@article{fdaec2d97d4c48cd8dbc2606cee96bf4,
title = "Linking the NIH strategic plan to the research agenda for social workers in health and aging",
abstract = "Although social work has a long and distinctive tradition of practice-relevant research aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of older adults, the profession has been underrepresented among the ranks of academic researchers and the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) scientific endeavors. In this article, the inherent capacities of social workers to generate and disseminate empirical health-related knowledge are discussed and recent developments in social work's geriatric research infrastructure are described. Emerging domains for advancing the profession's contribution to practice-relevant geriatric research on the federal level are identified and the next steps toward advancing the field's research agenda are posed.",
keywords = "Aging and health, Geriatric research, Research infrastructure, Social work research agenda",
author = "Raveis, {Victoria H.} and Gardner, {Daniel S.} and Barbara Berkman and Linda Harootyan",
note = "Funding Information: On a federal level, the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences convened a cross-institute workgroup in 2003 to develop the NIH Plan for Social Work Research, in response to a congressional request (NIH, 2003). The resulting report led to the NIH Summer Institutes for social work researchers in 2004 and 2006 focused on skills-building in the design and execution of social intervention research. At the same time, the National Institute of Aging (NIA, 2007) funded a multiyear training institute in geriatric research to prepare social work researchers to develop proposals to obtain funding from federal research agencies. There has also been a growing commitment to aging and health among social work professional organizations (i.e., the National Association of Social Workers, the Council on Social Work Education, the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research and the Society for Social Work Research). Funding Information: When the NIH unveiled its strategic plan for the 21st century, social work researchers were presented with the opportunity to meaningfully advance the profession{\textquoteright}s scientific agenda on the federal level. Although social work had not previously played a significant role in NIH-sponsored research in aging and health care, the strategic plan and other federal initiatives (e.g., the president{\textquoteright}s New Freedom Initiative on Mental Health; Healthy People 2010 and 2020) provided the impetus to underscore the scientific resources and expertise that social workers could bring to this arena. In response, the Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program, with funding from the John A. Hartford foundation, convened an invitational Social Work Leadership Retreat in April 2004 highlighting geriatric research. The retreat was the first national effort to promote dialogue and consensus-building within social work regarding research accomplishments in health and aging, as well as to foster strategic alliances to further advance on a federal level the social work research agenda in this area. Funding Information: In addition, supported by funds under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act or ARRA), Public Law 111–5, the NIH recently issued a groundbreaking initiative: “RFA-OD-090004—Recovery Act Limited Competition for NIH Grants: Research and Research Infrastructure {\textquoteleft}Grand Opportunities{\textquoteright} (RC2)”. Under this initiative, the various institutes at the NIH will award approximately $200 million of ARRA funds by September 30, 2010 to support meritorious applications across a broad range of topic areas, providing additional opportunities for social work research in health and aging.",
year = "2010",
doi = "10.1080/01634370903361953",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "53",
pages = "77--93",
journal = "Journal of Gerontological Social Work",
issn = "0163-4372",
publisher = "Routledge",
number = "1",
}