Gerontology Professional Certificate

WV DHHR Adult Services and the WVU School of Social Work are currently working on a project to bring a Gerontology Professional Certificate to WVU. The aim of this program is to deepen the knowledge and advance professional preparedness for West Virginia DHHR adult services workers to provide support and services to vulnerable adults to improve the safety, well-being and independence of adults coping with abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and financial exploitation. The curriculum will be designed in an online format using the Blackboard Learning Management System at DHHR.

The course will include fifteen online training modules. Each module will take approximately 1.0 contact hour to complete. Topics will include:

  1. Aging in contemporary American society

  2. Dying, death, bereavement, and widowhood

  3. Retirement and economic aspects of aging

  4. Policy: Social security

  5. Policy: Medicare and Medicaid

  6. Social inequality and determinants of health; trauma

  7. Physical aging and health

  8. Psychological aspects of aging and mental disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety,substance use)

  9. Aging in rural communities: Families, friends, social supports

  10. Dementia (Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias)

  11. Engaging and interviewing; engaging reluctant clients and systems

  12. Assessing decision-making capacity

  13. Financial exploitation; legal issues

  14. Grandparenting

  15. Congregate care: Assisted living and nursing home

Principal Investigator: Deana F. Morrow, PhD, LICSW, ACSW  

Co-Investigator: Mandy Weirich, LSW, MSW

Project Coordinator: Hanna Thurman, MSW, LCSW, MPA

Check back in here for project updates, training schedule, and registration updates!