Harborview Medical Center (HMC) is the region's only Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center. Patients are referred to Harborview from Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho for treatment for trauma, burns, complex orthopedic injuries, neurosurgical interventions, HIV/AIDS, sexual assault, mental health services and other specialty treatments. The medical center also is home to more than 50 primary, specialty and sub-specialty clinics. Harborview is owned by the residents of King County, governed by a board of trustees appointed by the King County Council, and managed by the University of Washington and is licensed for 413 beds.

The Memory and Brain Wellness Center (MBWC) is part of the UW Medicine Neurosciences Institute and physically located at Harborview Medical Center. We aim to promote the well-being of people with memory loss and their families, through exceptional care in our outpatient memory clinic, scientific discovery in our associated Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and community outreach with our support and education programs located at our new community center, the Memory Hub. This practicum placement is at the Memory Hub, a few blocks from Harborview. Learn more about the MBWC overall at www.depts.washington.edu/mbwc and the Memory Hub in particular at www.thememoryhub.org.

The student will build the following skills:

· Group facilitation

· Community outreach

· Networking and partnership development

· Public speaking

· Program development, management and evaluation

· Understanding of dementia and aging, dementia services, and implementation of state dementia policy

· Other areas of interest within macro and mezzo social work

N/A

The practicum placement will provide learning opportunities in macro and mezzo level social work practice, particularly community outreach and community education, policy and program implementation, and group work. Under supervision of the director of the Memory Hub, the practicum student will focus on the following:

· Co-facilitating a weekly caregiver support group

· Performing community outreach to increase access to Memory Hub programs and resources among underserved communities

· Supporting expansion of the Dementia Friends public awareness program in King County (www.dementiafriendsusa.org), by developing community partnerships and being trained to offer dementia awareness presentations

· Other areas of interest, including the potential to become involved with programs and projects offered by partner organizations that are co-located at the Memory Hub (the Alzheimer’s Association, Full Life Care, Elderwise and the Frye Art Museum).

The practicum placement will provide learning opportunities in macro and mezzo level social work practice, particularly community outreach and community education, policy and program implementation, and group work. Under supervision of the director of the Memory Hub, the practicum student will focus on the following:

· Co-facilitating a weekly caregiver support group

· Performing community outreach to increase access to Memory Hub programs and resources among underserved communities

· Supporting expansion of the Dementia Friends public awareness program in King County (www.dementiafriendsusa.org), by developing community partnerships and being trained to offer dementia awareness presentations

· Other areas of interest, including the potential to become involved with programs and projects offered by partner organizations that are co-located at the Memory Hub (the Alzheimer’s Association, Full Life Care, Elderwise and the Frye Art Museum).

A qualified candidate will meet the following requirements:

· Commitment to building an inclusive community for older adults and persons with dementia

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills

· Reliable and dependable

· Able to work independently in a community outreach role

· Comfortable in a dynamic, innovative work environment

Personal experience with people with memory loss or dementia is preferred but not required

Students meeting placement requirements should submit a cover letter and resume to Rachelle White at raden@uw.edu. If you are seeking to start your placement in the summer, please include this information in your cover letter. If you have questions prior to submitting your resume, please contact Rachelle at 206.744.2658. Interviews will be completed, selections made, and students notified by the UW SSW deadline.

Practicum Instructor: Marigrace Becker, MSW