Social Work Department celebrates National Social Work Month with a virtual conference and giving campaign

March 03, 2022

Contact: Kawana McGough, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
   

¾«¶«AV's College of Arts and Sciences Department of Social Work is helping celebrate this year's Social Work Month in March with a virtual conference on March 31, 2022. The conference will be held in observance of National Social Work Month 2022 with the national theme "The Time is Right for Social Work" to highlight how social workers have enriched our society for more than a century and how their services continue to be needed today.

The annual Social Work Month campaign is a time to inform the public, policymakers, and legislators about the services social workers provide in various sectors, including hospitals, mental health centers, schools, social service agencies, community centers, and politics.

This year, ¾«¶«AV supports the theme to include "Equipping your practice toolbox for COVID 19 and Beyond" to educate students and professionals about various practice models and tools to use within their practice with children, youth, and families.

"Many practitioners and interns have experienced a swift increase in trauma-related practice with individuals and families within their practice industry, and those interested in or working within the child welfare industry or other industries should find this virtual conference has many tools (practice models) for your practice toolbox," said Department of Social Work Chair, Dr. April Jones.

Activities in support of the conference will include presentations from world-known licensed or certified speakers from across the U.S. who will share topics about ethics, self-care, boundaries, communication in the workplace, devices for telework practice, trauma-informed practice, and human trafficking that are related to practice during the pandemic and beyond.

Additionally, the conference will offer seven continuing education units: one ethics, one clinical, and five general units. If you reside outside of the state of Alabama and or are from a profession other than social work, please seek CEU approval from your license board before attending the event.

Social workers play critical roles in child welfare, health care, and mental health care, and it is likely a social worker at some time will assist you, a family member, or a friend. Social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States, yet, there is a shortage of social workers in child welfare agencies, schools, and other sectors where they are vitally needed. ¾«¶«AV is diligently working to change that through the Department of Social Work Campaign.

During Social Work Month, the Department encourages you to support and learn more about the social work profession by contributing to the Master of Social Work Program (MSW) start-up at ¾«¶«AV.

"The time is right for social work. The world needs more minority practitioners in the world. Be a part of the solution to the shortage of social workers globally by contributing to ¾«¶«AV's establishment of a Master of Social Work program," explained Jones. "If we all come together, we can make a difference by contributing funds to support the initial MSW program costs and scholarships to make the vision of an MSW program at ¾«¶«AV a reality for faculty, staff, and the dream of alumni and future alumnus a reality."

The MSW program will be a clinical program emphasizing minority practice for child welfare, health, and behavioral health specializations. This cutting-edge program will also take a social justice approach to health disparities and incorporate global social work and telehealth instruction.

Students will have the opportunity to a dual degree in Public Health and interdisciplinary study with the School of Nursing for a rigorous program. Postgraduate certificates in veterinary social work, GIS mapping, art therapy, telehealth practice, school social work, and more will be available.

To learn more about practice models and techniques to apply to your practice with clients, purchase your early bird tickets before March 23, 2022, for $55.00 tickets and $65.00 after the registration deadline. Participants will have a chance to receive seven CEUs, win a prize and opportunities to network with exhibitors. 

The conference event schedule (Central Standard Time):

8:00am — 8:10am  Login

8:10am — 8:15am  Greetings: Mr. Spencer Croft, Emcee/Moderator

                               Welcome: Dr. April Jones, LMSW, Department Chair of Social Work

MORNING SESSIONS

8:15am — 8:20am  Introduction of Keynote Speaker, Mrs. Terricka Hardy, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker

8:20am — 9:50am  Keynote: Social Work Ethics (Ethics CE)

9:50am — 10:00am  BREAK (prize and give campaign)

10:00am — 10:05am  Introduction of Kristin Scroggin, BA, Professor of Communications & GenWhy Communications President

10:05am — 11:05am  Session 1: Generation "THEM": Managing a Multi-Generational Workforce

11:05am — 11:10am  Introduction of Dr. Tiyahri Wilson, LMFT, Ph.D. (c), Clinical Psychologist, & Owner of Centered on Healing, LLC (CoHe) & Therapy University

11:10am — 12:10pm  Session 2: Communicating Boundaries in a COVID Culture

LUNCH

12:10pm — 1:10pm  LUNCH on your own (Special Presentation/Exhibitors/Prizes)

AFTERNOON SESSIONS

1:10pm — 1:15pm  Introduction of Ginger Healy, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker and Julie Beem, JD, Owner of Attachment Trauma Network (ATN)

1:10pm — 2:10pm  Session 3: Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice (clinical CE)

2:10pm — 2:15pm  Introduction of Lloyd Sermons, Director of Southeast Telehealth Resource Center (SETRC)

2:15pm — 3:15pm  Session 4: Telehealth Devices for Practice

3:15pm — 3:30pm  BREAK (prize and give campaign)

3:30pm — 3:35pm  Introduction of Delaney Dickey, Care & Prevention Coordinator & Gabrielle Thompson, Executive Director of Free for Life International Inc.

3:35pm — 5:05pm  Session 5: How to Be Free for Life: Human Trafficking Prevention Training

5:05pm — 5:10pm  Closing Remarks (grant prize/give campaign)

AFTER-HOURS VIRTUAL BREAKOUT ROOMS/NETWORKING

6:30±è³¾&²Ô²ú²õ±è;—&²Ô²ú²õ±è;10:00±è³¾&²Ô²ú²õ±è;&²Ô²ú²õ±è;Breakout Rooms/ Networking Time: Hop around the virtual rooms post the event to shop, visit employers, or network with each other. It's an all-day event for an affordable cost!

NOTE: CE verification form and certificate of attendance will be awarded post-event with successful completion of the sessions and conference surveys.

For registration and more information about the conference, visit .

To be a part of positive social change by contributing to the Masters of Social Work Program, visit .

© 2022 ¾«¶«AV