Philadelphia Corporation for Aging Training Catalog

Format: Virtual | Level: Foundational to Intermediate | Duration: 15 Half-day Sessions.

**NB - PLEASE ADD ALL SESSION DATES TO YOUR CALENDAR!**

Course Description: 

 The program requires participants to complete 45 hours of classroom training (15 half-day sessions).  The curriculum tries to balance theoretical and applied considerations, emphasizing state- of- the- art understandings of the current geriatric behavioral health literature as well as best clinical practices.  Major topical areas include:

• An overview of the aging process, focusing on the behavioral health implications of aging
• A survey of behavioral illness in late life, including schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and depression
• A consideration of alcohol abuse and dementia in older adults

The curriculum also includes:

• Case analysis
• Material on negotiating systems, ethics and the role of advocacy
• Behavioral health under managed care which examines the changing context of current behavioral health
• A short unit on complementary or alternative approaches to health and behavioral health.

To date, 500+ participants from a variety of agencies have completed the program. The full 45 hour program will be offered once each year. Participants have up to 2 years or 2 program cycles to complete coursework for the full Certificate Program. Three CEUs will be awarded for each of the fifteen sessions.

 Who Should Attend:   Staff of the behavioral health system and the aging system are the primary audiences the program was created to engage all staff serving older persons with behavioral health needs beyond these systems will also benefit from this comprehensive focus on the behavioral health issues of aging adults. 

Program Faculty: 

Maureen Gibney, PsyD, who has served as a neuropsychologist, teacher, and trainer, covers the opening half of the curriculum. Faculty – Drexel University, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Nancy Morrow, MSW, draws on more than 35 years of experience in a variety of roles in community-based long-term care and geriatric behavioral health. She provides training and consultation services in aging and teaches in the MSW program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. Nancy facilitates the applied aspects of the Program's later sections.

Behavioral Health & Aging Certificate Program Schedule: 2026

 Sessions will meet from 9:00AM - Noon, virtually - via Zoom 

Unit 1: Psychological Changes

1/13/26        Session 1: Psychological Concerns in Late Life

1/15/26        Session 2:  Physical Changes and Illness in Later Life

1/20/26       Session 3:  Social Issues in Later Life  

Unit 2:  Mental Illness in Later Life  

1/27/26       Session 1:  Chronic Mental Illness

2/3/26         Session 2:  Recognizing Depression

2/10/26       Session 3: Schizophrenia

Unit 3:   Dementia

2/17/26        Session 1:  Overview of Dementia

2/24/26        Session 2:  Specific Dementia and Excess Disability

3/3/26          Session 3:   Caregiver Concerns and Delirium

Unit 4:  Case Analysis

3/10/26        Session 1: Case Applications: Drawing on Units 1-3                         

3/17/26       Session 2: Case Applications Cont’d, w/ Attention on            Working w/ Families                                  

Unit 5:  Working Within Systems

3/24/26       Session 1: Understanding the Aging and the Mental Health                       Systems - Networking and Cross-System Issues

3/31/26        Session 2: Advocating on Behalf of Older Consumers -                              Ethical Issues

4/7/26           Session 3: Trends in Behavioral Health and Aging I: LTSS                         Managed Care, Integrated Care Models, Behavioral Health                         Under Managed Care

4/14/26        Session 4: Trends in Behavioral Health and Aging II: Social                      Health, Age-Friendly Movement, Agism