Strengths-Based Care Management for Older Adults By Becky Fast, M.S.W., M.P.A., and Rosemary Chapin, Ph.D.

Becky Fast, M.S.W., M.P.A.

Becky Fast, M.S.W., M.P.A., is Coordinator of Constituent Casework Services for U.S. Representative Dennis Moore of Kansas’s Third Congressional District. She joined Congressman Moore’s staff in 1999 after serving as an adjunct professor and Manager of Long-Term Care Research and Training in the School of Social Welfare at the University of Kansas. She holds master’s degrees in social work and public administration from the University of Kansas.

Fast has developed numerous training programs specifically on the strengths perspective for social work students and care managers working with older adults. In addition, she has designed and delivered specialized training workshops on elder abuse, dementia, and mental illness for field staff with the Kansas Department on Aging and the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

During her tenure at the University of Kansas, Fast conducted, in collaboration with the state Medicaid agency, several program evaluations of state-funded nursing facility and home and community-based services. She also has taught gerontology and care management courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and has presented at national and international seminars and conferences. Ms. Fast has direct client experience in a nursing facility and a home health care agency and in hospital care.

Rosemary Chapin, Ph.D.

Rosemary Chapin, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare. She received a Ph.D. in Social Work form the University of Minnesota. Dr. Chapin has extensive teaching, research, policy, and program development experience in the long-term care arena. She worked for 5 years for the Minnesota Department of Human Services in their long-term care unit, where her responsibilities included research and development of innovative long-term initiatives.

Use of the strengths perspective in policy development and long-term care management is an important component of Dr. Chapin’s teaching and research. She has been involved in long-term care practices. Projects have included piloting a system for expediting home-and community-based service delivery to frail older adults at risk for nursing facility placement, evaluating the nursing facility preadmission screening program, collaborating with state staff to develop a community reentry program for high-functioning nursing facility residents, and developing and delivering training for long-term care case managers.