Mona Basta Receives the 2003 Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship from the National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF)

For more information about the award, please click here.

Washington — The National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) is pleased to name Mona Basta, MSW, as the recipient of the 2003 Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship for her dissertation research in welfare policy and practice.  Ms. Basta is researching the specific pathways through which former welfare recipients make child care decisions,  and to inform policy and practice based on a greater understanding of these choices.

According to Ms. Basta’s research proposal, single mothers who leave Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) often report problems with child care that interfere with their attendance and performance at work.  Additionally, many experience difficulties in coordinating childcare and transportation arrangements due to their often variable and non-traditional work schedules.

Ms. Basta’s dissertation will present the information single mothers receive about child care alternatives and financial assistance, and identify the people, organizations, and other sources from which they obtain this information.  Finally, she will demonstrate how parents evaluate this information and select child care providers.

Ms. Basta expects to complete her research in November 2004. 

Currently, Ms. Basta is enrolled in the doctoral program in social welfare at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work. She earned her master’s degree in social work from Temple University, and her bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore. 

The Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship Program provides partial support to doctoral students engaged in dissertation research in welfare policy and practice. The fellowship program was established in 1987 as a tribute to Eileen Blackey, who was dean of the School of Social Welfare at University of California-Los Angeles, and was a pioneer in the planning and use of staff development programs in both public welfare agencies and the U.S. Veterans Administration.  For more information about the Eileen Blackey Doctoral Fellowship Program please click here: http://www.naswfoundation.org/blackey.html

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, DC, is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with 150,000 members.  It promotes, develops and protects the practice of social work and social workers.  NASW also seeks to enhance the well being of individuals, families and communities through advocacy.