8:00 am - 11:00 am (EST)

Session Title: "Courageous Leadership" 

When we think of courage, famous people such as spokespersons, celebrities, athletes, military generals, or highly recognizable leaders tend to come to mind. Popular discourse about leaders often leaves little room to explore the relevance of courageous action in our lives. When discussing courage in our society, we omit the social conditions that support the development of courageous qualities in people. Instead, courageous leaders are often thought of as somehow having the “it factor” of courage. They may be born that way, have a natural proclivity toward taking risks, a higher threshold for pain, or are innately adept at making wise choices when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. This is far from the truth however, as people are not born courageous but instead become courageous, as they become bolder with the support of key people around them.

In this program, Dr. Arthur Romano, explores how we all can deepen our study and practice of courageous leadership. He draws on extensive research of peacemakers and other people engaged in compassionate action around the world and grounds his work in nonviolence principles and key ideas that animated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this session, participants explore their attitudes and approaches toward conflict and inequality and engage with practical models that support self-reflection, connection to community and excellent communication in the face of deep challenges. What emerges is not an invincible courage, but a reconceptualization of the concept, the courageous need other people to succeed, and together we can learn to be courageous and build what Dr. King called the "beloved community".

CE Hours Awarded: 3

Dr. Arthur Romano

×

Dr. Arthur Romano

Arthur Romano is an Assistant Professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University and The Elise Boulding Scholar Practitioner for the National Peace Academy. He has over 20 years of experience serving as an educational advisor and developing transformative and experiential education with communities affected by conflict and violence.Dr. Romano came to the school with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing experiential educational programs on peace and conflict resolution related themes in a wide array of locales including in Asia, Africa, and Central America. He also co-developed the Diversity Matters Now workshop series, which explores issues related to identity and peacebuilding in colleges and universities across the US.His international work has focused on Hip Hop Diplomacy as he regularly works with US Hip Hop Artists engaging in cultural exchange work abroad through the Next Level Program as well as peace education in East Asia including implementation and evaluation of peace education and problem-solving programs in Japan and South Korea.He has published on issues related to Black-led truth-telling processes, grassroots peace and conflict resolution education and urban peacebuilding and is currently completing a book focused on community-led nonviolence education and the living legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in US cities impacted by systemic racism and economic inequality.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

Child welfare involvement has been shown to be a strong indicator of sex trafficking risk. When a child is removed from the home of origin due to maltreatment and placed in a foster or group home setting, trafficking risk may increase. Risk factors will be discussed as well as resilliency factors. The overall issue of trafficking risk within these special populations will be explored from a systems perspective which conceptualizes vulnerability within the context of societal supports such as mental health care, education and economic systems, and the accessibility of services. Prevention strategies for mitigating risk of trafficking for child welfare involved youth will be discussed.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority Hours and 1 Ethics Hour)

Miriam Elizabeth Bowman PhD, LICSW, LCSW-C

×

Miriam Elizabeth Bowman PhD, LICSW, LCSW-C

M. Elizabeth Bowman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Gallaudet University. She is also a minor domestic sex trafficking survivor, anti-trafficking advocate, mother of two teens, researcher, clinician, and speaker. In her clinical practice she works with trafficking survivors using trauma-informed yoga group therapy and also has a clinical practice supporting children and adolescents with anxiety and other challenges. She holds clinical social work licensure in DC and Maryland and is a Registered Yoga Teacher, RYT-200. Her research areas include the intersection of child welfare and sex trafficking, organizational culture and supervision in child welfare, and special populations issues in trafficking including LGBT, foster youth, and Deaf youth. She is the founder and executive director of the Restoring Ivy Collective in Washington, D.C., a survivor led organization which provides drop in services, group therapy, and support to survivors of sex trafficking with a focus on intentional community and sisterhood.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

Beacon: A Training for Schools is a solution focused and evidence-based training created for schools with higher rates of suspensions. Beacon is facilitated through a training that provides interactive information about relationship building, inherent bias, culturally modest and responsive classrooms, and how trauma impacts learning.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 1 Ethics hour)

Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, DSW

×

Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, DSW

Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, M.S., is a clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience in New York and Virginia. Cassie's work has focused on trauma-informed care in various communities, including acute hospital work, community social work and direct practice. Cassie has a history of working with nonprofits on micro and macro levels, including building programming and facilitating therapeutic training.Cassie has been teaching at VCU since 2019 in the M.S.W. Program. Her teaching interests include therapy models, trauma-informed care, evidence-based practices when working with adolescents, and clinical theory work. Cassie's research focuses on the school to prison pipeline and creating training for school staff focused on inherent bias, cultural humility, trauma and relationship building.Cassie maintains a small private practice, which focuses on adolescents and adults who have experienced sexual trauma, trauma within family of origin and PTSD. She also has extensive experience providing inclusive care for the LGBTQIA + population and those who have worked in sex work. In her practice, Cassie's goal is to be non-judgmental and highlight the strength of a person as a way to process trauma and life events. This is a client-led process, which allows a focus on future needs and outcomes. Additionally, Cassie incorporates a variety of techniques to empower clients, promote and identify resiliency and rebuild strengths.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

Technology has captivated the industry and changed the face of care delivery. Practitioners and patients can’t get enough, from digital devices, to innovative platforms and apps. Amid the pandemic, telehealth has become more norm than exception, though is it applicable for all? How up to speed are you on the legal, ethical, and practice parameters? This presentation provides the nuts and bolts of telehealth practice, from foundational knowledge, key elements and practices to alignment with established resources of guidance.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority Hours and 2 Ethics Hours)

Dr. Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

×

Dr. Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

Dr. Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP - Ellen Fink-Samnick is an award-winning industry entrepreneur who empowers healthcare's interprofessional workforce. She is a subject matter expert on Health Equity, Ethics, Professional Case Management Practice, Interprofessional Teams, and Trauma-informed Leadership. Her latest books include, The Essential Guide to Interprofessional Ethics for Healthcare Case Management, The Social Determinants of Health: Case Management's Next Frontier, End of Life Care for Case= Management, and upcoming Social Determinants of Mental Health: Advancing Wholistic Practice Excellence.

Ellen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-certified Case Manager, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Certified Rehabilitation Provider. She is recipient of the 2022 Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers for Virginia. Her academic appointments include the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, and George Mason University’s Departments of Social Work and Global Community Health. She is a clinical supervision trainer and instructor for the National Association of Social Workers of Virginia, lead for Rise Association’s Social Determinants of Health Community, moderator of Ellen’s Ethical LensTM on LinkedIn and author of the blog, Ellen’s Interprofessional Insights. Ellen is a consultant for the Case Management Institute, moderator of their Case Managers Community, and a Doctor of Behavioral Health candidate at Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies.

Ellen's fierce professional voice has been constant across her varied roles. She has served as a commissioner of the Commission for Case Manager Certification and Chair of their Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, as well as a past member of the Board of Directors for the Case Management Society of America. Ellen currently serves on the Gravity Project’s Intervention Council and was recently appointed to the national Coalition for Social Work and Health. She is a Board consultant to the American Association of Doctors of Behavioral Health, and editorial board member for the Professional Case Management Journal, and Case Management Monthly. Further information is available on her LinkedIn Profile.

 

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

Trauma and the effects on the brain can be complex, particularly when dealing with children and adolescents in play therapy. Various approaches to treatment exist depending on the type of trauma and the age of the child. This workshop will explore the difference between grief and trauma and the emotional aftermath that may ensue. Play therapy treatment to include restoration of self and reconnecting to the community will be discussed. Directive play therapy techniques to include sensory-based interventions will be demonstrated and practiced.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Nikole Jiggetts LCSW, RPT-S

×

Nikole Jiggetts LCSW, RPT-S

Nikole R. Jiggetts, LCSW practices as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, for the states of Virginia and Maryland. She is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Certified Trauma Practitioner, and author. She is the CEO and owner of Replay Counseling & Consulting (Also known as Replay Counseling Center, LLC.) She is a graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, with an MSW. Nikole has been working with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is passionate about providing individuals with the opportunity to work through their difficulties and begin to start feeling better about their lives utilizing expressive therapies. In addition to serving as an adjunct professor for the VCU School of Social Work, she is also a life coach, parenting consultant and a mother of two. Nikole also provides training for mental health clinicians in the states of Virginia and Maryland as well as the District of Columbia, for the past 12 years.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

"Getting old is for the birds", "It won't happen to me", "I'm young at heart". We've all heard these expressions, if not said them! Let's look at what it means to get old, some of the characteristics and the impact it has on you and others. "Let's Walk a Mile in their Shoes" using this interactive training about aging in society. This will allow you to better relate to the senior population you may encounter.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics Hours)

Supplies Needed prior to Virtual Presentation:

All these supplies will be used, please have them handy!

• Dark Sunglasses
• Magazine that has small/fine print
• Ear Plugs
• Pill bottle (safety cap style preferred) with pills
• Cotton Gloves (Winter type)
• Raw Popcorn kernels or Raw Rice kernels (small handful)
• Button up shirt (child size, if available)
• Blank paper and pen for verbal directions

Virginia Simmons CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, CFRDT

×

Virginia Simmons CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, CFRDT

Virginia Simmons, CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, CFRDT; has been working in the Health & Human Services Field for over 22 years and has at least 10 years of this working with clients with dementia. She has extensive experience with a multitude of people across a spectrum of settings, including In-patient Acute Rehab, Long Term Care, Assisted Living, Memory Care and Community Based Home Care. Virginia is a Certified Recreational Therapist with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreational Specialists. Within the last 10 years, Virginia became a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Care Trainer with the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. She has volunteered for the last 15 years on the Walk the End Alzheimer's Committee. Virginia started her own consulting and education-based business called Living Active Dementia in her hometown of Lynchburg, VA.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

A review of the literature reveals a paucity of anti-domestic violence ally programs that critically address the intersection of race and gender. To support more culturally sensitive approaches for engaging Black men as allies in domestic violence prevention and intervention, this workshop will share insight learned from field innovation and translate these concepts into practical strategies. The presenters will share insight from a series of town hall events about domestic violence for black men and the findings of a survey of barbers' interest in being allies in violence against Black women. The workshop will also advance a practice model founded on the Critical Race Theory (CRT) for engaging Black men as allies in anti-domestic violence work. This workshop will be critical training for practitioners, administrators, researchers, and academics in the areas of intimate partner violence or family violence.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW

×

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW, is an assistant professor at Norfolk State University with the School of Social Work and the founder and president of Communities in Power. She is the Chair of the Domestic Violence Committee for the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and the Vice Chair on the Social Services Advisory Commission (SSAC) for the Norfolk Department of Human Services. She serves on the Child Abuse and Neglect Advisory Committee for Family and Children's Trust Fund (FACT) of Virginia, the Child Welfare Advisory Committee for the Virginia Department of Social Services, and the Council on Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Diversity (CRECD) for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). She is the lead methodologist for NSU's School of Social Work evaluation services for the City of Norfolk's People First Initiative. Her research area is at the intersection of domestic violence and child maltreatment, examining children's exposure to domestic violence. She has authored publications in the areas of trauma, domestic violence, and child welfare. She has practice experience in domestic violence counseling and child protective services and teaching experience in undergraduate and graduate counseling and social work.

Courtney Pierce, BSOL

×

Courtney Pierce, BSOL

Courtney Pierce is the Anti-Trafficking Outreach and Direct Service Coordinator for Samaritan House. She also chairs the Black/African American Advisory Committee at Samaritan House. She is a graduate of Tidewater Community College and Regent University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Management and is completing a master's degree in social work from Western New Mexico University. She has over eight years of experience working with survivors of violence and previously served a 2-year term on the public policy committee for the state of Virginia through the Virginia Action Alliance.

1:40 pm - 2:40 pm (EST)

Dine with new and old friends while NASW Director of Public Policy Sarah Butts serves up a platter of insider news on the interstate compact, racial disparities revealed in the Association of Social Work Boards’ report on licensure exam pass rates, and other critical professional and social justice issues. Hear how your professional association is responding to proposed legislation and policies that directly affect you and your clients!

CE Hours Awarded: 1

Sarah Butts

×

Sarah Butts

Sarah Butts is the NASW director of public policy, responsible for leading the association’s public policy, political and legislative affairs agenda, overseeing field organizing, working at both the national level and with NASW chapters, fundraising for political candidates, managing endorsement efforts, and developing and advancing the association’s strategic goals and objectives in Congress and the White House. Prior to joining NASW, Butts was executive director of the Grand Challenges for Social Work at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. A macro social worker with experience in management, community organizing, and public policy, she is a founding administrator of the American Academy of Social Welfare and Social Work, which sets a research-informed social policy agenda for the profession.

8:00 am - 9:00 am (EST)

Session Title: "Putting the Civil Back in Civil Discourse"

Our current political/media ecosystem can be defined as an "all against all"; enterprise. It is a kind of segmented self-perpetuating machine that does a poor job of giving context across ideological points of view. That gap is then used to divide us even further.

As the social and psychological impacts continue to ripple out, far too many of our citizen do not realize that they have become intellectually and emotionally compromised by this current state of being. At best, it makes individuals retreat from any civic engagement about the ideas that must be addressed. At worse, it makes too many average Americans believe that demonizing, blaming, and punishing others for perceived misdeeds is not just appropriate, but necessary. These extreme points of view are then used to justify extreme action.

Putting the Civil back in Civil Discourse is a 50-minute presentation that will give attendees a deeper sense for the reasons for, and cost for not thinking more critically about the way we digest our media and political messages.

The program will also give attendees essential tips for how to have more civil discourse.

