Social Work Boundary Issues in the Digital Age: Reflections of an Ethics Expert (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores social work boundary issues and ethical conflicts that result from a growing use of technology and remote contact with clients.  The course examines three forms of boundary challenges encountered by social workers in the digital age:  ethical judgments, ethical mistakes, and ethical misconduct.  Case examples are given.  Boundary issues related to intimacy, emotional and dependency needs, personal gain, altruism, and unanticipated circumstances are identified.  The NASW Code of Ethics and the NASW Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice are discussed and offer updated ethics and technology standards for social workers.

“With growth in the use of communication technology in various aspects of social work practice, social workers need to be aware of the unique challenges that may arise in relation to the maintenance of confidentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries, professional competence, record keeping, and other ethical considerations” (NASW Code of Ethics).

NASW Code of Ethics:  https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English

NASW Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice:  https://www.socialworkers.org/Practice/NASW-Practice-Standards-Guidelines/Standards-for-Technology-in-Social-Work-Practice

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Counseling Approaches for Recovery from Substance Use: Promoting Harm Reduction, Preventing Recurrence, Sustaining Recovery, and Promoting a Healthy Life (10 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course is the third of a 3-part series on recovery from problematic substance use and examines counseling approaches for promoting harm reduction, preventing recurrence, sustaining recovery, and promoting a healthy life.  There are many evidence-based practices that can help clients meet their goals for recovery.  Chapter 3 explores harm reduction, trauma -informed care, motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral therapy, contingency management, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, and psychoeducation.  Chapter 4 examines four domains that assist a life in recovery:  health, home, purpose, and community.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

We do not recommend this course if you completed our previous course, Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues (15 credit hours), as it covers the same course material. Read the complete description of this course…..

Framework for Supporting Recovery With Counseling (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course is the second of a 3-part series on recovery from problematic substance use and offers a framework for supporting recovery with counseling.  The course explores strengths-based, recovery-oriented counseling and includes a discussion of values, recovery capital, unconditional positive regard, cues for health and well-being, self-efficacy, and motivation.  The course highlights sociocultural considerations and the importance of cultural responsiveness.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

We do not recommend this course if you completed our previous course, Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues (15 credit hours), as it covers the same course material.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Communication in Cancer Care (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This updated course explores communication in cancer care and highlights the importance of effective, high-quality, bidirectional communication for patients and families.  The course examines the challenges involved in cancer-related communication and acknowledges that better models and strategies are needed.  Research findings, communication models, and demographic and cultural considerations are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores evidence and practice issues related to grief, bereavement, and coping with loss.  The course compares different types of grief reactions and includes models of normal grief, patterns of complicated grief, and risk factors for complicated grief. Using the DSM-5, the course differentiates a normal grieving process from a major depressive episode.  Treatment considerations are discussed.  In addition, the course looks at the grief experiences of medical providers as well as grief in children.

The new diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) with diagnostic criteria was added to the DSM-5-TR in March of 2022.  It is classified as a trauma and stressor related disorder and characterized by “intense longings for the deceased or preoccupation with thoughts of the deceased.”(Please see APA Offers Tips for Understanding Prolonged Grief Disorder for more information).  The diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder has supporters and critics.  Supporters contend that a DSM diagnosis allows for important treatment, research and funding; critics voice concerns related to pathologizing a human emotional response.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Introduction to Recovery from Problematic Substance Use (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course is the first of a 3-part series on recovery from problematic substance use.  The course provides an introduction to recovery-oriented counseling and describes a shift in SUD treatment away from a model of specialized treatment that focuses primarily on abstinence and toward a different model of integrated care that is strengths-based, client-driven, and offers a broad range of services.  Recovery is increasingly viewed as a process of change rather than an end point.  Current recovery research is highlighted and includes a discussion of neurological, genetic, and epigenetic bases for problematic substance use.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

We do not recommend this course if you completed our previous course, Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues (15 credit hours), as it covers the same course material. Read the complete description of this course…..

Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for LGBTQIA2S+ Youth (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course offers guidance and positive strategies for mental health promotion and suicide prevention for LGBTQIA2S+ youth.  The course highlights affirming environments, professional competence, culturally competent care, risk and protective factors, and sources of joy.  Tips and advice from LGBTQIA2S+ youth and adults are shared, and the importance of involving LGBTQIA2S+ youth in the development of programs is emphasized.  The course includes the HRC Glossary of Terms for help with terminology.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Unfortunately, this course is not available in CE Broker for Florida professionals.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Child Maltreatment and Brain Development: A Primer for Child Welfare Professionals (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course highlights current research on the impact of child maltreatment on a child’s developing brain.  The course offers an overview of brain development and explores concepts of ‘serve and return’, attachment, sensitive periods, plasticity, and stress responses.  The course describes the effects of maltreatment on behavioral, social, and emotional functioning and the impact of resilience.  Implications for practice are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  
Read the complete description of this course…..

Experiences of Mental Health Professionals in the Rapid Pivot to Telehealth: Implications for Social Work Practice (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course examines the personal and professional experiences of mental health professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic and the rapid pivot to telehealth.  36 mental health professionals participated in interviews and highlighted the following themes:  responding to the pandemic, introducing telehealth, impact on professional practice, and the future of telehealth.  The course explores the strengths and weaknesses related to the adoption of telehealth during the Covid-19 pandemic, implications for practice, and the future of telehealth.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  
Read the complete description of this course…..

Child Welfare and Social Work Education: From a Pedagogy of Oppression to a Pedagogy of Resistance (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This thought-provoking course explores the relationship between social work and the child welfare system and critiques the federal Title IV-E training program and the ethical conflicts involved in training MSW students to regulate families.  The course examines the forces of racism, classism, misogyny, and injustice within the child welfare system.  The course suggests that the relationship between child welfare and social work must be reimagined and recreated in a new way that will allow social workers to meet the needs of children and families while also upholding the ethical principle of social justice.

Social justice is a core value of the social work profession, and the NASW Code of Ethics establishes the ethical principle to challenge social injustice.

Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle:
Social workers challenge social injustice.  Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people.  Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice.  These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity.  Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.  
NASW Code of Ethics

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Understanding Privilege and Engaging in Activism: Elevating Social Justice in Social Work (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course examines the social work profession’s commitment to social justice with a research study of 310 MSW students, exploring which individual factors were most associated with activism and engagement.  The concept of intersectionality is highlighted and provides a framework for understanding how individuals hold multiple, overlapping identities that result in various combinations of discrimination, oppression, and privilege.  The course finds that an increased understanding of privilege, power, and the intersecting systems of oppression is required in our efforts to elevate social justice. Social justice is a core value of the social work profession, and the NASW Code of Ethics establishes the ethical principle to challenge social injustice.

Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle:
Social workers challenge social injustice.  Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people.  Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice.  These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity.  Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.  
NASW Code of Ethics

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Intersections of Institutional Racism, Racial Microaggressions, and Minority Stress in the Lived Experiences of Black People (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores experiences of institutional racism, structural uncertainties, and racial microaggressions among people who are Black.  The course examines the concept of minority stress and demonstrates that people who are Black disproportionately experience both macro- and micro-level racial stressors which contribute to minority stress.   Using secondary data analysis, the course shows a positive correlation between racial stressors and minority stress among people who are Black and advocates for micro- and macro-level changes.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Code of Ethics (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course examines the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Code of Ethics which was approved in May of 2023 and revised in August of 2023.  The NBCC Code of Ethics establishes ethical standards for Counselors and is a resource for ethical decision-making and practice.  The NBCC Code of Ethics offers 114 ethical standards in the areas of professional responsibilities; counseling relationships; supervision and consultation; testing, appraisal, and research; counselor education; and telemental health, social media, and technology.

