"Making Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research" is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions.
This event is supported by funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this project do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Gov.
Policy Changes to Promote Better Quality of Life for People with Serious Mental Health Conditions Living in U.S. Nursing Homes
"Making Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research" is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions.
This presentation will review a recently published article outlining policy changes needed to improve the quality of life for individuals with serious mental health conditions (SMHC) residing in U.S. nursing homes. People with SMHC often face quality of care concerns and limited access to appropriate mental health services in these settings. Key recommendations include: 1) Expanding Medicaid coverage to provide comprehensive mental health services in nursing homes, 2) Requiring specialized training for nursing home staff on caring for residents with SMHC, 3) Increasing funding for transitional care programs to help those with SMHC move from nursing homes to community-based living, and 4) Enhancing data collection and reporting on the mental health needs and outcomes of nursing home residents. Implementing these reforms would represent an important step toward addressing longstanding disparities in the care provided to this vulnerable population. The lead author will review these challenges, recommendations, and future steps.
Evan Plys, PhD, ABPP is a licensed clinical psychologist board-certified in clinical geropsychology. He currently is an Assistant Professor at Massachusetts General Hospital in the Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research and in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. His funded program of research investigates psychological intervention approaches for short-term, post-acute care residents with depression as well as long-term nursing home residents with dementia and serious mental health conditions. Clinically, he specializes in nursing home consultation and dementia caregiver mental health.
*Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery
28 May 2026
Rationale for and Design of an Exercise Program to Improve Physical Function in Older Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions
Making Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions.
*Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery
Presentation: Rationale for and Design of an Exercise Program to Improve Physical Function in Older Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions
This presentation will discuss physical function in older adults with serious mental health conditions as well as the rationale for and preliminary design of an exercise program for this population.
Dr. Julia Browne is the Research Director of the Wellness and Recovery After Psychosis (WRAP) Program at Boston Medical Center and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine. Her research program, which is primarily focused on developing and evaluating health-promoting interventions (e.g., exercise) for young, middle-aged and older adults with serious mental health conditions, has been supported by institutional and federal grants and disseminated in more than 70 peer-reviewed publications. In addition to her research, she is a licensed psychologist who provides individual and family treatment to individuals with serious mental health conditions and supervises psychology trainees.
10 Dec 2025
People Living with Serious Mental Health Conditions in Nursing Homes: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Federal Preadmission Screening Program (PASRR), with Dr. Taylor Bucy
Making Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions. *Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery
Presentation: "People Living with Serious Mental Health Conditions in Nursing Homes: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Federal Preadmission Screening Program (PASRR)"
The federal Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) program was enacted in the 1980s amid concerns surrounding the quality of nursing home (NH) care. This program is meant to serve as a tool to assist with level of care determinations for nursing home applicants with serious mental health conditions (SMHC) and was intended to limit the growth in the number of nursing home residents with SMHC. Despite this policy effort, the prevalence of SMHC in nursing homes has continued to increase, and little is known about the mechanisms behind the limitations of the PASRR program. This presentation shares results of 20 semi-structured interviews conducted with state and national stakeholders to identify factors affecting PASRR program administration and nursing home care for residents with SMHC.
Dr. Taylor Bucy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Her research critically examines the role of long-term and post-acute care services within the broader healthcare delivery system and seeks to identify areas for meaningful organizational improvement in the structures and processes that facilitate the delivery of high-quality, high-value care to medically and socially complex older adults. Dr. Bucy earned her PhD in health services research, policy & administration from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
8 Apr 2025
Episode 4_“Enhancing Behavioral Health Competencies for Senior Center Staff Through Workforce Development and Training” with Bronwyn Keefe MSW, MPH, PhD
“Enhancing Behavioral Health Competencies for Senior Center Staff Through Workforce Development and Training” with Bronwyn Keefe MSW, MPH, PhDMaking Sense of S.I.L.V.E.R.* Research is a webinar series, designed for everyone! It presents a recent, relevant research study in clear, understandable language, with time for you to ask questions. “Enhancing Behavioral Health Competencies for Senior Center Staff Through Workforce Development and Training” with Bronwyn Keefe PhD, MSW, MPH This webinar describes an online certificate program in Behavioral Health and Aging offered by the Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research at Boston University School of Social Work in collaboration with the National Council on Aging to increase senior center staff knowledge and skills. A total of 228 staff at Senior Centers in Illinois, Florida, and Wisconsin completed the online certificate program. This presentation will cover: 1. The extent to which training participants mastered the competencies needed for effective practice 2. Knowledge and skills gained from the training program 3. Senior Centers’ capacity to identify and refer older adults to mental health services 4. Organizational changes related to behavioral health programming with older adults. Bronwyn Keefe, PhD, MSW, MPH is Boston University School of Social Work’s (BUSSW) Assistant Dean of Workforce and Professional Development, Research Associate Professor, and Director of BUSSW’s Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research (CADER). Keefe has been funded on many behavioral health projects, focusing on building the capacity of providers and communities in understanding the importance of mental health, substance use, and developing age-friendly initiatives to improve the lives of older adults.*Supporting Individuals to Live as Vibrant Elders in Recovery
14 Nov 2024
Can the Science of Wellbeing Enhance Aging for Older Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions? w/ Lydia Ogden
Lydia Ogden explores how wellbeing research can enhance aging for older adults with serious mental health conditions, offering new hope for improving life satisfaction and reducing feelings of isolation.
29 Jul 2024
Episode 2_"Old Before Their Time", with Michelle R. Zechner PhD.
Michelle R. Zechner PhD shares groundbreaking research on how middle-aged adults with serious mental health conditions experience accelerated physical decline, impacting daily life and independence.
18 Apr 2024
Episode 1_Promoting Recovery Among Older Adults w/Serious Mental Health Conditions, w/ Nathaniel A. Dell, PhD.
Nathaniel A. Dell, PhD, discusses how his research team promotes recovery among older adults with serious mental health conditions through evidence-based practices and community resources.
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