University of Pittsburgh to Establish Training Unit at Federation

The University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Social Work has received a five-year grant from the National Institute of Health to establish a training unit at the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh for the purpose of enabling students to become familiar with a broad spectrum of services to the aged, it was announced here today.

The $27, 000-a-year grant will provide for a field instructor and up to six first and second-year graduate case-work students to work with the Federation’s affiliated agencies providing services to the aged. The agencies involved in this program are: Montefiore Hospital, Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged, Jewish Family and Children’s Service, Riverview Apartments (a retirement home for the well elderly), Bickur Cholim Convalescent and Nursing Home, and the YM & YWHA-Irene Kaufmann Centers.

Dean William McCullough, of the Graduate School of Social Work, announced the appointment of Herbert Rosenberg as field instructor for the unit. Presently studying for his doctoral degree at the GSW, Mr. Rosenberg has had 12 years experience with mental health clinics in Cleveland and Youngstown. The unit will work out of the Federation building.

Dean McCullough stated that the university applied for the grant because the Federation and its agencies offer a wide array of interconnected and coordinated services to the aged which is unique in the city of Pittsburgh.

“The Federation’s cooperation in this program, ” he said, “will make it possible for a student to have an unusual experience in this vitally important and expanding field of service. At the same time they are learning about the problems of the aged and how the agencies offer social work, medical and housing services, they will be participating in the process. We believe that this will encourage many of them to continue in this field following their graduation.”