CE Hours Awarded: 1

Ron Jones

×

Ron Jones

Ron Jones has been an educator, writer, actor, and social activist for over 25 years. He is an EMMY Award winner who is currently Executive Director of Dialogues on Diversity. Dialogues on Diversity is the nation's premier social justice, diversity awareness theater company performing more than 100 Performances, Lectures and Workshops in N. America annually. He has created a range of performance, lecture, game, and workshop platforms designed to help individuals and organizations address issues of cultural difference in a more open, healthy and respectful way. His approach is to bring "Compassionate Activism" into our discussions and actions around social change. Only through understanding the mechanisms of bias and oppression can we work to dismantle them. Too few Americans know the stories of deep, complex and sometime, shameful stories that make us this beautiful experiment.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

Familial trafficking is difficult to identify because it takes place within family networks and victimizes children, many of whom are under 12 years of age, who may not realize they are victims. In these cases, the trafficker may begin grooming the victim at an early age, using their close proximity to take advantage of the child's developmental stage and inability to verbally express concerns or safety issues. In these cases, the child's inherent loyalty to and reliance on the family structure make familial trafficking difficult to identify and challenging to prosecute. Harmful misperceptions about where and how familial trafficking happens, such as the belief that familial trafficking only occurs within neighborhoods, communities, or countries of low socioeconomic status, contributes to challenges to prosecution, prevention, and protection efforts. Addressing familial trafficking requires an interdisciplinary approach to ensure recovery of mental and physical health, trauma-informed investigation and prosecutorial efforts, survivor-led and -centered practices and interventions, and larger societal education and awareness.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Deepa Patel MSW, LCSW, CSOTP

×

Deepa Patel MSW, LCSW, CSOTP

Deepa Patel is the Co-Founder of Trauma and Hope. Trauma and Hope specifically focuses towards survivors of violence, sexual exploitation, gang prevention and intervention, and sex offender evaluations and treatment. Deepa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider and a Gang Specialist through the National Gang Crime Research Center. She is a dynamic clinician who has developed an expertise in treating non-voluntary clients, specifically juvenile and adult gang members, survivors of sexual trauma, and sex offenders. Deepa draws from range of therapeutic approaches to support individuals and families. She specializes in developmental trauma, complex trauma and mood disorders. She uses trauma-focused modalities to support traumatized individuals and families. Deepa is clinically trained in modalities such as Havening, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT). She has extensive experience in the field of trauma and been in the field since the early 2000's. Most recently, Deepa was selected for Virginia Commission on Human Trafficking formed by Governor Youngkin to enhance services for survivors, increase response from law enforcement and prosecution and enhance prevention education. Deepa has developed a proficient style of work with high risk and those managing complex trauma. Through her understanding and clinical devotion to her clients, she has widened her competency to develop an Intensive Outpatient and Inpatient Treatment Programs for survivors of sexual exploitation. This Certification offered by Trauma and Hope is SETTS, Sexual Exploitation Treatment and Training Services. SETTS provides a multidisciplinary clinical approach to screening, addressing, and treating, and working with victims of sexual exploitation, based on evidence based clinical practices. Deepa is a private consultant for numerous government and private based organizations in the area of trauma, human trafficking and perpetrators. The SETTS Curriculum has been utilized as a foundational level training throughout Virginia and in 2020 a partnership formed with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to train public and private providers. In 2022, she assisted the Virginia Department of Education implement training for school professionals regarding prevention education regarding human trafficking. Deepa has a unique ability to relate to her clients that has resulted in her having significant success treating her clients. She is often sought nationally and internationally to provide training and education regarding gang involved youth, sexual exploitation and sex offenders. Her passion and competency in her outpatient therapeutic program with survivors and offenders led her to become a recipient of the Virginia National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Social Worker of the Year Award in 2016, the recipient of the 2012 Frederick Milton Thrasher Award for Superior Service in Gang Prevention and the 2016 Frederick Milton Thrasher Award and Spirt of Excellence Award from the National Gang Crime Research Center. In addition, she was selected in 2013 for the CACIE (Central American Community Impact Exchange) an initiative formed by the FBI and the White House and the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children in Holland to share her success in treatment for gang involved youth, victims of sex trafficking and sex offenders. In addition, she sits on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Gang Task Force and Loudoun County ICOPE Project (Improving Children's Outcomes for Positive Endings), a trafficking specific MDT for minors. She is a member of the Northern Virginia, Loudoun County and Greater Prince William Human Trafficking Task Forces. She is the co-author of Working for the Crew: Understanding Gang Controlled Sexual Exploitation.

9:20 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. (EST)

This workshop will provide a brief overview of trauma sensitive care in medical practice (from front desk to nursing and medical providers, and everything between) before launching into what trauma sensitive OB-GYN care is, how to partner with medical providers to advocate for client needs and increase client access to trauma sensitive OB-GYN care, and what this can look like in an integrated care practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Morgan Honickel LCSW

×

Morgan Honickel LCSW

Morgan Honickel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 12 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. She is part of an interdisciplinary team at Central Virginia Health Services where she provides integrated care alongside a team of medical providers. Her passion areas include trauma, integrated care, and pediatric/adolescent mental health, and the intersection of trauma and healthcare.

9:20 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. (EST)

Every year, more than 795,000 Americans have a stroke, and another 1.5 million people sustain a TBI (traumatic brain injury). An army of doctors, physical, speech and occupational therapists aid medical and physical recovery. However, survivors and their families often struggle with untreated identity loss, grief, and other traumas. In particular, Aphasia, a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, is common after a stroke or head injury, and is treated through speech therapy. Head injury survivors with multi-cultural backgrounds face a unique set of challenges to accessing treatment that is culturally competent and bilingual (English and native tongue). Social workers can play a key role by working with individuals, families, and at the policy level. This workshop will present the under-diagnosed and untreated social and mental health problems common in stroke and TBI survivors, as shared through the experiences of two brain injury survivors living with aphasia.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Javier Gil MSW, LCSW, ACSW

×

Javier Gil MSW, LCSW, ACSW

Javier Gil brings more than twenty years of experience working with adolescents, adults and families in private practice in Arlington, VA. He has worked with multiple social services agencies in the D.C. metro area, including the Latin American Youth Center, La Clinica del Pueblo, and social service agencies in Northern Virginia. Before moving to the Washington metropolitan area, Javier was a therapist at the Brattleboro Retreat in Vermont, one of the country's oldest private psychiatric hospitals. Javier received his M.S.W. from Norfolk State University and his B.A. in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Javier has lived in Spain and Latin America. He is also a stroke survivor.

Victoria Newman, D.Div, RMT

×

Victoria Newman, D.Div, RMT

Victoria Newman, D.Div, RMT, is an Influencer for Brain Injury Survivors. Her knowledge and insight as a brain injury survivor helps bring awareness to challenges unique to survivors with mild to moderate brain injuries. In 2018, she launched Valley Disability Support Group, an online resource aimed to educate, raise awareness and empower brain injury survivors through education, peer mentoring, support groups and community advocacy. Prior to her brain injury, she had a successful career as an IT Executive in the High Tech sector of Washington, DC working on high profile projects for Fortune 500 Companies and government contracts including Affordable Care Act systems compliance for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid contractors.Helping others was always a calling. She took a sabbatical from her busy career to pursue a Doctorate. Dr. Newman charted the non-profit Sophia Interfaith Center for Humanity in 2006 as her first faith based initiative to provide services to the community as a Mission of Mercy for counseling people in underprivileged rural communities.Although the Mission of Mercy project was postponed during Dr. Newman's brain rehabilitation, which is still underway 12 years later, her desire to help the underprivileged never waned.With the launch of Valley Disability Support Group, she re-purposed her goals into dynamic volunteer community projects online like group sessions, peer mentoring, coaching, self advocacy, systems advocacy and disability rights advocacy. Dr. Newman enjoys being a champion for individuals with brain injury and the disabledShe facilitates group meetings for BIG. An Empowerment & Advocacy support group made up of brain injury survivors from Northern Virginia. Members support each other's efforts in individual and systems advocacy. In 2019, the Commissioner of DARS appointed Dr. Newman to the Virginia Brain Injury Council as a special designee representing rural communities in Northwestern Virginia. Dr. Newman is also a member of Brain Injury Services Speaker's Bureau where she shares her lived experience with brain injury to other survivors and medical students pursuing careers in rehabilitation therapy.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

The "Great Resignation" continues at full throttle, though many social workers view it as a "Great Awakening". In response, new graduates to experienced professionals are trading in traditional jobs to engage their entrepreneurial spirit. Our profession has prioritized caring for others versus endorsing self-interests, yet, that needle is shifting. Social Work is stepping up to leave a new legacy. Engage in an innovative presentation to identify your professional persona and ensure success of your entrepreneurial equation!

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 1 Ethics hour)

Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

×

Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

Ellen Fink-Samnick is an award-winning industry entrepreneur who empowers healthcare's interprofessional workforce. She is a subject matter expert on Health Equity, Ethics, Professional Case Management Practice, Interprofessional Teams, and Trauma-informed Leadership. Her latest books include, The Essential Guide to Interprofessional Ethics for Healthcare Case Management, The Social Determinants of Health: Case Management's Next Frontier, End of Life Care for Case Management, and upcoming Social Determinants of Mental Health: Advancing Wholistic Practice Excellence. Ellen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-certified Case Manager, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Certified Rehabilitation Provider. She is recipient of the 2022 Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers for Virginia. Her academic appointments include the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, and George Mason University's Departments of Social Work and Global Community Health. She is a clinical supervision trainer and instructor for the National Association of Social Workers of Virginia, lead for Rise Association's Social Determinants of Health Community, moderator of Ellen's Ethical LensTM on LinkedIn and author of the blog, Ellen's Interprofessional Insights. Ellen is a consultant for the Case Management Institute, moderator of their Case Managers Community, and a Doctor of Behavioral Health candidate at Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

1.5 million youth in the U.S. are grieving the loss of a parent or significant person in their livers. As we continue to experience communal, and personal associations to the pandemic, these losses will continue to grow and change our communities. The times call for professionals to respond to their own loss histories, and to make room for more concrete, intentional responses to client and community needs. As professionals, it is important to understand the dynamics of this unique experience so that we can offer support that is relevant, culturally aware, and sensitive to individual, and community grief needs. This fun, (yes, fun!) and experiential session will offer a new lens to view work with underserved populations. Content to include activities, focus on cultivating peer support, inclusive and resonant facilitation skill building and family based-, group and individual processing considerations.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Ethics Hours)

Alesia K Alexander LCSW, CT

×

Alesia K Alexander LCSW, CT

Alesia K. Alexander, LCSW, CT is a passionate, and spirited advocate for young people and communities. Ms. Alexander's work over the last two decades has focused on inclusive practice, children and teens in school and community settings, specifically with children and teens that have lost a loved one to death. A licensed clinical social worker in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia, she has served as consultant to grief and loss centers across the nation on loss, and inclusive practice. She is a former member of the Board of Directors for The National Alliance for Grieving Children. Ms. Alexander is a regular presenter and trainer regionally, nationally and internationally on grief, loss, inclusion, and at-risk youth development. She is the author of four resources for grieving children and communities. Tapestries: A Creative & Inclusive Approach to Grief Support for Youth & Communities (2013), Dream Clouds (2011), Un Mural Para Mamita/A Mural for Mamita (2001), Sunflowers & Rainbows for Tia: Saying Goodbye to Daddy (1999). Ms. Alexander is also a featured expert in the WPSU PBS Documentary, Speaking Grief (2019).

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

This workshop will address the health disparities related to the ongoing racialized stress of African Americans/Blacks in general and social workers and social work students, specifically. Racial trauma is the outcome of ongoing racialized stress which has been found to negatively impact physical health, potentially leading to allostatic load compensation and/or death. Allostatic load compensation may present as allostatic heart failure, allostatic kidney failure or allostatic ZOOMr failure. It is important for practitioners and social work faculty to recognize the signs of allostatic overload in order to educate those so affected but also to educate these individuals on the dangers of high level coping related to racialized stress. This workshop will identify strategies to help students/clients/practitioners identify effective self-care methods to mediate their ongoing stress.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 1 Ethics Hour)

Val Livingston PhD, MSW

×

Val Livingston PhD, MSW

Dr. Val Livingston has been in the human services arena for more than 30 years and has been involved in higher education for more than 10 years. Dr. Livingston has extensive experience managing non-profit organizations and has worked with diverse populations such as at-risk, pregnant and parenting teens, domestic violence survivors, individuals with substance use disorders and SNAPET participants. Dr. Livingston currently teaches graduate social work courses in The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work. Dr. Livingston is a published author and has conducted research on various aspects of collegiate mental health.

Breshell Jackson-Nevels, PhD

×

Breshell Jackson-Nevels, PhD

Breshell Jackson-Nevels, PhD is the MSW Program Director at The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University. She has worked in the social work arena for over 25 years. She has worked with a variety of organizations including the Department of Veterans Affairs, a local school system, various social service/nonprofit agencies, the community services board, and a hospice program. Her research interests include positive mental health and its sustainability as it relates to people of color.Dr. Jackson-Nevels has published articles in variouspeer-reviewed journals and has authored a book chapter. She has presented for international,national, local, and state agencies. Dr. Jackson-Nevels isproud of her roles as a wife and mother.

11:40 am - 1:40 pm(EST)

This workshop focuses on the concept of intergenerational trauma (historical trauma) and the effects on the individual, family and community. Here we give definition to intergenerational trauma and address presenting barriers between trauma and recovery within our communities. Participants will explore topics such as stigma, trauma, post-traumatic slave syndrome, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. Here participants observe how these topics inter-relate through concepts such as adaptive survival. Participants will have opportunity to engage in population-based inquiry based on presenting scenarios and case studies. Lastly, participants will explore practice-based implications and potential strategies of engagement and social change.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Sherwood Randolph LCSW, Mdiv, BC-TMH

×

Sherwood Randolph LCSW, Mdiv, BC-TMH

As a native of Richmond, VA, husband and father, Sherwood attributes each moment of his life to his cultural and spiritual identity. Sherwood engages integrative approaches, while at the same time focusing on the personas a whole; mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Sherwood, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, attended the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Social Work in which he obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees. Sherwood currently serves as the Director of the Child Development Clinic of the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU and Owner/Principal Consultant of Just As I Am (JAIA) Clinical Consulting, LLC. Licensed and ordained in ministry, Sherwood attended the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University (VUU) in which he obtained his Master of Divinity Degree and serves as an Associate Minister at the Cedar Street Baptist Church and as the Teen Pastor of the M3 Church. In addition to ministry endeavors, Sherwood is privileged to serve in higher education as an adjunct faculty member for the VCU School of Social Work as well as the VUU Department of Social Work and Sociology. Sherwood presents both locally and nationally in the areas of behavioral health and faith development. With a focus on community, Sherwood is a member of the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers (RABSW), the National Association of Social Work (NASW)- Virginia Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors of the South Richmond Adult Daycare Center. Most recently, via the Youngkin Administration, Sherwood received the honor of gubernatorial appointment to the Virginia Board of Social Work in which he will serve from 2022-2026. Sherwood maintains that people remain the most resilient of creations and looks forward to every opportunity to aid in both social and spiritual development across the generations.

