Has the Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education been evaluated for success?
The HPPAE pilot project, begun in 1999 and supported by the John A. Hartford Foundation, involved six demonstration sites made up of 11 graduate social work programs nationwide. Evaluation of the pilot has shown that by strengthening MSW field education programs, the demonstration sites have produced an increase in students electing to specialize in gerontology. Of the more than 400 students took part in the first three years of the program, 80 percent went on to pursue careers in the field of aging. Their work settings were primarily hospitals and social service agencies; many focused on mental health, case management and public policy and advocacy. Ninety-eight percent of the students surveyed said their HPPAE experiences were highly relevant and valuable to their current professional work. Thanks to the success of the initial pilot, the John A. Hartford Foundation has engaged the Social Work Leadership Institute to support an additional 35 sites with the ultimate goal of supporting
