Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse

This course will provide a macro lens to assess and engage with various social services, policies, and programs that provide developmental, preventive, protective, and rehabilitative services for children, youth, and families. Students will be introduced to major policies and macro-level issues within the education, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems.

The racial and economic achievement and discipline gaps will be explored within the context of schools. Students will examine historical child welfare policy development, explore strengths, limitations, and outcomes, paying particular

This course will examine practice theories and techniques for working directly with children ages eighteen months to nine years, and their caregivers, via play therapy. This course will emphasize evidence-based play therapies that address diverse groups of young children. Special attention will be given to the meaning of play across cultures, as well as the role of play in the healthy development of children. The interaction between environmental risk factors, protective factors, promotive and developmental factors as they contribute to coping, resiliency, and disorder will also be covered

This course will examine the development of life course in stages, from conception to early childhood (0-6), middle childhood (7-12), adolescence (13-18), and emerging adulthood (18+). Students will explore how development unfolds, with a particular emphasis on how adversity shapes the experiences of children from a young age. Key theories used to understand human development and behavior include those focused on attachment, trauma, and resilience. Special attention will be given to the relationships between critical life conditions, (i.e., race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic class

This course focuses on intervention with older people at the micro level. This content will be integrated with intervention strategies directed toward aging adults, including evidence-based interventions and practices. Major areas to be discussed are: coping with age related changes, caregiving demands, legal and financial planning, elder abuse, sexuality and intimacy, and loss and grief. This course will also address the diverse dimensions including: ability, age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion or spirituality, and

This course has a clinical focus and practical orientation; therefore, we will examine basic neuropsychopharmacology, neurotransmitter systems, drug metabolism (i.e, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion), and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of psychotropic medications to only a limited degree. Our emphasis will be primarily on understanding the physiological actions, therapeutic effects, and potential toxicities associated with prescribed pharmacotherapies for major classes of mental disorders affecting youth, adults, and older adults.

Among adults seeking treatment for behavioral health concerns, including mental health and substance use disorders, the high prevalence of historical trauma and associated PTSD is increasingly well-established. The results of the significant Adverse Childhood Experiences Study only emphasize further the high cost in negative health outcomes of neglecting to identify and treat the impact of childhood traumatic experiences. But what can be done to address this important co-occurring condition that otherwise poses such a threat to physical, emotional and mental health? This training will take

In this course, students will explore cultural issues in the assessment and treatment of Opioid Use Disorders/Substance Use Disorders. Students will examine the effect of culture on the initiation, use, and abuse of substances. Socio-cultural beliefs can shape an individual’s approach to behavior regarding substance use and abuse. A special focus will be on emerging practices that support positive outcomes for diverse cultural groups, in prevention of OUD/SUD, accessing services, engaging and completing treatment programs related to OUD/SUD.

The criminalization of substance use disorders is perhaps one of the most urgent racial and social justice issues of social work today. Understanding the neuroscience behind substance use disorders is one of the most impactful strategies for social workers to employ when advocating for clients at interdisciplinary tables. This course will provide an introduction to the neuroscience of substance use disorders with emphasis on both science and social justice. Topics covered include basics of cellular communication and neurotransmission, different types of neuroimaging techniques and the

This course will increase students’ capacity to understand the issues faced by gender diverse people and communities, including but not limited to trans and nonbinary persons across the life span, and capacity to provide gender-affirming social work support to this group. To achieve these goals, this course will 1) offer a working definition of terms, including (but not limited to): Transgender, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Gender Expansive, Gender Diverse, Intersex, Nonbinary, Cisgender, and Accomplice; 2) examine multiple risk factors that impact trans and gender diverse people (e.g

This course will introduce and address issues of concern to interpersonal practice clients across the lifespan who identify as Transgender, Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Queer or questioning, focusing on the basic knowledge, interpersonal practice and advocacy skills it takes to become increasingly competent in providing counseling and advocacy for people who are in these marginalize, yet highly resilient, groups. From a strength-based perspective, this course will focus on basic social work knowledge and understanding of these groups, the social injustice and stigma facing these groups, but