11:40 am - 1:40 pm (EST)

As Social Workers we are committed to ethical standards including service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics. Healthcare standards and practices are guided by ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and fidelity. This session will explore how principles of cultural humility can be incorporated into social work practice, particularly in healthcare settings. Participants will be challenged to engage in self-reflection about their experiences with race and cultural diversity. This session will explore connection between culture and health behaviors. We will define cultural humility and discuss ways to incorporate its principles into social work practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours and 2 Ethics hours)

Tracye Brewer LCSW, CCM, CASWCM, LICSW, LCSW-C

×

Tracye Brewer LCSW, CCM, CASWCM, LICSW, LCSW-C

Tracye Brewer is a Clinical Practice Consultant for the Extended Length of Stay Program at Kaiser Permanente. She has been recognized for her flexibility, cooperation, creativity, and resourcefulness while working with diverse team members toward common goals. Tracye joined Kaiser Permanente in 2014 as a Social Work Case Manager and she worked as a Dialysis Social Worker prior to transitioning into her current role. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Tracye worked as a Clinical Supervisor and as a Social Worker in Child Welfare. Her experiences have helped to hone her skills in family team decision making, ethical decision making, and professional boundaries. Prior to becoming a Social Worker, Tracye was a public school teacher. She was trained by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as a SHARE Approach Master Trainer. Tracye has been a presenter at the NASW Clinical Conference and KP Learning Conferences in 2017 and 2020. Tracye Brewer is a Clinical Social Worker licensed in MD, DC, & VA. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Social Work.

11:40 am - 1:40 pm (EST)

The field of family law, including custody and visitation determinations, and abuse/neglect proceedings, is one which cries out for collaboration between social workers and attorneys. But for many reasons, cooperation between professionals in each field does not always occur as easily as might be beneficial for our mutual clients. This joint presentation by Suzanne Baldwin, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., R.N., and Cynthia A. King, Attorney at Law, will address opportunities to identify and improve that collaboration, and discuss the ethical implications that cooperation has upon our clients. The goal of the course is to help social workers understand the full range of possible positive interactions with attorneys practicing family law, to navigate the minefield of rules and competing interests inherent in the legal system, and to explore the ways that sometimes frustrating collaboration can enrich your practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (Includes 1 Ethics hour)

Suzanne Baldwin PhD, LCSW, RN

×

Suzanne Baldwin PhD, LCSW, RN

Dr. Baldwin owns a private practice in Virginia Beach. Her primary emphasis is working with children and families that are involved in the court system. She is recognized as an expert witness in area Juvenile and Domestic courts as well as Circuit Court. Dr. Baldwin also works closely with military families. She has been appointment by the Virginia Beach City to be a voting member for the Community Policy and Management Team which authorizes funding for clients in the DSS and Juvenile Justice systems.

Cynthia King Esq

×

Cynthia King Esq

Cynthia A. King has practiced family law for more than twenty years in the Commonwealth of Virginia, focusing on custody/visitation, relocation, divorce, support, and equitable distribution issues.Cynthia graduated with college and university honors from Carnegie Mellon University with dual B.A. degrees in Professional Writing and Creative Writing, as well as a minor in Political Science. She earned her Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review and authored a published note entitled, Fighting the Devil We Don't Know: Kansas v. Hendricks, A Case Study Exploring the Civilization of Criminal Punishment and Its Ineffectiveness in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse. She has utilized her writing skills in practice by drafting innumerable legal memoranda, pleadings, and appellate briefs.Cynthia is currently a solo practitioner in Richmond and serves as a certified Guardian ad Litem for children. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, baking pie, and rooting for the New York Rangers hockey team.

11:40 am - 1:40 pm (EST)

Do you have a little joy or a lot of joy? The average person makes thousands of choices each day. We can't embrace negativity and joy at the same time. What if you made the choice to embrace joy more often throughout the day? I provide true life stories with practical examples for changing your perspective to be able to see life through a lens of joy.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics hours)

Adria Wilkins

×

Adria Wilkins

Multi-award-winning author, Adria Wilkins has an accounting degree from Western Kentucky University. She and her husband, Erik, live in Northern Virginia and have three children Katie, Blake, and Anthony. Her book The Joy Box Journal with Hachette Book Group released July 2019. She enjoys telling a story, adding sprinkles of joy and a few extra dollops to liven it up. After suffering the unthinkable- death of three-year-old Blake, she found that joy can be found in any circumstance. Adria and her husband have done foster care and adopted a child.

11:40 am - 1:40 pm (EST)

Attendees will receive an overview of current terminology when working with transgender and gender expansive individuals. This will launch attendees into education and discussions about key areas of concern for this special population as well as ways to address said issues with individuals. Attention will be given to meeting the client where they are, practicing ethically and within one's scope. Best practice strategies will be reviewed, including review of WPATH criteria and writing letters for gender affirming procedures. Case scenarios and client situations will be discussed and explored and resources will also be discussed. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of best practice and care when engaging with gender expansive individuals.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 LGBTQ hours and 1 Ethics hour)

Julie Wilcox LCSW

×

Julie Wilcox LCSW

Julie Wilcox (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Massachusetts. She has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field, including hospital, residential, community based, and private practice settings. Julie also provides supervision for licensure and has supervised interns and worked as a field liaison and adjunct professor for the MSW program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently in a group private practice in the Richmond, Virginia area and facilitates trainings and coaching through her company, Authentic Living and Wellness.Julie received her undergraduate degree in Social Work with a minor in business from Baylor University and her Masters, with a concentration in child and adolescent Mental Health, from UNC- Chapel Hill. Julie is passionate about helping individuals through life transitions, substance use, couples/family work, and working with the LGBTQ+ population. Julie provides couples therapy for individuals at any stage in their relationship, including working with polyamory, affair recovery, kink, premarital work, parenting issues, and couples and families who are separating/divorced. Julie also has extensive work with the LGBTQ+ community, especially working with individuals who identify as questioning, queer, gender-expansive, and transgender. She can assist individuals navigating transitions, including family work, medical treatments, and surgeries. She has additional certifications in both Couples and Co-Parenting work. Julie is currently the Vice President for the NASW-VA Board. She also regularly volunteers for many programs throughout the community, especially those focused on youth, running, animals, and LGBTQ+ programs.

11:40 am - 1:40 pm (EST)

Professional social workers are uniquely poised to make a contribution in humanitarian settings because of our values and competencies. Worldwide, there is an increasing recognition of the urgency to provide mental health and psychosocial services to populations affected by natural disasters and man-made emergencies such as war and genocide. This workshop will present some of the programs that this social worker developed while working for an international medical organization and look at areas where social workers could work globally.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours and 1 Ethics hour)

Athena Viscusi LICSW

×

Athena Viscusi LICSW

Athena Viscusi, LICSW, has been involved in international humanitarian aid since 2010 and previously worked in Washington DC, providing mental health care to immigrants and refugees and victims of violence. She has directed mental health and psychosocial interventions in response to natural disasters such as earthquakes and epidemics and man-made disasters such as war and genocide. Currently, she provides emotional support services to humanitarian aid workers at Doctors without Borders. She is a lecturer at Howard University School of Social Work and have been a Field Instructor for several univeristies. Her pro bono work includes forensic evaluations for asylum applicants.

9:00 am - 11:00 am (EST)

Are you tired of hearing consistent information about this emerging topic that various scientists have studied, and you may still be at a loss? You will leave this workshop with an understanding of the fundamental aspects of trauma supported by scientific evidence using many modalities and Hip Hop! This session can also revolutionize your therapeutic practice and improve the outcomes of your trauma therapy. Let us break things down into reasonable chunks, gain knowledge, and have fun!

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Ethics hours)

Jamicia Davis LCSW

×

Jamicia Davis LCSW

Jamicia Davis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 18 years of combined experience as a social worker and clinician in the field. She is a product of the public school system, social services, behavioral health, juvenile drug court, and the public and private sectors. As a scholar and practitioner, Ms. Davis values novel approaches to trauma comprehension. Ms. Davis was born and raised in Auburn, New York, the hometown of Harriet Tubman and William H. Seward, although she has lived in Virginia for the past twenty years. Ms. Davis received a bachelor's degree in social work from Buffalo State College and a master's degree in social work from the University at Buffalo. Ms. Davis is also currently a Ph.D. candidate at Norfolk State University. She possesses credentials in Youth Mental Health First Aid, Trauma and Resilience, and telemedicine. She is well known for her community service with adolescent girls and older adults. Ms. Davis has also performed admirably with educational grants. Honorable mentions include Unsung Hero and School Counselor of the Year at a local high school. Ms. Davis and her colleagues were honored with a Silver Magna Award for their contributions to public schools' mental health initiatives. Ms. Davis is a member of the distinguished sorority Delta Sigma Theta. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family, which includes Mocha, her pet dog.

Cameo T. Harris

×

Cameo T. Harris

Cameo T. Harris is a native of Chicago Heights, IL.  She relocated to Newport News, VA in 1989 as a result of her father’s forced pcs move from Anchorage, AK.  Ms. Harris attended and graduated from Denbigh High School in 1992 and later enrolled in Norfolk State University that August with the intent to study Political Science.  While on  the journey  Ms. Harris discovered that she had a knack for helping individuals who suffer from mental health issues after working as a Mental Health Tech at Colonial Hospital.  Since that time Ms. Harris has accumulated over 31 years of combined experience in areas of Domestic Violence, HIV and AIDS, Child Welfare, Wounded Warriors/Combat Veterans, Military Work Life, Criminal Justice/Incarceration, and Substance Abuse.  Ms. Harris has been able successfully complete specialized trainings in Domestic Violence, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries,  and Suicide, to name a few. 

Currently Ms. Harris is the owner and operator of Kreative Milestones Behavioral Healthcare Services, LLC and Clinical Director of Available Mental Health Services, LLC.  She also has a web-based agency ING Life 4 Tomorrow which will provide coaching and other consulting services to individuals outside of the state of Virginia. 

Ms. Harris describes her role as a Social Worker as someone that should provide advocacy, guidance, and support to those who are in their life’s storm.  As a result, she is affectionately known as a broken wing healer because of the empathy that she provides to those whom she serves.  When asked most of her colleagues have described her as intelligent, ambitious, and genuine.   

9:00 am - 11:00 am (EST)

Social work practitioners interact with clients from varying cultural identities. While the social work profession has long recognized the value of cultural matches between the social worker and client, there has been paucity of research examining the interactions and possible tensions which may arise between BIPOC social workers and BIPOC clients. This interactive workshop is designed for practitioners of color. The purpose is to explore the dynamics of therapists of color working with clients of color, and tensions that may arise because of power dynamics, privilege, and exploring the similarities and differences within cultural identities. A facilitated dialogue among the participants offers the opportunity to share experiences and effective strategies.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics hours)

Jeanne Booth LCSW

×

Jeanne Booth LCSW

Jeanne Booth is the interim Co-Director of Field Education at the George Mason University Department of Social Work where she has been Assistant Professor and Community Programs Manager for several years. Professor Booth serves on the College of Health and Human Services Inclusive Excellence Leadership Team and as Co-Chair for the Diversity and Social Justice Committee. She joined the faculty at Mason following a career in clinical practice and local government leadership roles in a variety of areas including housing, justice, mobile crisis intervention work, child welfare services, aging and developmental disability services. She currently serves on the executive board for APAH, a nonprofit affordable housing developer serving Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Razia Kosi EdD, LCSW-C

×

Razia Kosi EdD, LCSW-C

Dr. Razia F. Kosi is the Coordinator of Culturally Responsive Practices and Anti-Racism Development in the Howard County Public School System where she leads system-wide and school-based DEI initiatives. Additionally, Dr. Kosi is a mental health professional and works to end the stigma surrounding mental health in the South Asian community. She has served on executive boards on both national and local organizations serving the South Asian and AAPI communities. She has had a private practice for over 15 years and works primarily with South Asian and Muslim clients from different racial and ethinc backgrounds.

9:00 am - 11:00 am (EST)

This workshop will address the historic and contemporary context of oppressive school policies, systemic barriers to academic success, and what social workers can do to advocate for change. Additionally, it will address how to engage in school policy practice and ethical decision making. This workshop will examine the effects of poverty, oppression, and injustice on educational outcomes. Attendees will leave with an increased understanding of how the role of equity, diversity, and inclusion can be used to facilitate positive change; particularly, in school settings. This workshop will review case studies and engage in hands-on activities for practical implementation.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics hours)

Bruce Copeland PhD, LCSW, CSTOP

×

Bruce Copeland PhD, LCSW, CSTOP

Bruce A. Copeland, Ph.D., is a 30-year career professional in the field of clinical social work practice. Dr. Copeland holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work from Norfolk State University (NSU). Dr. Copeland's research and interest have centered on parental involvement among African American fathers.In 1995, he became licensed by the Virginia Board of Health Professions (Board of Social Work) as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and in 1999, he also became licensed by the Board of Psychology as a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP). Dr. Copeland is a highly skilled psychotherapist who provides mental health services for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders in individuals, families, and groups. Dr. Copeland has demonstrated those skills in a variety of settings to including outpatient, acute care, residential, and private practice.Currently, Dr. Copeland is an administrator for Hampton City Schools where he is Coordinator of School Social Worker Services and is an adjunct professor at NSU, School of Social Work. Dr. Copeland is also an independent contractor providing clinical supervision, training, and assessment for various agencies in the Hampton Roads community. In the community, Dr. Copeland is a volunteer at the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, where he has provided pro-bono outpatient mental health care to indigent residents in the local community since 2007. In 2012, he was appointed by the City Council of Suffolk, Virginia to serve on the Department of Human Services Advisory Board. In 2013, he was also appointed by the Virginia State Human Rights Committee to serve on the Local Human Rights Committee (LHRC). Dr. Copeland is a Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., where he has served as Polemarch (President) at both the collegiate and alumni chapter levels. He is also a former member of the Fathers Auxiliary of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

9:00 am - 11:00 am (EST)

By the time LGBTQIA individuals reach their senior years, they have already experienced severe emotional and physical tolls due to discrimination. LGBTQIA residents in long-term care face systemic discrimination as well as direct forms of abuse. Understanding emerging and ethical emerging issues surrounding LGBTQIA residents in long-term-care and reviewing practical approaches to prevent discrimination and improve treatment of this population is critical. This session will review specific procedures to protect LGBTQIA residents from abuse and bullying and to provide a safe and welcoming environment. The presenters will use real life ethical scenarios to engage participants and facilitate learning about these issues.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 LGBTQ hours and 1 Ethics hour)

DEBORAH THEIS PHD

×

DEBORAH THEIS PHD

Deborah Theis, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist with over 23 years of experience working in the long-term care industry. Dr. Theis obtained her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M University in 1995. She has extensive experience managing comprehensive psychiatric and psychological services provided to long term care facilities to manage their behavioral health needs. Dr. Theis currently serves as the National Director of Training and Development for Deer Oaks. In that is role she identifies and internal and external training needs as it relates to behavioral health services in post-acute and long-term care. In addition, Dr. Theis serves on the Board of Directors for American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry, is the Programming Chair for Psychologists in Long Term Care and is a Committee Member for Academic and Higher Education for Texas Psychological Association.