This course is recommended for counselors and is appropriate for all levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Eliminating Explicit and Implicit Biases in Health Care: Evidence and Research Needs (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores explicit and implicit biases in health care and provides an overview of the terminology, the tools used to measure implicit bias, the evidence for implicit bias in health care, the impact of implicit bias in health care, the impact of interventions designed to reduce implicit bias, the key structural factors affecting implicit bias, and the relationship between implicit bias and structural inequities.  The course suggests that implicit bias interventions alone are not enough to reduce biased decision making and health disparities and should be accompanied by other systemic changes.

This course is recommended for social workers and health care professionals and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Human Trafficking and Child Welfare: A Guide for Caseworkers (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores how caseworkers can best identify and support victims of child trafficking.  The course discusses the scope of human trafficking, the intersection of human trafficking and child welfare, risk factors, and the needs of those who experience trafficking.  The course recommends a multifaceted, collaborative approach to the identification, prevention, and treatment of human trafficking in children.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice Read the complete description of this course…..

Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder Research Report (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores current research related to medications to treat opioid use disorder.  The course offers an overview of methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone and compares their effectiveness and how they work.  Misconceptions, misunderstandings, and diversion risks are discussed.  The course examines opioid use disorder treatment for special populations, including those with HIV, those in the military, those in the criminal justice system, and pregnant mothers.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

The Dementias: Hope Through Research (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the different types of dementia and includes an overview of Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal disorders, Lewy body dementia, and vascular dementia.  Causes, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, and management are discussed.  The course includes research supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care (1 credit hour)

This course highlights a scientific research study.

Program Summary:  This course explores changes in mental health outcomes for transgender and nonbinary youth during the first 12 months of gender affirming care.  The course highlights a research study of TNB youth receiving care at Seattle Children’s Gender Clinic, assessing for changes in depression, anxiety, and suicidality.  Findings showed mental health improvements for TNB individuals receiving gender-affirming care during the first year.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.
Unfortunately, this course is no longer available in CE Broker for Florida professionals.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Language Bias in Child Welfare (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores the potential harms of biased language in child welfare practice and offers strategies for reducing implicit or unconscious bias and improving practice.  The course examines key concepts to understanding language bias in child welfare, including neutral language, labels, the concrete-to abstract continuum, and sociolinguistic inequality.  Examples of non-stigmatizing and preferred terms are offered.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

High-Achieving Asian American Adolescents and Suicide: The Need for Culturally Sensitive Suicide Intervention Approaches in Schools, A Case Study (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course examines suicide risk and cultural variation among high-achieving Asian Americans.  The course explores cultural and family factors and offers examples of acculturation, acculturative stress, stereotype, obligatory stress, and cultural humility.  A case example of a high-achieving Asian American adolescent in a large high school is presented. Recommendations for clinical interventions are provided.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Information Communication Technology and the Social Worker-Client Relationship: Lessons from Communication Theory (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course uses communication theory to explore the benefits and challenges of communication technology on the social worker-client relationship. The course examines the importance of resolving ethical issues related to ICT use, digital literacy, and social work practice.  The following ethical issues are highlighted: boundaries, client well-being, professional competence, privacy, confidentiality, cultural competence, and social justice.  Key factors for selecting communication tools are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Missing the Mark? Reframing NASW’s Ethical Mandate for Self-Care as a Social Justice Issue (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores the systemic problems that contribute to stress, trauma, and burnout in the social work profession, while examining the recent addition of self-care as an ethical mandate to the revised 2021 NASW Code of Ethics. The course highlights mezzo and macro factors affecting the profession that include workforce and employment conditions such as stressful working conditions, low pay, inadequate support, heavy workloads, and poor staffing. Instead of viewing self-care as a personal responsibility of social workers, the course reframes self-care as a social justice issue.

