Central to SPOP’s mission is a commitment to expanding the knowledge and skills base among direct service providers, volunteers, and other stakeholders at the intersection of aging and mental health. We offer on-site group training in the New York City region and live webinar trainings without regard to geographic location. We are an accredited continuing education provider for New York State-licensed social workers. 

Training topics include:

• Identifying Mental Illness in Older Adults
• Aspirational Aging
• Engaging with Challenging Behaviors
• Recognizing and Working with Suicidality in Older Adults
• Loss and Bereavement
• Hiding in Plain Sight:  Substance Misuse in Older Adults
• Hands-On Self-Care for Addressing Trauma

We also develop customized trainings to address emerging issues in the field; some customized trainings we have delivered recently include: 

• Grief and Loss During the Pandemic
• Addressing Caregiver Distress
• Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills with Older Adults
• Working Affirmatively with LGBT Older Adults
• Gathering Once Again: The Challenges of Re-Entry
  
  Our trainers are all clinicians with client-based experience at the intersection of aging and mental health.  Our approach is informed by a deep understanding of real-world situations and the complex interplay between aging and overall well-being.