VCU School of Social Work

International exchange

“International social work — it’s always a two way process. We learn from them and they learn from us. I work on short-term treatment models, and I usually go to Germany, Switzerland, Korea and Japan. I work with the social workers there to study their models and then see how we can apply them here.

“People are usually very engaged and very excited about the possibilities of learning from each other and exchanging with each other. I think the classroom is much livelier when I teach from my experiences rather than from the book.

“I love teaching, and I am very student focused. The VCU School of Social Work is a place that provides a great environment for research and teaching and also for students to learn. It’s a place that is open to exploring new opportunities.”

Education

• Ph.D. – University of Albany, Albany, N.Y.
• M.S.W. – Catholic School of Social Work, University of Applied Science, Munich, Germany
• German Degree of Dipl. Sozialarbeiter – determined equivalent to M.S.W. from accredited program by Council on Social Work Education

Research interests

• Gerontology and geriatric social work
• Task-centered practice and short-term treatment
• International social work

Courses taught

• Social and Behavioral Science Foundations for Social Work
• Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups I
• Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups II
• Introduction to Research Methodology
• Clinical Research I
• Clinical Research II
• Task-Centered Social Work
• Social Work in the U.S.
• International Social Work Study Abroad in Germany

Selected publications

Books

• Naleppa, M.J., & Reid, W.J. (2003). Gerontological social work: A task-centered approach. New York: Columbia University Press.

• Naleppa, M.J. (1992). Berufsverbände der Sozialarbeit: Struktur und Funktion von Berufsverbänden der Sozialarbeit in der BRD und den USA im Vergleich [Professional associations of social work: Structure and function of professional associations of social work in the Federal Republic of Germany and the USA in comparison]. Grafing, Germany: Dobel Verlag. (136 pages, German).

Articles

• Naleppa, M.J. & Cagle, J. (2007). “Adult Day Care.” In Mezey M.D., Bottrell M., Berkman, B.J., Callahan C.M., Fulmer T., Mitty E.L., Paveza G.J., Siegler E.L., & Strumpf N.E. The encyclopedia of elder care: The comprehensive resource on geriatric and social care (2nd ed.). New York: Springer.

• Naleppa, M.J. & Cagle J. (in print). “Senior transportation.” In Mezey M.D., Bottrell M., Berkman, B.J., Callahan C.M., Fulmer T., Mitty E.L., Paveza G.J., Siegler E.L., & Strumpf N.E. The encyclopedia of elder care: The comprehensive resource on geriatric and social care (2nd ed.). New York: Springer.

• Naleppa, M.J. (2007). Social work in the community: Case management services. In Berkman, B. (Ed.). Handbook of social work in aging. Oxford University Press.

• Naleppa, M.J. (2004). A model of case management. Collaborative Case Management, 2, 4-8.

• Naleppa, M.J. (2003). Geriatric case management and social work practice. In B. Berkman, & L. Harootyan. Social work and health care in an aging world: Informing education, policy, practice, and research. New York: Springer.

• Maramaldi, P., & Naleppa, M.J. (2003). Late adulthood. Chapter in E. Hutchison, Dimensions of human behavior: The changing life course (2nd. ed). Pine Forge Press.

Professional affiliations

• Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work
• Council on Social Work Education
• Deutscher Berufsverband für Sozialarbeit, Sozialpädagogik, und Heilpädagogik
• Gerontological Society of America
• National Association of Social Workers
• Practice Research Society
• Society for Social Work Research