Professional self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice. Professional demands, challenging workplace climates, and exposure to trauma warrant that social workers maintain personal and professional health, safety, and integrity. Social work organizations, agencies, and educational institutions are encouraged to promote organizational policies, practices, and materials to support social workers’ self-care.  (NASW Code of Ethics, 2021)

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores current research and evidence-based practices for supporting and affirming LGBTQI+ youth.  The course describes behavioral health concerns and stressors for gender diverse youth and offers client-centered approaches for youth and their families.  The course highlights the importance of ensuring access to gender-supportive and gender-affirming care while emphasizing the harms of SOGI change efforts.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.
Unfortunately, this course is no longer available in CE Broker for Florida professionals.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Child Welfare Practice to Address Racial Disproportionality and Disparity (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores the problem of racial disproportionality and disparity in child welfare.  The course describes the multiple factors that contribute to racial disproportionality and disparity, including disproportionate and disparate needs of children of diverse backgrounds, individual discrimination and racial bias, child welfare system factors, geography, policy, and structural racism.  Multiple strategies are given to address racial disproportionality and disparity in the child welfare system.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Veterans’ Transition Out of the Military and Knowledge of Mental Health Disorders (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course explores veterans’ transition out of the military, their mental health, and how they use resources.  The course presents a study of semi-structured interviews with 15 veterans and highlights the following themes: prevalence of mental health disorders, knowledge of disorders and resources, barriers to seeking help, types of resources available, and motivations to seek help.  The course offers three theoretical models, including the life course perspective, homecoming theory, and the integrated behavior model.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders:  Considerations for Special Populations (4 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores the unique needs of special populations experiencing stimulant use disorders.  The course examines treatment and care considerations for the following groups:  racial/ethnic minorities, women, men who have sex with men, the transgender and gender nonbinary community, adolescents, people experiencing homelessness, rural populations, people involved with the criminal justice system, people with or at risk for HIV/AIDs, and more.  Strategies are given for improving engagement, rapport, and treatment outcomes.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders- Best Practice Guidelines (11 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores recent research on stimulant use disorders along with best treatment practices. The course examines how cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription stimulants affect neurobiology, the brain, and behavior.  Common medical and psychological complications are discussed.  The course describes the best supported treatment approaches; contingency management is highlighted as the primary psychosocial treatment for stimulant disorders.  Strategies for supporting patients in treatment and recovery are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Suicide Prevention Resource for Action (4 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores suicide prevention and provides strategies and approaches for reducing suicide risk and harms.  Strategies include: strengthen economic supports, create protective environments, improve access and delivery of suicide care, promote healthy connections, teach coping and problem-solving skills, identify and support people at risk, and lessen harms and prevent future risk.  The course explores risk and protective factors at the individual, relationship, community, and societal level.  Crisis response interventions and therapeutic treatment approaches are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Prescription Stimulant Misuse and Prevention Among Youth and Young Adults (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course examines the prevalence of prescription stimulant use and misuse among youth and young adults.  Short and long term health effects of prescription stimulant use are explored along with risk and protective factors.  Opportunities for prevention are discussed, and considerations for screening, assessment, and treatment are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

How To Talk To Youth About Human Trafficking (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course offers a guide for how to recognize human trafficking, how to talk to youth about exploitation, and how to build protective factors to help prevent youth from human trafficking situations.  The course describes common myths and misconceptions about human trafficking and identifies physical, behavioral, and social signs of human trafficking.  Examples of human trafficking are provided and include tactics that traffickers might use to exploit victims.  Risk and protective factors are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People Experiencing Homelessness (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course offers an overview of the behavioral health service needs, challenges, and opportunities of individuals experiencing homelessness.  The course highlights five evidence-based interventions, including medication for opioid use disorder, motivational interviewing, intensive case management, Community Reinforcement Approach, and peer support.  Important strategies are given for engaging individuals experiencing homelessness and reducing barriers.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Looking Back to Move Us Forward: Social Workers Deliver Justice as Human Rights Professionals (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores social work’s foundation as a human rights profession and describes early efforts to advocate for a wide range of social, economic, and environmental reforms.  The course highlights social work’s essential role as an advocate for social justice but also acknowledges the evolution of the profession toward professionalization and clinical practice.  The course examines the limitations of the micro/macro divide and advocates for the promotion of rights-based approaches in all areas of social work practice.

