, psycho-diagnostic issues in older adults, and appropriate interventions including clinical modalities as well as case management matters.
Intern Benefits: (Include stipend, conferences, car, food, etc.) During the internship, students will have the opportunity to meet the managers of IOA departments and will work closely with other Bay Area older adult service agencies. They will attend individual supervision once per week and are also expected to attend a CESP staff meeting once per week. There are many topics available for research projects if needed. The student is eligible to attend all workshops presented by the IOA free of charge and will be notified as community presentations are announced.
During the internship, students will have the opportunity to meet the managers of IOA departments and will work closely with other Bay Area older adult service agencies. They will attend individual supervision once per week and are also expected to attend a CESP staff meeting once per week. There are many topics available for research projects if needed. The student is eligible to attend all workshops presented by the IOA free of charge and will be notified as community presentations are announced. Prior to the internship, a brief physical exam and TB test are necessary and paid for by the agency.
Other Special Placement Procedures or Requirements (Including Dates of Internship, Special Application Forms and Deadlines):
Prior to the internship, a brief physical exam and TB test are necessary and paid for by the agency.
There are no stipends. Access to a car is helpful but not required---home visits can be made via public transportation. (The #38 Geary bus runs right in front of the IOA.)