Hyman J. Weiner Award

Known to many Society members and other peers around the country as “Hy,” Hyman J Weiner was a great social work leader, inspiring teacher, and thoughtful researcher who was instrumental in the advancement of the practice of social work in health care settings. A professor at Columbia University School of Social Work, until his untimely death in 1980, Hy was one of the first directors of the SSWLHC’s Social Work Administration in Health Care Program (formerly known as the 13 Month Course in Social Work Management), then co-sponsored by Columbia. Consistently popular as a lecturer at the Society’s annual meetings, he made learning a great joy.

Award Purpose, Expectations of Nominees

This award honors an SSWLHC member who typifies Hyman J. Weiner’s outstanding qualities as a teacher, scholar, advocate, change agent and humorous and compassionate person. Candidates will be evaluated for their demonstration of these qualities, as well as for their excellence in their field as described below.

Award Criteria

Work and has made outstanding contributions to the profession through research, publications and/ or teaching in one of the following arenas:

  • Innovative application of new thinking and practice in the arena of health care social work leadership
  • Introduction and/or development of the social work role in a new program or area of health care
  • Creative planning and improvement of social work staff development and student field instruction in health care
  • Promotion of school and field alliance in social work health care education

Winner Receives

  • Personalized, specially engraved award presented at the Opening Banquet dinner with two minutes to accept
  • Annual Meeting Conference Registration fee will be waived
  • Bulletin board at the conference

Previous Recipients

Year Recipient
1983Frances Nason
1984Alex Gitterman
1985Abraham Lurie
1986Donna King
1987Barbara Berkman
1988Claudia Coulton
1989Sylvia Clark
1990Thomas Owen Carlton
1991Candyce Berger
1992Kermit Nash
1993Kay Davidson
1994Hans S. Falck
1995Zelda Foster
1996Charles L. Robbins
1997Richard D. Woodrow
1998William J. Spitzer
1999Sona Euster
2000Susan Blumenfield
2001Susan Saunders
2002Margaret Dietz
2003Jane Parker-Domanski
2004Patricia Kolar
2005Ann Daniels
2006Susan Matorin
2007Judith Trachtenberg
2008Edward Woomer
2009No Recipient
2010William Tietjen
2011M. Carlean Gilbert
2012No Recipient
2013Carolyn Messner
2014Linda Brandeis
2015Polly Jones
2016Mary Norris Brown
2017Shirley Otis-Green
2018No Recipient
2019No Recipient
2020No Recipient