 

Brenda Sprinkle PhD

×

Brenda Sprinkle PhD

Brenda Sprinkle, Ph.D. is a Licensed Psychologist and the Regional Director for Deer Oaks-The Behavioral Health Organization. Dr. Sprinkle is a Developer for this Course and Co Presenter. Since 2007 Dr. Sprinkle has provided psychotherapy services to clients in nursing home facilities in the Austin region. She also manages/supervises Deer Oaks' Psychologists, LPCs and Licensed Clinical Social Workers in the West Texas and El Paso regions. Dr. Sprinkle develops and presents CEUs and conference presentations for Deer Oaks.

9:00 am - 11:00 am (EST)

Using presentation and discussion methods, this workshop will explore geek culture, therapeutic applications around incorporating geek hobbies and interests into the therapy setting, and ethical considerations around new and cutting edge interventions.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.25 Ethics hours)

Kayla Balensiefer LCSW, LICSW

×

Kayla Balensiefer LCSW, LICSW

Kayla Balensiefer is a clinically licensed social worker in Virginia and Washington, DC who works with children, adolescents, and adults who are struggling with symptoms related to anxiety, depression, and crisis including grief and loss. Kayla frequently works with clients who are affected by social and generalized anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, and those who want to improve their confidence and relationship with others. Kayla obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Neuroscience from Purdue University in 2010 and went on to obtain her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California in 2013 with a focus on children and families and a concentration on military social work. She has worked with children and families in different roles for over a decade, most recently focusing on crisis intervention and stabilization. In 2021 she completed training as a therapeutic game master to infuse tabletop role playing games (TTRPGs), such as Dungeons and Dragons, into group therapy treatment giving her clients an engaging platform to address social skills, anxiety, and depression. On March 29, 2022 she became a Certified Geek Therapist through Geek Therapeutics. In her personal life it is common to find her playing different TTRPGs or board games with friends, playing video games, putting together Lego sets, taking/editing photos, and engaging in her favorite fandoms such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Marvel.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

This interactive training will help social work professionals look outside of their own lens to allow the clients they serve be authentically themselves and not be held or judged by societal standards of what is considered the "norm" . We will take a deep look into healthcare disparities and systemic issues that prevent people of color from receiving access to quality and equitable care. This training will help professionals identify their biases and practice cultural competence and humility to be able to advocate and successfully work with this population. Participants will be provided case studies and engage in group discussions that will help them calibrate their lens to see clearly the societal/systemic impacts and how to provide the best care to their clients.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours and 1 Ethics hours)

Alesha Perkins LCSW, CCM

×

Alesha Perkins LCSW, CCM

Alesha Perkins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and North Carolina and a Certified Case Manager. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her Master of Social Work from the University of Central Florida. Alesha has over 20 years of experience in the social work field with vast knowledge in medical social work, child protective services, case management, mental health and substance abuse counseling. Over ten years ago, she began her instructional career providing trainings to dialysis providers. Since then, she has created and facilitated numerous trainings for mental and medical professionals, state and national organizations. She is an advocate for eliminating mental health disparities and provides education in minority communities to promote mental health awareness. She serves as Mentorship Chair for the North Carolina Society for Clinical Social Work and is an active member of Toastmasters. Alesha is a former Clinical Director for a mental health agency and currently works for a health insurance provider as a Senior Program Manager. In addition, she provides clinical supervision, has a part-time private practice, and is an instructor for Perkins Medical Services which is family-owned. Perkins Medical Services has been in business for over 20 years and provides quality medical and mental health trainings.

Jasetta Perkins MSN, RN, ACSM-EP

×

Jasetta Perkins MSN, RN, ACSM-EP

Jasetta Perkins is a nurse educator. She received her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from James Madison University, Associates of Science in Health Sciences from the University of Mount Olive, her nursing diploma from Watts School of Nursing and her Master of Science in Nursing from Queens University of Charlotte. She has over ten years of experience in providing health education to clients. She has helped thousands in her career and was a coordinator of a newly diabetes program in which she successfully helped clients lose weight and drop their A1C within 3 months. She has a passion for teaching and advocating especially for minorities in which she has been requested to speak at churches, community events and businesses. Jasetta is currently a diabetes nurse educator for a large hospital system. She is also a CPR instructor, MAT trainer, and instructor for Perkins Medical Services which is family owned. Perkins Medical Services has been in business for over 20 years and provide quality mental health and medical trainings.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

In 2021, 1 out of 6 missing children reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children who had run away were likely victims of child sex trafficking. Child welfare professionals and law enforcement are increasingly on the front lines of coordinating care, services and emergency response for survivors of child sex trafficking. Advanced recovery planning and specialized response can mitigate challenges, streamline resources and allow for coordinated, trauma-informed interventions. This presentation will provide practical lessons learned in developing proactive recovery and response plans focused on increasing rapport, youth engagement, and understanding and reducing running behavior for missing children who are being sex trafficked.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Samantha Sahl LCSW

×

Samantha Sahl LCSW

Dr. Samantha Sahl, DSW, LCSW is the Supervisor of the Child Sex Trafficking Recovery Services Team (RST) at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). RST is a team of regionally assigned Resource Specialists who provide case-based assistance and support to child welfare professionals and other multidisciplinary team members in the development of trauma-informed and victim-centered recovery plans for survivors of child sex trafficking who are reported missing to NCMEC. Prior to joining the team at NCMEC, Dr. Sahl coordinated the response to child sex trafficking in New Orleans, first through the New Orleans Children's Advocacy Center, and then with the Respect, Invest in, Support & Empower (RISE) Initiative at the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court. Dr. Sahl has provided training and technical assistance throughout Louisiana and nationally on child sex trafficking identification and response. She completed a Doctor of Social Work degree with the University of Southern California and focused her doctoral research on youth voice and choice through shared decision-making tools and practices.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

This workshop is designed to help therapist to decolonize therapy by helping them to reconnect to the humanization of therapy and include systems of oppression into our therapy practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (including 1 Ethics hour)

Deneen Evans PhD, LCSW

×

Deneen Evans PhD, LCSW

Dr. Deneen Evans, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Tenured Professor, advocate and navigator of justice is an Associate Professor of Social Work at East Tennessee University and after serving 16 years at Radford University as a Professor and Administrator in the School of Social Work she retired in December 2022. At Radford she left a mark on the University community by leading efforts in diversity and global engagement and became the first African American Tenured Professor in the School of Social Work. In 2000 she returned to Roanoke College her undergraduate alma mater to lead new initiatives as the founding Director of Multicultural Affairs. Dr. Evans research and teaching interest include African American families and disability, and issues related to social justice and spirituality in social work practice. Her passion for diversity was rooted in her upbringing in Jersey City New Jersey and has allowed her to travel abroad throughout North America, the Caribbean and in recent years to Uganda Africa to teach global policy and practices related to child disability. She is a published researcher and has presented research findings at international, national, and regional conferences and she is a sought-after consultant, speaker, and trainer in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. God has blessed her to obtain a Ph.D. in Social Work from Norfolk State University, MSW degree from Radford University and a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Roanoke College. In 2019 the Evans' family was directed by God to establish Mosaic Mental Wellness and Health, the first African American owned group mental wellness practice in SW VA focused on multicultural practice and social justice.Dr. Evans has spent her professional career advocating for marginalized communities and navigating for diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. The founding of Mosaic Mental Wellness and Health is the result of her academic and professional experiences and her desire to have a mental wellness home where people of color can join with clinicians who look like them and share in their ZOOMd experiences of the full extent of the societal and institutional inequalities that affect the ZOOMs of people of color. Dr. Evans is a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Salem Virginia, the Roanoke Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Inc, and currently serves on the Board of Total Action for Progress, the Clinical Social Work Society of Virginia and is the co-chair of the Roanoke County Democratic Committee.

Yasmine Tyler BA, MSW-C

×

Yasmine Tyler BA, MSW-C

Yasmine is a MSW student in her clinical year at Radford University and is focused on providing services for children in the foster care system. She is a Title IV-E recipient completing her clinical placement at a outpatient private practice focused on providing therapeutic services rooted in social justice. After graduation in May 2023 she will begin her career as a MSW practitioner in a foster care setting.

Lisa Williams BSW, MSW-C

×

Lisa Williams BSW, MSW-C

Lisa is a MSW student in her clinical year at Radford University and is focused on providing services for children in the child-welfare system. She is completing her clinical placement at a private practice focused on providing therapeutic services rooted in social justice. After graduation in May 2023 she will begin her career as a MSW practitioner focused on providing clinical services to families with children.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

Lasell Bartlett weaves experiential learning and lecture material to facilitate learning about the stories told by body language. She covers basic survival strategies (find, flight/fight/fix, and freeze), and how to help unravel stuck patterns that show up in our emotions, sensations, and thoughts.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Lasell Bartlett LICSW

×

Lasell Bartlett LICSW

"It's our nature to get along" is Lassell Bartlett's motto and it guides their interactions. She integratse over fifty years of experience in the fields of bodymind awareness and meditation with professional expertise as a Clinical Social Worker, Bodywork and Somatic Education Practitioner (BASE-P), and PATH Intl Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Education, focusing on trauma resolution, early developmental repair, and helping people develop a sense of safety that can support the best relationships imaginable. Lassell lives on a small farm in rural Virginia with two horses, seven sheep, three donkeys, eight goats, forty-one guineas, two cats, three dogs, and her bestest ever human friend.

11:20 am - 1:20 pm (EST)

Hellfighter is a 35-mnute independent film that is designed to give attendees a more layered understanding of the deep systemic nature of Americas race biases. The piece covers over 100 years of societal and institutional bigotry and racism to help those who may not know how the roots of those systems still play out in terms of Governmental Policy, Banking. Education, Law Enforcement and Generational Wealth Acquisition. The program will be followed up by an interactive workshop that will give attendees a chance to lay their own personal family/ experiential context. It is Dialogues on Diversity’s belief that America has a racist history which most Americans have had the privilege of not having to be exposed to. How you give them that exposure is essential to building a foundation for sustained social change and equity. The workshop will use discussion, video interactive activities to help attendees gain experience building a narrative for deeper shared understanding. The experiential work done in this session can be folded into the points and lessons addresses in the Putting the Civil Back in Civil Discourse program help attendees start to build a toolkit for dealing with a range so social issues. We understand that the Dialogues on Diversity approach of radical compassion is not the only model for social change. Nor is it a model suited for everyone all the time. Our approach is based on the simple question “What kind of world do you want?”. That answer should inform your approach to change.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Ron Jones

×

Ron Jones

Ron Jones has been an educator, writer, actor, and social activist for over 25 years. He is an EMMY Award winner who is currently Executive Director of Dialogues on Diversity. Dialogues on Diversity is the nation's premier social justice, diversity awareness theater company performing more than 100 Performances, Lectures and Workshops in N. America annually. He has created a range of performance, lecture, game, and workshop platforms designed to help individuals and organizations address issues of cultural difference in a more open, healthy and respectful way. His approach is to bring "Compassionate Activism" into our discussions and actions around social change. Only through understanding the mechanisms of bias and oppression can we work to dismantle them. Too few Americans know the stories of deep, complex and sometime, shameful stories that make us this beautiful experiment.

To receive full CE credit for this training, please visit https://vpm.org/mending-walls and watch "Mending Walls: The Documentary". You can then listen to the pre-recorded audio Q&A discussion with Hamilton Glass, founder of Mending Walls RVA at the 2023 NASW VA/Metro DC Conference in March 2023. The Mending Walls project was started in 2020 by Glass as a response to the unjust killing of George Floyd. The project has continued to beautifully utilize public spaces around the Richmond, VA area with murals that spark conversation around social justice, human experience, and expression. For more information about Mending Walls, please visit www.mendingwallsrva.com

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Click here to listen to the Audio file 

To receive full credit for the training, you must view the documentary and listen to the Q&A discussion. 

Important: Please click on the Join button to watch the documentary. A separate tab will open in your browser – click the start arrow to view the movie. When complete, you may close that tab to return to the conference session. You will then need to listen to the audio discussion by clicking on the link in the description. Once you have viewed the documentary and listened to the audio discussion, you may complete your evaluation to receive your CE certificate. 

. 

Hamilton Glass

×

Hamilton Glass

Hamilton Glass is a painter and public artist living in Richmond, andthe creator and founder of Mending Walls. His work focuses aroundusing public art to build up communities, and create spaces in whichthe community members feel they have a stake in their surroundings.To him, it is vital that he uses his work in ways that serve the publicand engage people through art. He believes in the power of art, whichcan hold communities together, and increasing equity around accessto the arts.

Leadership Session Title: "How Can You Lead When Nobody Wants to Follow?

We talk being a leader, a boss, a coach, a mentor but one of the things that we tend to neglect is "Followership". To be a leader you must have people who are willing to follow. This short presentation will focus on how followership is developed and maintained.

CE Hours Awarded: 0.5

Rob McCartney, CEO

×

Rob McCartney, CEO

Rob McCartney is the Chief Executive Officer for The Barry Robinson Center, a non-profit behavioral health system in Norfolk,VA. Rob sits on several non-profit boards including Tidewater Friends of Foster Care, The Greater Norfolk Corporation/GNC and the Association of Children’s Residential Centers, a member of Norfolk State University/NSU School of Social Work Advisory Board. 

3:30 pm - 7:30 pm (EST)

Onsite registration at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Williamsburg, VA will begin at 3:30 pm. Check in for hotel guests begins at 4:00 pm!

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm (EST)

NASW Virginia and NASW Metro DC Chapters welcome you to the 2023 Annual Conference, "Social Work Accelerated: Adapting at the Speed of Change"! After checking in, please join us to get to know who your fellow attendees and the exhibitors!

NASW Virginia/Metro DC Chapters

×

NASW Virginia/Metro DC Chapters

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm (EST)

A showing of the film "Mending Walls: The Documentary", will be followed by a Q&A discussion with Hamilton Glass, founder of Mending Walls RVA. The Mending Walls project was started in 2020 by Glass as a response to the unjust killing of George Floyd. The project has continued to beautifully utilize public spaces around the Richmond, VA area with murals that spark conversation around social justice, human experience, and expression. For more information about Mending Walls, please visit www.mendingwallsrva.com

CE Hours Awarded: 2

We encourage you to enter a question for Mending Walls RVA when completing the registration form! We will ask as many questions as time allots after the film.

