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BU’s Bostonia: Boston Firefighter and CADER Learner Pursues MSW to Better Assist Community
Speaking to BU’s Bostonia, Boston firefighter Abdul Jabbar Muhammad (MSW’25) shares how performing wellness checks on community members inspired him to complete three CADER certificates. Bolstered by his experience at CADER, Muhammad enrolled in a Master of Social Work program at BU School of Social Work to better connect underserved neighbors with essential services.
Excerpt from “This Boston Firefighter Wants to Help the Elderly—So He’s Becoming a Social Worker, Too” by Molly Callahan, originally posted in Bostonia:
‘We realized quickly that we needed to find a way to bring therapy sessions or support groups for these calls that we were getting,’ Muhammad says. ‘We were up to about 1,000 inspections, it’s still growing beyond what we can even imagine, and it’s because these folks just keep to themselves. There are mental health needs and support needs beyond what our one team could provide.’
Searching for training that could bolster his skillset, Muhammad found Boston University’s Center for Aging & Disability Education & Research (CADER), and soon completed three certificate programs it offered: Behavioral Health in Aging, Ethics and Legal Principles, and Core Issues in Aging and Disability. He also took a course called Hoarding Disorder in Older Adults.