NASW Code of Ethics Value: Social Justice
Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.  
Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

The Case for Mandatory Reporting as an Ethical Dilemma for Social Workers (1 credit hour)

Please note:  This is an ethics course and is not intended to meet your mandatory reporting coursework requirements.

Program Summary:  This course offers an analysis of mandated reporting of child abuse in the US using excerpts from social work textbooks.  The course provides a critique of an oversimplified, ‘better safe than sorry’ understanding of mandated reporting and seeks a more nuanced and careful analysis.  Mandated reporting is viewed in the context of deontological ethics, a rules-based ethics, prioritizing rules over consequences, context, and outcomes. The case for mandated reporting as an ethical dilemma for social workers is presented, and the NASW Ethical Standard 1.01 Commitment to Clients is highlighted.

Ethical Standard 1.01 Commitment to Clients

Social workers’ primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of clients. In general, clients’ interests are primary. However, social workers; responsibility to the larger society or specific legal obligations may, on limited occasions, supersede the loyalty owed clients, and clients should be so advised. (Examples include when a social worker is required by law to report that a client has abused a child or has threatened to harm self or others.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Advance Care Planning Experiences Among Sexual and Gender Minority People (1 credit hour)

This course highlights a scientific research study.

Program Summary:   This course explores the advance care planning experiences of sexual and gender minority people and highlights the results of a qualitative research study.  Three main themes are discussed:  1. Fear of discrimination limits disclosure of SOGI and affects selection of clinicians 2. Concerns about whether EOL preferences and appointed MDMs would be supported and 3. Most discussions about EOL preferences occurred without clinicians.  Potential barriers to advance care planning for SGM people are identified.  Results and conclusions are given.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Examination of Stigmatizing Language in the Electronic Health Record (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course examines stigmatizing language in the electronic health record and how stigmatizing words and phrases may impact health equity.   The course explores three forms of stigmatizing language: labeling someone as other, blaming, and invoking danger.  Patients with diabetes, substance use disorder, and chronic pain are explored as subgroups.  Findings and study limitations are presented.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Implementing Community-Level Policies to Prevent Alcohol Misuse (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course looks at the harms of alcohol misuse, which groups are most affected, and how evidence-based community-level policies can create safer communities.  Data is provided for different population groups including age, sex/gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.  Evidence-based  strategies for reducing alcohol misuse are included; policies that focus on reducing alcohol availability in the community have been shown to be some of the most effective.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Family Therapy Part 1 (6 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course examines the benefits and challenges of family therapy in SUD treatment.  The course explores how substance misuse can impact family systems, how family systems can impact substance misuse, and and the value of family involvement in SUD treatment.   Common family dynamics and terminology are discussed including rules, roles, boundaries, and power structures.  An overview of different family counseling approaches is given.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Identifying And Exploring Bias In Public Opinion On Scarce Resource Allocation During the Covid-19 Pandemic (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course examines choice scenarios for the allocation of scarce resources during the Covid-19 pandemic and explores the potential for disability bias.  The research is part of an Epidemic Ethics/WHO initiative.  The course follows a conjoint study in which respondents are given a choice for selecting which one of two patients would receive a hospital’s last ventilator.  Guidance from the HHS Office for Civil Rights issued in March of 2020 is included.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Negative Patient Descriptors: Documenting Racial Bias In The Electronic Health Record (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course explores potential implicit bias in healthcare by looking at stigmatizing language in the healthcare record. The course highlights a study using machine learning to analyze electronic health records using 15 different patient descriptors:  (non-) adherent, aggressive, agitated, angry, challenging, combative, (non-)compliant, confront, (non-) cooperative, defensive, exaggerate, hysterical, (un-)pleasant, refuse, and resist.  A discussion of results and recommendations are given.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Covid-19 and the Rapid Expansion of Telehealth in Social and Behavioral Health Services (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course examines social work’s accelerated shift to technology and telehealth during the Covid-19 pandemic.  The authors conducted a qualitative study of 37 social service agencies and present their findings highlighting seven themes:  a rapid transition to virtual services, the need to improve infrastructure, new technology and innovation, barriers, benefits, funding, and changes that will be kept.  The course highlights the need for further research, advocacy, and education.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Managing Ethics Challenges in Social Work Organizations: A Comprehensive Strategy (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course explores key stages of the evolution of social work ethics from the morality period to the digital period.  Practical tools for managing ethics challenges in social work organizations are provided; strategies include informal ethics conversations, formal ethics consultations, agency-based ethics committees, and ethics rounds.  Case examples are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.
Read the complete description of this course…..