Hamilton Glass

×

Hamilton Glass

Hamilton Glass is a painter and public artist living in Richmond, andthe creator and founder of Mending Walls. His work focuses aroundusing public art to build up communities, and create spaces in whichthe community members feel they have a stake in their surroundings.To him, it is vital that he uses his work in ways that serve the publicand engage people through art. He believes in the power of art, whichcan hold communities together, and increasing equity around accessto the arts.

7:00 am - 8:00 am (EST)

Registration is open for newly arriving attendees as well as a continental breakfast for all.

8:00 am - 11:15 am (EST)

Session Title: "Courageous Leadership" 

When we think of courage, famous people such as spokespersons, celebrities, athletes, military generals, or highly recognizable leaders tend to come to mind. Popular discourse about leaders often leaves little room to explore the relevance of courageous action in our lives. When discussing courage in our society, we omit the social conditions that support the development of courageous qualities in people. Instead, courageous leaders are often thought of as somehow having the “it factor” of courage. They may be born that way, have a natural proclivity toward taking risks, a higher threshold for pain, or are innately adept at making wise choices when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. This is far from the truth however, as people are not born courageous but instead become courageous, as they become bolder with the support of key people around them.

In this program, Dr. Arthur Romano, explores how we all can deepen our study and practice of courageous leadership. He draws on extensive research of peacemakers and other people engaged in compassionate action around the world and grounds his work in nonviolence principles and key ideas that animated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In this session, participants explore their attitudes and approaches toward conflict and inequality and engage with practical models that support self-reflection, connection to community and excellent communication in the face of deep challenges. What emerges is not an invincible courage, but a reconceptualization of the concept, the courageous need other people to succeed, and together we can learn to be courageous and build what Dr. King called the "beloved community".

CE Hours Awarded: 3

Dr. Arthur Romano

×

Dr. Arthur Romano

Arthur Romano is an Assistant Professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University and The Elise Boulding Scholar Practitioner for the National Peace Academy. He has over 20 years of experience serving as an educational advisor and developing transformative and experiential education with communities affected by conflict and violence.Dr. Romano came to the school with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing experiential educational programs on peace and conflict resolution related themes in a wide array of locales including in Asia, Africa, and Central America. He also co-developed the Diversity Matters Now workshop series, which explores issues related to identity and peacebuilding in colleges and universities across the US.His international work has focused on Hip Hop Diplomacy as he regularly works with US Hip Hop Artists engaging in cultural exchange work abroad through the Next Level Program as well as peace education in East Asia including implementation and evaluation of peace education and problem-solving programs in Japan and South Korea.He has published on issues related to Black-led truth-telling processes, grassroots peace and conflict resolution education and urban peacebuilding and is currently completing a book focused on community-led nonviolence education and the living legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in US cities impacted by systemic racism and economic inequality.

Leadership Session Title: "How Can You Lead When Nobody Wants to Follow?"

We talk being a leader, a boss, a coach, a mentor but one of the things that we tend to neglect is "Followership". To be a leader you must have people who are willing to follow. This short presentation will focus on how followership is developed and maintained.

CE Hours Awarded: 0.5

Rob McCartney, CEO

×

Rob McCartney, CEO

Rob McCartney is the Chief Executive Officer for The Barry Robinson Center, a non-profit behavioral health system in Norfolk,VA. Rob sits on several non-profit boards including Tidewater Friends of Foster Care, The Greater Norfolk Corporation/GNC and the Association of Children’s Residential Centers, a member of Norfolk State University/NSU School of Social Work Advisory Board. 

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (EST)

Child welfare involvement has been shown to be a strong indicator of sex trafficking risk. When a child is removed from the home of origin due to maltreatment and placed in a foster or group home setting, trafficking risk may increase. Risk factors will be discussed as well as resilliency factors. The overall issue of trafficking risk within these special populations will be explored from a systems perspective which conceptualizes vulnerability within the context of societal supports such as mental health care, education and economic systems, and the accessibility of services. Prevention strategies for mitigating risk of trafficking for child welfare involved youth will be discussed.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority Hours and 1 Ethics Hour)

Miriam Elizabeth Bowman PhD, LICSW, LCSW-C

×

Miriam Elizabeth Bowman PhD, LICSW, LCSW-C

M. Elizabeth Bowman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Gallaudet University. She is also a minor domestic sex trafficking survivor, anti-trafficking advocate, mother of two teens, researcher, clinician, and speaker. In her clinical practice she works with trafficking survivors using trauma-informed yoga group therapy and also has a clinical practice supporting children and adolescents with anxiety and other challenges. She holds clinical social work licensure in DC and Maryland and is a Registered Yoga Teacher, RYT-200. Her research areas include the intersection of child welfare and sex trafficking, organizational culture and supervision in child welfare, and special populations issues in trafficking including LGBT, foster youth, and Deaf youth. She is the founder and executive director of the Restoring Ivy Collective in Washington, D.C., a survivor led organization which provides drop in services, group therapy, and support to survivors of sex trafficking with a focus on intentional community and sisterhood.

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (EST)

Beacon: A Training for Schools is a solution focused and evidence-based training created for schools with higher rates of suspensions. Beacon is facilitated through a training that provides interactive information about relationship building, inherent bias, culturally modest and responsive classrooms, and how trauma impacts learning.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 1 Ethics hour)

Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, DSW

×

Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, DSW

Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, M.S., is a clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience in New York and Virginia. Cassie's work has focused on trauma-informed care in various communities, including acute hospital work, community social work and direct practice. Cassie has a history of working with nonprofits on micro and macro levels, including building programming and facilitating therapeutic training.Cassie has been teaching at VCU since 2019 in the M.S.W. Program. Her teaching interests include therapy models, trauma-informed care, evidence-based practices when working with adolescents, and clinical theory work. Cassie's research focuses on the school to prison pipeline and creating training for school staff focused on inherent bias, cultural humility, trauma and relationship building.Cassie maintains a small private practice, which focuses on adolescents and adults who have experienced sexual trauma, trauma within family of origin and PTSD. She also has extensive experience providing inclusive care for the LGBTQIA + population and those who have worked in sex work. In her practice, Cassie's goal is to be non-judgmental and highlight the strength of a person as a way to process trauma and life events. This is a client-led process, which allows a focus on future needs and outcomes. Additionally, Cassie incorporates a variety of techniques to empower clients, promote and identify resiliency and rebuild strengths.

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (EST)

Technology has captivated the industry and changed the face of care delivery. Practitioners and patients can’t get enough, from digital devices, to innovative platforms and apps. Amid the pandemic, telehealth has become more norm than exception, though is it applicable for all? How up to speed are you on the legal, ethical, and practice parameters? This presentation provides the nuts and bolts of telehealth practice, from foundational knowledge, key elements and practices to alignment with established resources of guidance.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority Hours and 2 Ethics Hours)

Dr. Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

×

Dr. Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

Dr. Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP - Ellen Fink-Samnick is an award-winning industry entrepreneur who empowers healthcare's interprofessional workforce. She is a subject matter expert on Health Equity, Ethics, Professional Case Management Practice, Interprofessional Teams, and Trauma-informed Leadership. Her latest books include, The Essential Guide to Interprofessional Ethics for Healthcare Case Management, The Social Determinants of Health: Case Management's Next Frontier, End of Life Care for Case= Management, and upcoming Social Determinants of Mental Health: Advancing Wholistic Practice Excellence.

Ellen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-certified Case Manager, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Certified Rehabilitation Provider. She is recipient of the 2022 Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers for Virginia. Her academic appointments include the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, and George Mason University’s Departments of Social Work and Global Community Health. She is a clinical supervision trainer and instructor for the National Association of Social Workers of Virginia, lead for Rise Association’s Social Determinants of Health Community, moderator of Ellen’s Ethical LensTM on LinkedIn and author of the blog, Ellen’s Interprofessional Insights. Ellen is a consultant for the Case Management Institute, moderator of their Case Managers Community, and a Doctor of Behavioral Health candidate at Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies.

Ellen's fierce professional voice has been constant across her varied roles. She has served as a commissioner of the Commission for Case Manager Certification and Chair of their Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, as well as a past member of the Board of Directors for the Case Management Society of America. Ellen currently serves on the Gravity Project’s Intervention Council and was recently appointed to the national Coalition for Social Work and Health. She is a Board consultant to the American Association of Doctors of Behavioral Health, and editorial board member for the Professional Case Management Journal, and Case Management Monthly. Further information is available on her LinkedIn Profile.

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (EST)

Trauma and the effects on the brain can be complex, particularly when dealing with children and adolescents in play therapy. Various approaches to treatment exist depending on the type of trauma and the age of the child. This workshop will explore the difference between grief and trauma and the emotional aftermath that may ensue. Play therapy treatment to include restoration of self and reconnecting to the community will be discussed. Directive play therapy techniques to include sensory-based interventions will be demonstrated and practiced.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Nikole Jiggetts LCSW, RPT-S

×

Nikole Jiggetts LCSW, RPT-S

Nikole R. Jiggetts, LCSW practices as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, for the states of Virginia and Maryland. She is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Certified Trauma Practitioner, and author. She is the CEO and owner of Replay Counseling & Consulting (Also known as Replay Counseling Center, LLC.) She is a graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, with an MSW. Nikole has been working with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is passionate about providing individuals with the opportunity to work through their difficulties and begin to start feeling better about their lives utilizing expressive therapies. In addition to serving as an adjunct professor for the VCU School of Social Work, she is also a life coach, parenting consultant and a mother of two. Nikole also provides training for mental health clinicians in the states of Virginia and Maryland as well as the District of Columbia, for the past 12 years.

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (EST)

"Getting old is for the birds", "It won't happen to me", "I'm young at heart". We've all heard these expressions, if not said them! Let's look at what it means to get old, some of the characteristics and the impact it has on you and others. "Let's Walk a Mile in their Shoes" using this interactive training about aging in society. This will allow you to better relate to the senior population you may encounter.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics Hours)

Virginia Simmons CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, CFRDT

×

Virginia Simmons CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, CFRDT

Virginia Simmons, CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, CFRDT; has been working in the Health & Human Services Field for over 22 years and has at least 10 years of this working with clients with dementia. She has extensive experience with a multitude of people across a spectrum of settings, including In-patient Acute Rehab, Long Term Care, Assisted Living, Memory Care and Community Based Home Care. Virginia is a Certified Recreational Therapist with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreational Specialists. Within the last 10 years, Virginia became a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Care Trainer with the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. She has volunteered for the last 15 years on the Walk the End Alzheimer's Committee. Virginia started her own consulting and education-based business called Living Active Dementia in her hometown of Lynchburg, VA.

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (EST)

A review of the literature reveals a paucity of anti-domestic violence ally programs that critically address the intersection of race and gender. To support more culturally sensitive approaches for engaging Black men as allies in domestic violence prevention and intervention, this workshop will share insight learned from field innovation and translate these concepts into practical strategies. The presenters will share insight from a series of town hall events about domestic violence for black men and the findings of a survey of barbers' interest in being allies in violence against Black women. The workshop will also advance a practice model founded on the Critical Race Theory (CRT) for engaging Black men as allies in anti-domestic violence work. This workshop will be critical training for practitioners, administrators, researchers, and academics in the areas of intimate partner violence or family violence.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW

×

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW, is an assistant professor at Norfolk State University with the School of Social Work and the founder and president of Communities in Power. She is the Chair of the Domestic Violence Committee for the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and the Vice Chair on the Social Services Advisory Commission (SSAC) for the Norfolk Department of Human Services. She serves on the Child Abuse and Neglect Advisory Committee for Family and Children's Trust Fund (FACT) of Virginia, the Child Welfare Advisory Committee for the Virginia Department of Social Services, and the Council on Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Diversity (CRECD) for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). She is the lead methodologist for NSU's School of Social Work evaluation services for the City of Norfolk's People First Initiative. Her research area is at the intersection of domestic violence and child maltreatment, examining children's exposure to domestic violence. She has authored publications in the areas of trauma, domestic violence, and child welfare. She has practice experience in domestic violence counseling and child protective services and teaching experience in undergraduate and graduate counseling and social work.

Courtney Pierce, BSOL

×

Courtney Pierce, BSOL

Courtney Pierce is the Anti-Trafficking Outreach and Direct Service Coordinator for Samaritan House. She also chairs the Black/African American Advisory Committee at Samaritan House. She is a graduate of Tidewater Community College and Regent University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Management and is completing a master's degree in social work from Western New Mexico University. She has over eight years of experience working with survivors of violence and previously served a 2-year term on the public policy committee for the state of Virginia through the Virginia Action Alliance.

3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (EST)

Familial trafficking is difficult to identify because it takes place within family networks and victimizes children, many of whom are under 12 years of age, who may not realize they are victims. In these cases, the trafficker may begin grooming the victim at an early age, using their close proximity to take advantage of the child's developmental stage and inability to verbally express concerns or safety issues. In these cases, the child's inherent loyalty to and reliance on the family structure make familial trafficking difficult to identify and challenging to prosecute. Harmful misperceptions about where and how familial trafficking happens, such as the belief that familial trafficking only occurs within neighborhoods, communities, or countries of low socioeconomic status, contributes to challenges to prosecution, prevention, and protection efforts. Addressing familial trafficking requires an interdisciplinary approach to ensure recovery of mental and physical health, trauma-informed investigation and prosecutorial efforts, survivor-led and -centered practices and interventions, and larger societal education and awareness.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Deepa Patel MSW, LCSW, CSOTP

×

Deepa Patel MSW, LCSW, CSOTP

Deepa Patel is the Co-Founder of Trauma and Hope. Trauma and Hope specifically focuses towards survivors of violence, sexual exploitation, gang prevention and intervention, and sex offender evaluations and treatment. Deepa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider and a Gang Specialist through the National Gang Crime Research Center. She is a dynamic clinician who has developed an expertise in treating non-voluntary clients, specifically juvenile and adult gang members, survivors of sexual trauma, and sex offenders. Deepa draws from range of therapeutic approaches to support individuals and families. She specializes in developmental trauma, complex trauma and mood disorders. She uses trauma-focused modalities to support traumatized individuals and families. Deepa is clinically trained in modalities such as Havening, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT). She has extensive experience in the field of trauma and been in the field since the early 2000's. Most recently, Deepa was selected for Virginia Commission on Human Trafficking formed by Governor Youngkin to enhance services for survivors, increase response from law enforcement and prosecution and enhance prevention education. Deepa has developed a proficient style of work with high risk and those managing complex trauma. Through her understanding and clinical devotion to her clients, she has widened her competency to develop an Intensive Outpatient and Inpatient Treatment Programs for survivors of sexual exploitation. This Certification offered by Trauma and Hope is SETTS, Sexual Exploitation Treatment and Training Services. SETTS provides a multidisciplinary clinical approach to screening, addressing, and treating, and working with victims of sexual exploitation, based on evidence based clinical practices. Deepa is a private consultant for numerous government and private based organizations in the area of trauma, human trafficking and perpetrators. The SETTS Curriculum has been utilized as a foundational level training throughout Virginia and in 2020 a partnership formed with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to train public and private providers. In 2022, she assisted the Virginia Department of Education implement training for school professionals regarding prevention education regarding human trafficking. Deepa has a unique ability to relate to her clients that has resulted in her having significant success treating her clients. She is often sought nationally and internationally to provide training and education regarding gang involved youth, sexual exploitation and sex offenders. Her passion and competency in her outpatient therapeutic program with survivors and offenders led her to become a recipient of the Virginia National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Social Worker of the Year Award in 2016, the recipient of the 2012 Frederick Milton Thrasher Award for Superior Service in Gang Prevention and the 2016 Frederick Milton Thrasher Award and Spirt of Excellence Award from the National Gang Crime Research Center. In addition, she was selected in 2013 for the CACIE (Central American Community Impact Exchange) an initiative formed by the FBI and the White House and the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children in Holland to share her success in treatment for gang involved youth, victims of sex trafficking and sex offenders. In addition, she sits on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Gang Task Force and Loudoun County ICOPE Project (Improving Children's Outcomes for Positive Endings), a trafficking specific MDT for minors. She is a member of the Northern Virginia, Loudoun County and Greater Prince William Human Trafficking Task Forces. She is the co-author of Working for the Crew: Understanding Gang Controlled Sexual Exploitation.

