HEALS Scholar Student Application
For Academic Year 2018-2019
Social Work HEALS: Social Work Health Care Education and Leadership Scholars was created to develop the next generation of health care social work leaders who will stand ready to lead efforts to address system-level changes, to heighten awareness of prevention and wellness, and to address the issues of structural racism that are embedded in social institutions.
MSU Denver will select four students annually (two BSSW students and two MSW students) over a five-year period who will become Social Work HEALS Scholars. Each HEALS Scholar will commit to focused health care social work education, a health care-based field placement, and travel to a 2-day health care social work education and policy event in Washington, DC. Selected students will receive a total of $5,500. Specifically, $4,000 of that amount will be in stipend funds and up to $1,500 of it will support travel expenses to attend the policy and education event. Selected schools will form a consortium to share resources and lessons learned over the course of the five years.
MSU Denver Department of Social Work welcomes you to apply to become a HEALS Scholar. Step 1) Finalists will be selected after a committee reviews application materials. Step 2) Finalists will be required to interview with project faculty and prospective placements in February 2018.
Student Application Materials Include (descriptions of each are found in this document):
1. Student Application
2. A Student Essay
3. Two Letters of Recommendation.
HOW TO APPPY: Deadline for Submission of Student Application Materials: February 10th at 11:59pm. The student is to PLEASE submit Student Application (Parts A, B & C) and Essay to the Lead HEALS Faculty Coordinator Dr. Jess Retrum, . Letters of Recommendation are to be sent directly from the recommender directly to the Lead HEALS Faculty Coordinator (Dr. Jess Retrum ). Electronic signatures/ typed signatures are suggested.
If you have further questions, please contact the HEALS Faculty Coordinators: Dr. Jess Retrum, or Dr. Tanya Greathouse ().
STUDENT APPLICATION
(Complete Parts A, B & C)
Student Name: / 900#:Student Email: / Phone #:
PART A – STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
Which program will you be in Academic Year 2018-2019? (BSSW or MSW): ______
What is your current GPA?: ______
Students who are selected to be HEALS Scholars must meet the following criteria. Please indicate if you meet and/or you agree to meet EACH of these criteria by typing YES or NO next to items 1-10. HEALS Scholars agree to:
1. Be in good academic standing (GPA 2.67 BSSW; GPA 3.0 MSW): ______
2. Registered and complete health-related coursework in the BSW or MSW curriculum during the year they are HEALS Scholars (see COURSE WORK ELIGIBILITY section below) ______
3. As part of their research sequence, student is engaged in evaluation project. Student will commit to a selection that has to do with social work practice in health care______
4. Complete a health-related field practicum in an agency that meets the criteria for the HEALS Scholar program during the year as HEALS Scholars (see FIELD PLACEMENT OPTIONS below) ______
5. Participate in a 2-day policy and education workshop in Washington, DC (The travel award is up to $1500, dates of travel in Spring 2019, exact dates TBA). ______.
6. Participate in an online informational trainings coordinated by National CSWE HEALS office. ______
7. Attend regular seminars (2-3 each semester) about health care coordinated by HEALS faculty (not for academic credit) ______.
8. Commit to being a mentor for a future HEALS Scholar following graduation from the program (commitment would require 4-6 hours over one year) ______
9. Attend the Annual Palliative Social Work Conference in the Spring (Dates TBA, Paid by Department of Social Work) ______
10. Attend 1 professional development event that relates to Health Care and/or Integrated Care ______
PART B - COURSE WORK ELIGIBILITY
The following courses are part of the core courses for potential HEALS Scholars- the scholar must complete one of these courses. Please indicate which courses you have finished or which you agree to complete during the academic year 2016-2017. Please respond by typing one of the following responses next to the course names; “completed”, “will complete in 18-19”, “will complete a different time”. If you are/will be a BSSW student fill in the Undergraduate portion, if you are/will be a MSW student, complete the Graduate portion.
Undergraduate Student Course:
Social Work with the Older People (SWK) ______OR Case Management (SWK) ______
Graduate Students Course:
Health and Health Care (SWKM) ______OR Social Work in Health and Integrated Practice (SWKM) ______
PART C - FIELD PLACEMENT OPTIONS
The HEALS Team at MSU Denver Department of Social Work has secured 4 field placements that meet the following criteria that meet the HEALS requirements.
1. Field placement sites must have a health focus and provide opportunities for students in the following areas:
a. Affordable Care Act implementation
b. Inter-professional team practice
c. Evidence-based practice
d. High quality care coordination and family-centered engagement
e. Addressing issues of racial and health equity
f. Supporting underserved populations
2. Field Instructors will support HEALS Scholars by interacting with HEALS Faculty at MSU Denver and coordinate with HEALS Scholars field hours during the events required.
Students must agree to be placed at one of the agencies listed below. Type YES here if you agree: ______
BSSW Placements:
· Frasier Meadows Retirement Community, 4950 Thunderbird Dr., Boulder, CO 80303
· WestLake Care Community, 1655 Eaton Street, Lakewood, CO 80214
MSW Placements:
· Boulder Community Health: Family Medical Associates, 1000 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette, CO 80026
· Craig Hospital, 3425 S Clarkson St, Englewood, CO 80113
Insert Electronic Signature OR Type Student Name:______
ESSAY
Each student is required to write a one to two-page essay demonstrating their interest in and commitment to working in the health care arena – please include the following:
1. Commitment and passion for social work in health can and/or integrated social work practice in health care
2. Potential for leadership in health care
3. Experience with
a. serving historically underserved populations
b. those who experience health disparities
c. working with people facing health challenges
4. Being in good academic standing (GPA 2.67 BSW; GPA 3.0 MSW)
5. Preference will be given to students with multi-lingual/multi-ethnic experience.
The Essay and Student Application (Parts A, B & C) should be submitted before February 10th, 2018 at 11:59pm to the Lead HEALS Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Jess Retrum:
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Instructions (Applicants! Feel free to copy and paste parts of the instructions below when requesting letters of recommendations.):
Applicants must find two references to write a letter of recommendation by the HEALS Scholar applicant. The essay is expected to explain how the student shows a commitment and passion for integrated social work practice in health care, and/or potential for leadership and experience, and/or a commitment to serving historically underserved populations and those experiencing health disparities. We request that letters of reference communicate aptitude and potential that a student might have for not only being a high quality social worker in a health care setting but also a leader in the health care system. This might include an explanation of previous health related experience with historically underserved or populations experiencing health disparities and potential for leadership and a career in health related social work. We also hope that letters of recommendation will comment on the quality of these experiences and how the student managed them. Any additional information they can provide to determine the applicant’s ability and capacity to participate in the HEALS Scholar project is welcomed.
More information about the HEALS scholarship can be found here: http://www.msudenver.edu/socialwork/scholarshipsawards/healsscholarsprogram/ and at the national HEALS websites: CSWE http://www.cswe.org/cms/79270.aspx and NASW Foundation http://www.naswfoundation.org/social_work_heals.asp
Please make sure to include the student’s name on the letter of recommendation. Please email the letter to Dr. Jess Retrum, (letters with electronic signatures or typed names are acceptable).
The deadline for submitting letters recommendation is before February 10th, 2018 at 11:59pm.
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