Continuing Education Course Catalog

This workshop will provide an introduction to Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and its uses in client lead healing related to trauma and a myriad of other presenting problems. Learners will explore an overview of the EMDR process and how it fits within a larger collaborative clinical framework. Case studies will explore how the process is client lead and allows for self determination within the goal development and healing process.

Course created 10/21/2021

This webinar on emerging telemental health practice addresses: 1) ethical and legal concerns related to digital mental health interventions, 2) access to care and quality of care issues, and 3) core evidence informed practice skills and interventions for telemental health practice.

Course created on 2/7/2022

This course will serve as an introduction to the foundations of sport social work. It will explore how social work and sport have worked in parallel to combat racism, oppression, inequality, and discrimination which has been an integral part of our society's history and development. The course will examine the intersection of the history of social work and the professionalization of athletics. Foundational knowledge of understanding sport social work practice will include identifying the role of sport social workers, defining sport social work practice, and looking at Social Work's Values and Ethics and CSWE competencies through a sport social work lens. With the role of social workers being to serve and advocate for vulnerable populations, athletes will be identified and defined as a vulnerable population and key human development theories will be applied to sport social work. Finally, evidence-based practices will be discussed throughout the course, but specifically, research trends, the current state and future directions of sport social work will be analyzed.

Course created 9/9/2021

This course was developed to meet the Michigan human trafficking training requirements for healthcare professionals.

U.S. law defines human trafficking as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts or labor or services against their will. The one exception involves minors and commercial sex. Inducing a minor into commercial sex is considered human trafficking regardless of the presence of force, fraud or coercion. Although Social Impact Organizations typically are not the first place victims and survivors of human trafficking turn to for support, it is incumbent on organizations to use social work ethics to provide a culture and an atmosphere that intentionally supports victims and survivors.

This webinar will begin with an understanding of the types and venues of human trafficking in the United States, how to identify victims of human trafficking in health care and community settings, an awareness of warning signs of human trafficking in health care settings and community organizations for adults and minors, as well as how to report suspected human trafficking. Focusing primarily on macro practices, we will discuss how to cultivate trauma-informed care and practices into social impact organizations, and the manifestation of complex trauma in clients. This webinar will explore ways for practitioners to nurture an organizational culture that supports victims and survivors, whether they make their experiences known or not. We will use the voices of survivors and victims to inform practices that support and empower clients.

Course updated 4/26/2022

This course serves as an introduction to autism spectrum disorder and neurodiversity, with an emphasis on how we, as social workers, can better serve this population. The course includes a brief history of autism, current prevalence rates and diagnostic criteria, as well as current interventions. Adverse effects, such as bullying and suicidality will be covered, in addition to common comorbidities, and a brief overview of racial and ethnic disparities. Perspectives from autistic self-advocates will also be discussed.

Course created on 7/13/2022

Social impact organizations secure resources through a variety of methods, including fees, grants, contracts, financial gifts, in-kind (non-cash) contributions, and investments. This course focuses on developing resources through fundraising and grant writing. Using a lens of social justice and ethics, participants will explore the tensions and paradoxes associated with fundraising and grant writing.

Course created 10/29/2021

This course explores models of Animal Assisted Social Work Interventions and the role of each member of the clinical or educational team including the practitioner, animal partner(s), client(s) or participant(s), and animal handler and/or volunteers. The reflexive skills necessary to effectively engage both human and animal partners are explored through the application of dialogic cross-cultural social work theory and methodology. The well-being of animal partners, the ethics of engaging animals to heal humans, and animal welfare are important foci of this course. Basic animal ethology, communication, signals of contentment, tolerance and stress, and positive training techniques, especially with dogs and horses will be centered.

This course pulls together aspects of the previous courses to focus on practical applications of Animal Assisted Interventions. It explores the wide range of programs involving animal partners across fields of human services including health care, education and social work activities with diverse human populations such as people with disabilities and/or trauma, veterans, and urban youth. Animal Assisted Therapy approaches integrating evidence-based and best-practice methods with animal partners are explained through specific case examples with diverse youth including refugee, LGBTQ, and sexual abuse survivors using individual, family and group modalities. Participants learn how to create culturally sensitive treatment or lesson plans that include animal partners and effectively verbalize the clinical meaning of animal/human interactions to further clients’ therapeutic goals. This course shares examples of how to track and evaluate progress, document sessions, and evaluate effectiveness. It also explores the need for further research in the field.