3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (EST)

This workshop will provide a brief overview of trauma sensitive care in medical practice (from front desk to nursing and medical providers, and everything between) before launching into what trauma sensitive OB-GYN care is, how to partner with medical providers to advocate for client needs and increase client access to trauma sensitive OB-GYN care, and what this can look like in an integrated care practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Morgan Honickel LCSW

×

Morgan Honickel LCSW

Morgan Honickel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 12 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. She is part of an interdisciplinary team at Central Virginia Health Services where she provides integrated care alongside a team of medical providers. Her passion areas include trauma, integrated care, and pediatric/adolescent mental health, and the intersection of trauma and healthcare.

3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (EST)

Every year, more than 795,000 Americans have a stroke, and another 1.5 million people sustain a TBI (traumatic brain injury). An army of doctors, physical, speech and occupational therapists aid medical and physical recovery. However, survivors and their families often struggle with untreated identity loss, grief, and other traumas. In particular, Aphasia, a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, is common after a stroke or head injury, and is treated through speech therapy. Head injury survivors with multi-cultural backgrounds face a unique set of challenges to accessing treatment that is culturally competent and bilingual (English and native tongue). Social workers can play a key role by working with individuals, families, and at the policy level. This workshop will present the under-diagnosed and untreated social and mental health problems common in stroke and TBI survivors, as shared through the experiences of two brain injury survivors living with aphasia.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Javier Gil MSW, LCSW, ACSW

×

Javier Gil MSW, LCSW, ACSW

Javier Gil brings more than twenty years of experience working with adolescents, adults and families in private practice in Arlington, VA. He has worked with multiple social services agencies in the D.C. metro area, including the Latin American Youth Center, La Clinica del Pueblo, and social service agencies in Northern Virginia. Before moving to the Washington metropolitan area, Javier was a therapist at the Brattleboro Retreat in Vermont, one of the country's oldest private psychiatric hospitals. Javier received his M.S.W. from Norfolk State University and his B.A. in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Javier has lived in Spain and Latin America. He is also a stroke survivor.

Victoria Newman, D.Div, RMT

×

Victoria Newman, D.Div, RMT

Victoria Newman, D.Div, RMT, is an Influencer for Brain Injury Survivors. Her knowledge and insight as a brain injury survivor helps bring awareness to challenges unique to survivors with mild to moderate brain injuries. In 2018, she launched Valley Disability Support Group, an online resource aimed to educate, raise awareness and empower brain injury survivors through education, peer mentoring, support groups and community advocacy. Prior to her brain injury, she had a successful career as an IT Executive in the High Tech sector of Washington, DC working on high profile projects for Fortune 500 Companies and government contracts including Affordable Care Act systems compliance for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid contractors.Helping others was always a calling. She took a sabbatical from her busy career to pursue a Doctorate. Dr. Newman charted the non-profit Sophia Interfaith Center for Humanity in 2006 as her first faith based initiative to provide services to the community as a Mission of Mercy for counseling people in underprivileged rural communities.Although the Mission of Mercy project was postponed during Dr. Newman's brain rehabilitation, which is still underway 12 years later, her desire to help the underprivileged never waned.With the launch of Valley Disability Support Group, she re-purposed her goals into dynamic volunteer community projects online like group sessions, peer mentoring, coaching, self advocacy, systems advocacy and disability rights advocacy. Dr. Newman enjoys being a champion for individuals with brain injury and the disabled. She facilitates group meetings for BIG: An Empowerment & Advocacy support group made up of brain injury survivors from Northern Virginia. Members support each other's efforts in individual and systems advocacy. In 2019, the Commissioner of DARS appointed Dr. Newman to the Virginia Brain Injury Council as a special designee representing rural communities in Northwestern Virginia. Dr. Newman is also a member of Brain Injury Services Speaker's Bureau where she shares her lived experience with brain injury to other survivors and medical students pursuing careers in rehabilitation therapy.

3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (EST)

1.5 million youth in the U.S. are grieving the loss of a parent or significant person in their lives. As we continue to experience communal, and personal associations to the pandemic, these losses will continue to grow and change our communities. The times call for professionals to respond to their own loss histories, and to make room for more concrete, intentional responses to client and community needs. As professionals, it is important to understand the dynamics of this unique experience so that we can offer support that is relevant, culturally aware, and sensitive to individual, and community grief needs. This fun, (yes, fun!) and experiential session will offer a new lens to view work with underserved populations. Content to include activities, focus on cultivating peer support, inclusive and resonant facilitation skill building and family based-, group and individual processing considerations.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Ethics Hours)

Alesia K Alexander LCSW, CT

×

Alesia K Alexander LCSW, CT

Alesia K. Alexander, LCSW, CT is a passionate, and spirited advocate for young people and communities. Ms. Alexander's work over the last two decades has focused on inclusive practice, children and teens in school and community settings, specifically with children and teens that have lost a loved one to death. A licensed clinical social worker in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia, she has served as consultant to grief and loss centers across the nation on loss, and inclusive practice. She is a former member of the Board of Directors for The National Alliance for Grieving Children. Ms. Alexander is a regular presenter and trainer regionally, nationally and internationally on grief, loss, inclusion, and at-risk youth development. She is the author of four resources for grieving children and communities. Tapestries: A Creative & Inclusive Approach to Grief Support for Youth & Communities (2013), Dream Clouds (2011), Un Mural Para Mamita/A Mural for Mamita (2001), Sunflowers & Rainbows for Tia: Saying Goodbye to Daddy (1999). Ms. Alexander is also a featured expert in the WPSU PBS Documentary, Speaking Grief (2019).

3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (EST)

This workshop will address the health disparities related to the ongoing racialized stress of African Americans/Blacks in general and social workers and social work students, specifically. Racial trauma is the outcome of ongoing racialized stress which has been found to negatively impact physical health, potentially leading to allostatic load compensation and/or death. Allostatic load compensation may present as allostatic heart failure, allostatic kidney failure or allostatic liver failure. It is important for practitioners and social work faculty to recognize the signs of allostatic overload in order to educate those so affected but also to educate these individuals on the dangers of high level coping related to racialized stress. This workshop will identify strategies to help students/clients/practitioners identify effective self-care methods to mediate their ongoing stress.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 1 Ethics Hour)

Val Livingston PhD, MSW

×

Val Livingston PhD, MSW

Dr. Val Livingston has been in the human services arena for more than 30 years and has been involved in higher education for more than 10 years. Dr. Livingston has extensive experience managing non-profit organizations and has worked with diverse populations such as at-risk, pregnant and parenting teens, domestic violence survivors, individuals with substance use disorders and SNAPET participants. Dr. Livingston currently teaches graduate social work courses in The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work. Dr. Livingston is a published author and has conducted research on various aspects of collegiate mental health.

Breshell Jackson-Nevels, PhD

×

Breshell Jackson-Nevels, PhD

Breshell Jackson-Nevels, PhD is the MSW Program Director at The Ethelyn R. Strong School ofSocial Work at Norfolk State University. She has worked in the social work arena for over 25years. She has workedwith a variety of organizations including the Department of VeteransAffairs, a local school system, various social service/nonprofit agencies, the community servicesboard, and a hospice program. Her research interests include positive mental health and itssustainability as it relates to people of color.Dr. Jackson-Nevels has published articles in variouspeer-reviewed journals and has authored a book chapter. She has presented for international,national, local, and state agencies. Dr. Jackson-Nevels isproud of her roles as a wife and mother.

3:45 pm - 5:45 pm (EST)

Attendees will receive an overview of current terminology when working with transgender and gender expansive individuals. This will launch attendees into education and discussions about key areas of concern for this special population as well as ways to address said issues with individuals. Attention will be given to meeting the client where they are, practicing ethically and within one's scope. Best practice strategies will be reviewed, including review of WPATH criteria and writing letters for gender affirming procedures. Case scenarios and client situations will be discussed and explored and resources will also be discussed. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of best practice and care when engaging with gender expansive individuals.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 LGBTQ hours and 1 Ethics hour)

Julie Wilcox LCSW

×

Julie Wilcox LCSW

Julie Wilcox (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Massachusetts. She has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field, including hospital, residential, community based, and private practice settings. Julie also provides supervision for licensure and has supervised interns and worked as a field liaison and adjunct professor for the MSW program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently in a group private practice in the Richmond, Virginia area and facilitates trainings and coaching through her company, Authentic Living and Wellness.Julie received her undergraduate degree in Social Work with a minor in business from Baylor University and her Masters, with a concentration in child and adolescent Mental Health, from UNC- Chapel Hill. Julie is passionate about helping individuals through life transitions, substance use, couples/family work, and working with the LGBTQ+ population. Julie provides couples therapy for individuals at any stage in their relationship, including working with polyamory, affair recovery, kink, premarital work, parenting issues, and couples and families who are separating/divorced. Julie also has extensive work with the LGBTQ+ community, especially working with individuals who identify as questioning, queer, gender-expansive, and transgender. She can assist individuals navigating transitions, including family work, medical treatments, and surgeries. She has additional certifications in both Couples and Co-Parenting work. Julie is currently the Vice President for the NASW-VA Board. She also regularly volunteers for many programs throughout the community, especially those focused on youth, running, animals, and LGBTQ+ programs.

8:00 pm - 9:00 pm (EST)

Dr. Arthur Romano will host a discussion around community violence prevention, the topic of his new book "Racial Justice and Nonviolence Education Building the Beloved Community, One Block at a Time".

CE Hours Awarded: 1

Dr. Arthur Romano

×

Dr. Arthur Romano

Arthur Romano is an Assistant Professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University and The Elise Boulding Scholar Practitioner for the National Peace Academy. He has over 20 years of experience serving as an educational advisor and developing transformative and experiential education with communities affected by conflict and violence.Dr. Romano came to the school with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing experiential educational programs on peace and conflict resolution related themes in a wide array of locales including in Asia, Africa, and Central America. He also co-developed the Diversity Matters Now workshop series, which explores issues related to identity and peacebuilding in colleges and universities across the US.His international work has focused on Hip Hop Diplomacy as he regularly works with US Hip Hop Artists engaging in cultural exchange work abroad through the Next Level Program as well as peace education in East Asia including implementation and evaluation of peace education and problem-solving programs in Japan and South Korea.He has published on issues related to Black-led truth-telling processes, grassroots peace and conflict resolution education and urban peacebuilding and is currently completing a book focused on community-led nonviolence education and the living legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in US cities impacted by systemic racism and economic inequality.

7:00 am - 8:00 am (EST)

Registration is open for newly arriving attendees as well as a continental breakfast for all.

7:15 am - 7:45 am (EST)

Grab a cup of coffee and say hello to Debra Riggs, CAE and Executive Director of the NASW Virgina and Metro DC Chapters!

NASW Virginia/Metro DC Chapters

×

NASW Virginia/Metro DC Chapters

8:00 am - 9:00 am (EST)

Session Title: "Putting the Civil Back in Civil Discourse"

Our current political/media ecosystem can be defined as an "all against all"; enterprise. It is a kind of segmented self-perpetuating machine that does a poor job of giving context across ideological points of view. That gap is then used to divide us even further.

As the social and psychological impacts continue to ripple out, far too many of our citizen do not realize that they have become intellectually and emotionally compromised by this current state of being. At best, it makes individuals retreat from any civic engagement about the ideas that must be addressed. At worse, it makes too many average Americans believe that demonizing, blaming, and punishing others for perceived misdeeds is not just appropriate, but necessary. These extreme points of view are then used to justify extreme action.

Putting the Civil back in Civil Discourse is a 50-minute presentation that will give attendees a deeper sense for the reasons for, and cost for not thinking more critically about the way we digest our media and political messages.

The program will also give attendees essential tips for how to have more civil discourse.

