NASW Foundation National Programs
HIV/AIDS Spectrum:  Mental Health Training &
Education of Social Workers Project

NASW continues to implement a five-year contract (2004-2009) with the Center for Mental Health Services, a division of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. With the award of this $750,000 contract, NASW will continue to provide training, education, and technical assistance to social workers dealing with the mental health issues of living with HIV/AIDS.

The HIV/AIDS Spectrum contract is implementing curricula developed during the project's tenure (1995-present). The project provides skill-building workshops for social workers, and distance-learning materials via the world-wide Web. Direct training of practitioners occurs in all the years of the project, and is delivered through continuing education programs offered through collaboration with NASW's chapters, Regional AIDS Education and Training Centers, other professional associations and community-based agencies. Continuing education units is available in collaboration with the NASW Office of Continuing Education.

The tasks of the project are:

• to update and expand existing NASW curricula that addresses the educational needs of practicing social workers who provide services to the broad range of populations affected by and living with HIV/AIDS;
• to develop and implement a training program that  targets social workers in rural populations;
• to provide training to social workers serving populations increasingly affected by HIV/AIDS;
• to update and expand the Training of Trainers program;
• to provide technical assistance to social workers via the NASW Web site; and
• to develop and pilot test content for NASW’s WebEd programming.

Click here to view more information about the HIV/AIDS Spectrum Project.