Philadelphia Corporation for Aging Training Catalog

Overview

 The program requires participants to complete 48 hours of classroom training (16 half-day sessions).  The curriculum tries to balance theoretical and applied considerations, emphasizing state- of- the- art understandings of the current geriatric behavioral health literature as well as best clinical practices.  Major topical areas include:

• an overview of the aging process, with particular focus on the behavioral health implications of aging
• a survey of behavioral illness in late life, including schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and depression
• consideration of alcohol abuse and dementia in older adults

The curriculum also includes:

• case analysis
• material on negotiating systems ethics and the role of advocacy
• a new section on behavioral health under managed care which examines the changing context of current behavioral health
• a short unit on complementary or alternative approaches to health and behavioral health.

To date, 500+ participants from a variety of agencies have completed the program. The full 48 hour program will be offered once this year. Participants have up to 2 years or 2 program cycles to complete coursework for the full Certificate Program. Three CEUs will be awarded for each of the sixteen sessions.

Who Should Attend:   Staff of the behavioral health system and the aging system are the primary audiences the program was created to engage all staff serving older persons with behavioral health needs beyond these systems will also benefit from this comprehensive focus on the behavioral health issues of aging adults. 

Program Faculty: 

Maureen Gibney, PsyD, who has served as a neuropsychologist, teacher, and trainer, covers the opening half of the curriculum. Faculty – Drexel University, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Nancy Morrow, MSW, draws on more than 35 years of experience in a variety of roles in community-based long-term care and geriatric behavioral health. She provides training and consultation services in aging and teaches in the MSW program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. Nancy facilitates the applied aspects of the Program's later sections.

Marian Mullahy, MSS, University of Pennsylvania's Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, will cover the alcoholism and managed behavioral health units.

Behavioral Health & Aging Certificate Program Schedule: 2025

 Sessions will meet from 9:00AM - Noon

All sessions will be held virtually, via Zoom

Unit 1: Psychological Changes

1/7/25         Session 1: Psychological Concerns in Late Life

1/14/25       Session 2:  Physical Changes and Illness in Later Life

1/21/25      Session 3:  Social Issues in Later Life

Unit 2:  Mental Illness in Later Life  

1/28/25      Session 1:  Chronic Mental Illness

2/4/25        Session 2:  Recognizing Depression

2/11/25      Session 3: Schizophrenia

Unit 3:  Dementia

2/18/25       Session 1:  Overview of Dementia

2/25/25       Session 2:  Specific Dementia and Excess Disability

3/4/25         Session 3:   Caregiver Concerns and Delirium

Unit 4:  Case Analysis

3/11/25       Session 1: Case Applications: Drawing on Material from Unit 1-3

3/18/25      Session 2: Case Applications Cont’d, w/ Special Attention on Working w/ Families

Unit 5:  Working Within Systems

3/25/25      Session 1: Understanding the Aging and the Mental Health Systems - Networking and Cross-System Issues

4/1/25         Session 2: Advocating on Behalf of Older Consumers - Ethical Issues

4/8/25         Session 3: Medicare/Medicaid and Community HealthChoices

4/15/25       Special Module: Alcoholism in Late Life

4/22/25       Special Topic Session: Behavioral Health under Managed Care

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