CE Hours Awarded: 1

Ron Jones

×

Ron Jones

Ron Jones has been an educator, writer, actor, and social activist for over 25 years. He is an EMMY Award winner who is currently Executive Director of Dialogues on Diversity. Dialogues on Diversity is the nation's premier social justice, diversity awareness theater company performing more than 100 Performances, Lectures and Workshops in N. America annually. He has created a range of performance, lecture, game, and workshop platforms designed to help individuals and organizations address issues of cultural difference in a more open, healthy and respectful way. His approach is to bring "Compassionate Activism" into our discussions and actions around social change. Only through understanding the mechanisms of bias and oppression can we work to dismantle them. Too few Americans know the stories of deep, complex and sometime, shameful stories that make us this beautiful experiment.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

This workshop focuses on the concept of intergenerational trauma (historical trauma) and the effects on the individual, family and community. Here we give definition to intergenerational trauma and address presenting barriers between trauma and recovery within our communities. Participants will explore topics such as stigma, trauma, post-traumatic slave syndrome, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. Here participants observe how these topics inter-relate through concepts such as adaptive survival. Participants will have opportunity to engage in population-based inquiry based on presenting scenarios and case studies. Lastly, participants will explore practice-based implications and potential strategies of engagement and social change.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Sherwood Randolph LCSW, Mdiv, BC-TMH

×

Sherwood Randolph LCSW, Mdiv, BC-TMH

As a native of Richmond, VA, husband and father, Sherwood attributes each moment of his life to his cultural and spiritual identity. Sherwood engages integrative approaches, while at the same time focusing on the personas a whole; mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Sherwood, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, attended the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Social Work in which he obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees. Sherwood currently serves as the Director of the Child Development Clinic of the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU and Owner/Principal Consultant of Just As I Am (JAIA) Clinical Consulting, LLC. Licensed and ordained in ministry, Sherwood attended the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University (VUU) in which he obtained his Master of Divinity Degree and serves as an Associate Minister at the Cedar Street Baptist Church and as the Teen Pastor of the M3 Church. In addition to ministry endeavors, Sherwood is privileged to serve in higher education as an adjunct faculty member for the VCU School of Social Work as well as the VUU Department of Social Work and Sociology. Sherwood presents both locally and nationally in the areas of behavioral health and faith development. With a focus on community, Sherwood is a member of the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers (RABSW), the National Association of Social Work (NASW)- Virginia Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors of the South Richmond Adult Daycare Center. Most recently, via the Youngkin Administration, Sherwood received the honor of gubernatorial appointment to the Virginia Board of Social Work in which he will serve from 2022-2026. Sherwood maintains that people remain the most resilient of creations and looks forward to every opportunity to aid in both social and spiritual development across the generations.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

As Social Workers we are committed to ethical standards including service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics. Healthcare standards and practices are guided by ethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and fidelity. This session will explore how principles of cultural humility can be incorporated into social work practice, particularly in healthcare settings. Participants will be challenged to engage in self-reflection about their experiences with race and cultural diversity. This session will explore connection between culture and health behaviors. We will define cultural humility and discuss ways to incorporate its principles into social work practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours and 2 Ethics hours)

Tracye Brewer LCSW, CCM, CASWCM, LICSW, LCSW-C

×

Tracye Brewer LCSW, CCM, CASWCM, LICSW, LCSW-C

Tracye Brewer is a Clinical Practice Consultant for the Extended Length of Stay Program at Kaiser Permanente. She has been recognized for her flexibility, cooperation, creativity, and resourcefulness while working with diverse team members toward common goals. Tracye joined Kaiser Permanente in 2014 as a Social Work Case Manager and she worked as a Dialysis Social Worker prior to transitioning into her current role. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Tracye worked as a Clinical Supervisor and as a Social Worker in Child Welfare. Her experiences have helped to hone her skills in family team decision making, ethical decision making, and professional boundaries. Prior to becoming a Social Worker, Tracye was a public school teacher. She was trained by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as a SHARE Approach Master Trainer. Tracye has been a presenter at the NASW Clinical Conference and KP Learning Conferences in 2017 and 2020. Tracye Brewer is a Clinical Social Worker licensed in MD, DC, & VA. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Social Work.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

The field of family law, including custody and visitation determinations, and abuse/neglect proceedings, is one which cries out for collaboration between social workers and attorneys. But for many reasons, cooperation between professionals in each field does not always occur as easily as might be beneficial for our mutual clients. This joint presentation by Suzanne Baldwin, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., R.N., and Cynthia A. King, Attorney at Law, will address opportunities to identify and improve that collaboration, and discuss the ethical implications that cooperation has upon our clients. The goal of the course is to help social workers understand the full range of possible positive interactions with attorneys practicing family law, to navigate the minefield of rules and competing interests inherent in the legal system, and to explore the ways that sometimes frustrating collaboration can enrich your practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (Includes 1 Ethics hour)

Suzanne Baldwin PhD, LCSW, RN

×

Suzanne Baldwin PhD, LCSW, RN

Dr. Baldwin owns a private practice in Virginia Beach. Her primary emphasis is working with children and families that are involved in the court system. She is recognized as an expert witness in area Juvenile and Domestic courts as well as Circuit Court. Dr. Baldwin also works closely with military families. She has been appointment by the Virginia Beach City to be a voting member for the Community Policy and Management Team which authorizes funding for clients in the DSS and Juvenile Justice systems.

Cynthia King Esq

×

Cynthia King Esq

Cynthia A. King has practiced family law for more than twenty years in the Commonwealth of Virginia, focusing on custody/visitation, relocation, divorce, support, and equitable distribution issues.Cynthia graduated with college and university honors from Carnegie Mellon University with dual B.A. degrees in Professional Writing and Creative Writing, as well as a minor in Political Science. She earned her Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review and authored a published note entitled, Fighting the Devil We Don't Know: Kansas v. Hendricks, A Case Study Exploring the Civilization of Criminal Punishment and Its Ineffectiveness in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse. She has utilized her writing skills in practice by drafting innumerable legal memoranda, pleadings, and appellate briefs.Cynthia is currently a solo practitioner in Richmond and serves as a certified Guardian ad Litem for children. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, baking pie, and rooting for the New York Rangers hockey team.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

Do you have a little joy or a lot of joy? The average person makes thousands of choices each day. We can't embrace negativity and joy at the same time. What if you made the choice to embrace joy more often throughout the day? I provide true life stories with practical examples for changing your perspective to be able to see life through a lens of joy.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics hours)

Adria Wilkins

×

Adria Wilkins

Multi-award-winning author, Adria Wilkins has an accounting degree from Western Kentucky University. She and her husband, Erik, live in Northern Virginia and have three children Katie, Blake, and Anthony. Her book The Joy Box Journal with Hachette Book Group released July 2019. She enjoys telling a story, adding sprinkles of joy and a few extra dollops to liven it up. After suffering the unthinkable- death of three-year-old Blake, she found that joy can be found in any circumstance. Adria and her husband have done foster care and adopted a child.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

Professional social workers are uniquely poised to make a contribution in humanitarian settings because of our values and competencies. Worldwide, there is an increasing recognition of the urgency to provide mental health and psychosocial services to populations affected by natural disasters and man-made emergencies such as war and genocide. This workshop will present some of the programs that this social worker developed while working for an international medical organization and look at areas where social workers could work globally.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours and 1 Ethics hour)

Athena Viscusi LICSW

×

Athena Viscusi LICSW

Athena Viscusi, LICSW, has been involved in international humanitarian aid since 2010 and previously worked in Washington DC, providing mental health care to immigrants and refugees and victims of violence. She has directed mental health and psychosocial interventions in response to natural disasters such as earthquakes and epidemics and man-made disasters such as war and genocide. Currently, she provides emotional support services to humanitarian aid workers at Doctors without Borders. She is a lecturer at Howard University School of Social Work and have been a Field Instructor for several univeristies. Her pro bono work includes forensic evaluations for asylum applicants.

9:20 am - 11:20 am (EST)

The "Great Resignation" continues at full throttle, though many social workers view it as a "Great Awakening". In response, new graduates to experienced professionals are trading in traditional jobs to engage their entrepreneurial spirit. Our profession has prioritized caring for others versus endorsing self-interests, yet, that needle is shifting. Social Work is stepping up to leave a new legacy. Engage in an innovative presentation to identify your professional persona and ensure success of your entrepreneurial equation!

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 1 Ethics hour)

Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

×

Ellen Fink-Samnick DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP

Ellen Fink-Samnick is an award-winning industry entrepreneur who empowers healthcare's interprofessional workforce. She is a subject matter expert on Health Equity, Ethics, Professional Case Management Practice, Interprofessional Teams, and Trauma-informed Leadership. Her latest books include, The Essential Guide to Interprofessional Ethics for Healthcare Case Management, The Social Determinants of Health: Case Management's Next Frontier, End of Life Care for Case Management, and upcoming Social Determinants of Mental Health: Advancing Wholistic Practice Excellence. Ellen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-certified Case Manager, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Certified Rehabilitation Provider. She is recipient of the 2022 Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers for Virginia. Her academic appointments include the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, and George Mason University's Departments of Social Work and Global Community Health. She is a clinical supervision trainer and instructor for the National Association of Social Workers of Virginia, lead for Rise Association's Social Determinants of Health Community, moderator of Ellen's Ethical LensTM on LinkedIn and author of the blog, Ellen's Interprofessional Insights. Ellen is a consultant for the Case Management Institute, moderator of their Case Managers Community, and a Doctor of Behavioral Health candidate at Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies.

11:35 am - 12:35 pm (EST) 

Dine with new and old friends while NASW Director of Public Policy Sarah Butts serves up a platter of insider news on the interstate compact, racial disparities revealed in the Association of Social Work Boards’ report on licensure exam pass rates, and other critical professional and social justice issues. Hear how your professional association is responding to proposed legislation and policies that directly affect you and your clients!

CE Hours Awarded: 1

Sarah Butts

×

Sarah Butts

Sarah Butts is the NASW director of public policy, responsible for leading the association’s public policy, political and legislative affairs agenda, overseeing field organizing, working at both the national level and with NASW chapters, fundraising for political candidates, managing endorsement efforts, and developing and advancing the association’s strategic goals and objectives in Congress and the White House. Prior to joining NASW, Butts was executive director of the Grand Challenges for Social Work at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. A macro social worker with experience in management, community organizing, and public policy, she is a founding administrator of the American Academy of Social Welfare and Social Work, which sets a research-informed social policy agenda for the profession.

12:50 pm - 2:50 pm (EST)

Are you tired of hearing consistent information about this emerging topic that various scientists have studied, and you may still be at a loss? You will leave this workshop with an understanding of the fundamental aspects of trauma supported by scientific evidence using many modalities and Hip Hop! This session can also revolutionize your therapeutic practice and improve the outcomes of your trauma therapy. Let us break things down into reasonable chunks, gain knowledge, and have fun!

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Ethics hours)

Jamicia Davis LCSW

×

Jamicia Davis LCSW

Jamicia Davis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 18 years of combined experience as a social worker and clinician in the field. She is a product of the public school system, social services, behavioral health, juvenile drug court, and the public and private sectors. As a scholar and practitioner, Ms. Davis values novel approaches to trauma comprehension. Ms. Davis was born and raised in Auburn, New York, the hometown of Harriet Tubman and William H. Seward, although she has lived in Virginia for the past twenty years. Ms. Davis received a bachelor's degree in social work from Buffalo State College and a master's degree in social work from the University at Buffalo. Ms. Davis is also currently a Ph.D. candidate at Norfolk State University. She possesses credentials in Youth Mental Health First Aid, Trauma and Resilience, and telemedicine. She is well known for her community service with adolescent girls and older adults. Ms. Davis has also performed admirably with educational grants. Honorable mentions include Unsung Hero and School Counselor of the Year at a local high school. Ms. Davis and her colleagues were honored with a Silver Magna Award for their contributions to public schools' mental health initiatives. Ms. Davis is a member of the distinguished sorority Delta Sigma Theta. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family, which includes Mocha, her pet dog.

Cameo T. Harris

×

Cameo T. Harris

Cameo T. Harris is a native of Chicago Heights, IL.  She relocated to Newport News, VA in 1989 as a result of her father’s forced pcs move from Anchorage, AK.  Ms. Harris attended and graduated from Denbigh High School in 1992 and later enrolled in Norfolk State University that August with the intent to study Political Science.  While on  the journey  Ms. Harris discovered that she had a knack for helping individuals who suffer from mental health issues after working as a Mental Health Tech at Colonial Hospital.  Since that time Ms. Harris has accumulated over 31 years of combined experience in areas of Domestic Violence, HIV and AIDS, Child Welfare, Wounded Warriors/Combat Veterans, Military Work Life, Criminal Justice/Incarceration, and Substance Abuse.  Ms. Harris has been able successfully complete specialized trainings in Domestic Violence, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries,  and Suicide, to name a few. 

Currently Ms. Harris is the owner and operator of Kreative Milestones Behavioral Healthcare Services, LLC and Clinical Director of Available Mental Health Services, LLC.  She also has a web-based agency ING Life 4 Tomorrow which will provide coaching and other consulting services to individuals outside of the state of Virginia. 

Ms. Harris describes her role as a Social Worker as someone that should provide advocacy, guidance, and support to those who are in their life’s storm.  As a result, she is affectionately known as a broken wing healer because of the empathy that she provides to those whom she serves.  When asked most of her colleagues have described her as intelligent, ambitious, and genuine.   

12:50 pm - 2:50 pm (EST)

Social work practitioners interact with clients from varying cultural identities. While the social work profession has long recognized the value of cultural matches between the social worker and client, there has been paucity of research examining the interactions and possible tensions which may arise between BIPOC social workers and BIPOC clients. This interactive workshop is designed for practitioners of color. The purpose is to explore the dynamics of therapists of color working with clients of color, and tensions that may arise because of power dynamics, privilege, and exploring the similarities and differences within cultural identities. A facilitated dialogue among the participants offers the opportunity to share experiences and effective strategies.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics hours)

Jeanne Booth LCSW

×

Jeanne Booth LCSW

Jeanne Booth is the interim Co-Director of Field Education at the George Mason University Department of Social Work where she has been Assistant Professor and Community Programs Manager for several years. Professor Booth serves on the College of Health and Human Services Inclusive Excellence Leadership Team and as Co-Chair for the Diversity and Social Justice Committee. She joined the faculty at Mason following a career in clinical practice and local government leadership roles in a variety of areas including housing, justice, mobile crisis intervention work, child welfare services, aging and developmental disability services. She currently serves on the executive board for APAH, a nonprofit affordable housing developer serving Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Razia Kosi EdD, LCSW-C

×

Razia Kosi EdD, LCSW-C

Dr. Razia F. Kosi is the Coordinator of Culturally Responsive Practices and Anti-Racism Development in the Howard County Public School System where she leads system-wide and school-based DEI initiatives. Additionally, Dr. Kosi is a mental health professional and works to end the stigma surrounding mental health in the South Asian community. She has served on executive boards on both national and local organizations serving the South Asian and AAPI communities. She has had a private practice for over 15 years and works primarily with South Asian and Muslim clients from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

12:50 pm - 2:50 pm (EST)

This workshop will address the historic and contemporary context of oppressive school policies, systemic barriers to academic success, and what social workers can do to advocate for change. Additionally, it will address how to engage in school policy practice and ethical decision making. This workshop will examine the effects of poverty, oppression, and injustice on educational outcomes. Attendees will leave with an increased understanding of how the role of equity, diversity, and inclusion can be used to facilitate positive change; particularly, in school settings. This workshop will review case studies and engage in hands-on activities for practical implementation.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.5 Ethics hours)

Brittny Gainey DSW, LCSW

×

Brittny Gainey DSW, LCSW

Dr. Gainey, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 10+ years of experience working with diverse populations. She retains a comprehensive clinical background gained from working in the K-12 educational system, outpatient and community treatment settings, military installations, and non-profit agencies. Her research interests include student mental health particularly how it manifests in the school setting and black maternal mental health. 

Currently, Dr. Gainey serves and supports students as a school social worker for Hampton City Schools. She is also an Adjunct Instructor for The University of Alabama, School of Social Work. Brittny believes that she has been called to be a change agent and instill hope in each person that she meets. She is humbled by the individuals and families that allow her to join them in their journey. Her greatest joy is to witness people speak life into themselves in spite of their circumstance and experience total freedom.

Brittny is married to her best friend from college and together they have two wonderful sons, James Tarrell and Jabari Tashon Gainey. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. In 2016, Brittny and her mother created Mother To Daughter, LLC, a business that celebrates the unique relationship between mothers and their daughters.

12:50 pm - 2:50 pm (EST)

A powerful and humbling experiential training exercise on understanding mental illness. You will participate in an audio exercise where you actually hear and experience what people with psychiatric disabilities are challenged with in their daily lives. This training was developed and designed by Pat Deegan PhD., a clinical psychologist who also personally lives the mental illness of Auditory Schizophrenia. This training is conducted in all CIT Trainings throughout Virginia.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours and 1 Ethics hour)

Thomas Von Hemert CIT, EMT

×

Thomas Von Hemert CIT, EMT

Thomas von Hemert is the CIT Coordinator for the Thomas Jefferson Area CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) for the last sixteen years, the largest CIT program in Virginia. Tom and his Team have trained over 2,500 First Responders (police officers, sheriff deputies, correctional officers, emergency dispatchers, magistrates, firefighters/medics, probation officers and prosecutors) in CIT. He trained and mentored the development of many new CIT programs throughout Virginia and the United States. Tom also worked as a Criminal Justice Planner, where he successfully developed and created several criminal justice programs (Family Treatment Drug Court, Restorative Justice, and practices based on Evidence Based Practices).

12:50 pm - 2:50 pm (EST)

By the time LGBTQIA individuals reach their senior years, they have already experienced severe emotional and physical tolls due to discrimination. LGBTQIA residents in long-term care face systemic discrimination as well as direct forms of abuse. Understanding emerging and ethical emerging issues surrounding LGBTQIA residents in long-term-care and reviewing practical approaches to prevent discrimination and improve treatment of this population is critical. This session will review specific procedures to protect LGBTQIA residents from abuse and bullying and to provide a safe and welcoming environment. The presenters will use real life ethical scenarios to engage participants and facilitate learning about these issues.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 LGBTQ hours and 1 Ethics hour)

Dr. Barbara Wise

×

Dr. Barbara Wise

Barbara Wise, M.D. has focused her work in geriatric psychiatry for the past ten years and has additional experience in consult and emergency psychiatry. She is currently employed by Cape Fear Valley Health System in Fayetteville, NC where she sees patients in long-term care facilities, oversees training of psychiatry residents, and manages the ECT service. She has served as the Medical Director for several companies over the past decade, providing oversight and mental health care to thousands of seniors living in long-term care facilities in multiple states.

Brenda Sprinkle PhD

×

Brenda Sprinkle PhD

Brenda Sprinkle, Ph.D. is a Licensed Psychologist and the Regional Director for Deer Oaks-The Behavioral Health Organization. Dr. Sprinkle is a Developer for this Course and Co Presenter. Since 2007 Dr. Sprinkle has provided psychotherapy services to clients in nursing home facilities in the Austin region. She also manages/supervises Deer Oaks' Psychologists, LPCs and Licensed Clinical Social Workers in the West Texas and El Paso regions. Dr. Sprinkle develops and presents CEUs and conference presentations for Deer Oaks.

12:50 pm - 2:50 pm (EST)

Using presentation and discussion methods, this workshop will explore geek culture, therapeutic applications around incorporating geek hobbies and interests into the therapy setting, and ethical considerations around new and cutting edge interventions.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 0.25 Ethics hours)

Kayla Balensiefer LCSW, LICSW

×

Kayla Balensiefer LCSW, LICSW

Kayla Balensiefer is a clinically licensed social worker in Virginia and Washington, DC who works with children, adolescents, and adults who are struggling with symptoms related to anxiety, depression, and crisis including grief and loss. Kayla frequently works with clients who are affected by social and generalized anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, and those who want to improve their confidence and relationship with others. Kayla obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Neuroscience from Purdue University in 2010 and went on to obtain her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California in 2013 with a focus on children and families and a concentration on military social work. She has worked with children and families in different roles for over a decade, most recently focusing on crisis intervention and stabilization. In 2021 she completed training as a therapeutic game master to infuse tabletop role playing games (TTRPGs), such as Dungeons and Dragons, into group therapy treatment giving her clients an engaging platform to address social skills, anxiety, and depression. On March 29, 2022 she became a Certified Geek Therapist through Geek Therapeutics. In her personal life it is common to find her playing different TTRPGs or board games with friends, playing video games, putting together Lego sets, taking/editing photos, and engaging in her favorite fandoms such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Marvel.

3:10 pm - 5:10 pm (EST)

This interactive training will help social work professionals look outside of their own lens to allow the clients they serve be authentically themselves and not be held or judged by societal standards of what is considered the "norm" . We will take a deep look into healthcare disparities and systemic issues that prevent people of color from receiving access to quality and equitable care. This training will help professionals identify their biases and practice cultural competence and humility to be able to advocate and successfully work with this population. Participants will be provided case studies and engage in group discussions that will help them calibrate their lens to see clearly the societal/systemic impacts and how to provide the best care to their clients.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours and 1 Ethics hours)

Alesha Perkins LCSW, CCM

×

Alesha Perkins LCSW, CCM

Alesha Perkins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and North Carolina and a Certified Case Manager. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her Master of Social Work from the University of Central Florida. Alesha has over 20 years of experience in the social work field with vast knowledge in medical social work, child protective services, case management, mental health and substance abuse counseling. Over ten years ago, she began her instructional career providing trainings to dialysis providers. Since then, she has created and facilitated numerous trainings for mental and medical professionals, state and national organizations. She is an advocate for eliminating mental health disparities and provides education in minority communities to promote mental health awareness. She serves as Mentorship Chair for the North Carolina Society for Clinical Social Work and is an active member of Toastmasters. Alesha is a former Clinical Director for a mental health agency and currently works for a health insurance provider as a Senior Program Manager. In addition, she provides clinical supervision, has a part-time private practice, and is an instructor for Perkins Medical Services which is family-owned. Perkins Medical Services has been in business for over 20 years and provides quality medical and mental health trainings.

Jasetta Perkins MSN, RN, ACSM-EP

×

Jasetta Perkins MSN, RN, ACSM-EP

Jasetta Perkins is a nurse educator. She received her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from James Madison University, Associates of Science in Health Sciences from the University of Mount Olive, her nursing diploma from Watts School of Nursing and her Master of Science in Nursing from Queens University of Charlotte. She has over ten years of experience in providing health education to clients. She has helped thousands in her career and was a coordinator of a newly diabetes program in which she successfully helped clients lose weight and drop their A1C within 3 months. She has a passion for teaching and advocating especially for minorities in which she has been requested to speak at churches, community events and businesses. Jasetta is currently a diabetes nurse educator for a large hospital system. She is also a CPR instructor, MAT trainer, and instructor for Perkins Medical Services which is family owned. Perkins Medical Services has been in business for over 20 years and provide quality mental health and medical trainings.

3:10 pm - 5:10 pm (EST)

In 2021, 1 out of 6 missing children reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children who had run away were likely victims of child sex trafficking. Child welfare professionals and law enforcement are increasingly on the front lines of coordinating care, services and emergency response for survivors of child sex trafficking. Advanced recovery planning and specialized response can mitigate challenges, streamline resources and allow for coordinated, trauma-informed interventions. This presentation will provide practical lessons learned in developing proactive recovery and response plans focused on increasing rapport, youth engagement, and understanding and reducing running behavior for missing children who are being sex trafficked.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (includes 2 Public Health Priority hours)

Samantha Sahl LCSW

×

Samantha Sahl LCSW

Dr. Samantha Sahl, DSW, LCSW is the Supervisor of the Child Sex Trafficking Recovery Services Team (RST) at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). RST is a team of regionally assigned Resource Specialists who provide case-based assistance and support to child welfare professionals and other multidisciplinary team members in the development of trauma-informed and victim-centered recovery plans for survivors of child sex trafficking who are reported missing to NCMEC. Prior to joining the team at NCMEC, Dr. Sahl coordinated the response to child sex trafficking in New Orleans, first through the New Orleans Children's Advocacy Center, and then with the Respect, Invest in, Support & Empower (RISE) Initiative at the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court. Dr. Sahl has provided training and technical assistance throughout Louisiana and nationally on child sex trafficking identification and response. She completed a Doctor of Social Work degree with the University of Southern California and focused her doctoral research on youth voice and choice through shared decision-making tools and practices.

3:10 pm - 5:10 pm (EST)

This workshop is designed to help therapist to decolonize therapy by helping them to reconnect to the humanization of therapy and include systems of oppression into our therapy practice.

CE Hours Awarded: 2 (including 1 Ethics hour)

Deneen Evans PhD, LCSW

×

Deneen Evans PhD, LCSW

Dr. Deneen Evans, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Tenured Professor, advocate and navigator of justice is an Associate Professor of Social Work at East Tennessee University and after serving 16 years at Radford University as a Professor and Administrator in the School of Social Work she retired in December 2022. At Radford she left a mark on the University community by leading efforts in diversity and global engagement and became the first African American Tenured Professor in the School of Social Work. In 2000 she returned to Roanoke College her undergraduate alma mater to lead new initiatives as the founding Director of Multicultural Affairs. Dr. Evans research and teaching interest include African American families and disability, and issues related to social justice and spirituality in social work practice. Her passion for diversity was rooted in her upbringing in Jersey City New Jersey and has allowed her to travel abroad throughout North America, the Caribbean and in recent years to Uganda Africa to teach global policy and practices related to child disability. She is a published researcher and has presented research findings at international, national, and regional conferences and she is a sought-after consultant, speaker, and trainer in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. God has blessed her to obtain a Ph.D. in Social Work from Norfolk State University, MSW degree from Radford University and a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Roanoke College. In 2019 the Evans' family was directed by God to establish Mosaic Mental Wellness and Health, the first African American owned group mental wellness practice in SW VA focused on multicultural practice and social justice.Dr. Evans has spent her professional career advocating for marginalized communities and navigating for diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. The founding of Mosaic Mental Wellness and Health is the result of her academic and professional experiences and her desire to have a mental wellness home where people of color can join with clinicians who look like them and share in their lived experiences of the full extent of the societal and institutional inequalities that affect the lives of people of color. Dr. Evans is a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Salem Virginia, the Roanoke Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Inc, and currently serves on the Board of Total Action for Progress, the Clinical Social Work Society of Virginia and is the co-chair of the Roanoke County Democratic Committee.

Yasmine Tyler BA, MSW-C

×

Yasmine Tyler BA, MSW-C

Yasmine is a MSW student in her clinical year at Radford University and is focused on providing services for children in the foster care system. She is a Title IV-E recipient completing her clinical placement at a outpatient private practice focused on providing therapeutic services rooted in social justice. After graduation in May 2023 she will begin her career as a MSW practitioner in a foster care setting.

Lisa Williams BSW, MSW-C

×

Lisa Williams BSW, MSW-C

Lisa is a MSW student in her clinical year at Radford University and is focused on providing services for children in the child-welfare system. She is completing her clinical placement at a private practice focused on providing therapeutic services rooted in social justice. After graduation in May 2023 she will begin her career as a MSW practitioner focused on providing clinical services to families with children.

3:10 pm - 5:10 pm (EST)

Lasell Bartlett weaves experiential learning and lecture material to facilitate learning about the stories told by body language. She covers basic survival strategies (find, flight/fight/fix, and freeze), and how to help unravel stuck patterns that show up in our emotions, sensations, and thoughts.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Lasell Bartlett LICSW

×

Lasell Bartlett LICSW

"It's our nature to get along" is Lassell Bartlett's motto and it guides their interactions. She integratse over fifty years of experience in the fields of bodymind awareness and meditation with professional expertise as a Clinical Social Worker, Bodywork and Somatic Education Practitioner (BASE-P), and PATH Intl Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Education, focusing on trauma resolution, early developmental repair, and helping people develop a sense of safety that can support the best relationships imaginable. Lassell lives on a small farm in rural Virginia with two horses, seven sheep, three donkeys, eight goats, forty-one guineas, two cats, three dogs, and her bestest ever human friend.

3:10 pm - 5:10 pm (EST)

Hellfighter is a 35-mnute independent film that is designed to give attendees a more layered understanding of the deep systemic nature of Americas race biases. The piece covers over 100 years of societal and institutional bigotry and racism to help those who may not know how the roots of those systems still play out in terms of Governmental Policy, Banking. Education, Law Enforcement and Generational Wealth Acquisition. The program will be followed up by an interactive workshop that will give attendees a chance to lay their own personal family/ experiential context. It is Dialogues on Diversity’s belief that America has a racist history which most Americans have had the privilege of not having to be exposed to. How you give them that exposure is essential to building a foundation for sustained social change and equity. The workshop will use discussion, video interactive activities to help attendees gain experience building a narrative for deeper shared understanding. The experiential work done in this session can be folded into the points and lessons addresses in the Putting the Civil Back in Civil Discourse program help attendees start to build a toolkit for dealing with a range so social issues. We understand that the Dialogues on Diversity approach of radical compassion is not the only model for social change. Nor is it a model suited for everyone all the time. Our approach is based on the simple question “What kind of world do you want?”. That answer should inform your approach to change.

CE Hours Awarded: 2

Ron Jones

×

Ron Jones

Ron Jones has been an educator, writer, actor, and social activist for over 25 years. He is an EMMY Award winner who is currently Executive Director of Dialogues on Diversity. Dialogues on Diversity is the nation's premier social justice, diversity awareness theater company performing more than 100 Performances, Lectures and Workshops in N. America annually. He has created a range of performance, lecture, game, and workshop platforms designed to help individuals and organizations address issues of cultural difference in a more open, healthy and respectful way. His approach is to bring "Compassionate Activism" into our discussions and actions around social change. Only through understanding the mechanisms of bias and oppression can we work to dismantle them. Too few Americans know the stories of deep, complex and sometime, shameful stories that make us this beautiful experiment.