Working with LGBTQ+ Families in Foster Care and Adoption (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:   This course examines supportive practices for working with LGBTQ+ families in foster care and adoption and offers guidance for building trusting and successful relationships. The course describes the advantages and challenges of engaging, recruiting, and helping LGBTQ+  families and aims to strengthen cultural competence for child welfare professionals.  Suggestions for creating a welcoming and affirming agency are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Treatment Considerations for Youth and Young Adults with Serious Emotional Disturbances, Serious Mental Illnesses and Co-occurring Substance Use (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores treatment considerations for youth with SED and young adults with SMI and co-occurring substance use.  It offers an overview of risk and protective factors, impact of the problem, and barriers to treatment.  The course examines three treatment practices:  cognitive behavioral therapy, multidimensional family therapy, and pharmacotherapy.  Five program examples are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Treating Concurrent Substance Use Among Adults (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course provides an overview of concurrent substance use and concurrent substance use disorder, exploring risk factors, protective factors, screening, assessment, and treatment.  Three treatment approaches are examined including FDA-approved pharmacotherapy with counseling, contingency management with FDA-approved pharmacotherapy and counseling, and twelve-step facilitation therapy with FDA-approved pharmacotherapy and counseling.  Strategies for managing clinical issues are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Psychosocial Interventions for Older Adults with Mental Illness (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores the unique needs and challenges of older adults with serious mental illness and provides an overview of evidence-based psychosocial interventions.  Five interventions are examined including Assertive Community Treatment, Cognitive Behavioral Social Skills Training, Functional Adaptation Skills Training, Integrated Illness Management and Recovery, and Helping Older People Experience Success.  The course offers guidance for selecting and implementing evidence-based practices.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Treatment of Stimulant Use Disorders (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course offers an overview of stimulant use disorders and includes a discussion of adverse effects.  Four evidence-based treatment approaches are identified, including motivational interviewing, contingency management, the community reinforcement approach, and cognitive behavioral therapy.  Common clinical issues are explored, and examples of treatment programs are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Preventing Marijuana Use Among Youth (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores youth marijuana prevention and provides an overview of marijuana, its potency, methods of use, changes in use, and prevalence.  The course offers a discussion of short- and long-term adverse effects and harms.  Risk and protective factors are examined along with challenges to prevention efforts.  Promising substance use prevention programs and interventions are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Substance Misuse Prevention for Young Adults (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course examines substance misuse prevention for young adults.  Using a socio-ecological model, the course examines the multiple individual, relationship, community, and societal factors contributing to substance use among young adults.   The course reviews risk and protective factors, vulnerable population groups, and effects on the developing brain.  Evidence-based prevention practices, programs, and policies are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Preventing the Use of Marijuana: Focus on Women and Pregnancy (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course offers an overview of marijuana use during pregnancy and includes a discussion of contributing socioeconomic, personal, and risk factors.  Potential harms are examined.  The course explores broader evidence-based practices that focus on preventing substance misuse, including SBIRT, integrated clinics, health communication campaigns, contingency management, postpartum home visits, and policies.  Six effective prevention programs are highlighted.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Institutional Change and Transgender Employment- Cultural and Ethical Issues (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course discusses transgender employment discrimination, related ethical implications, and why advocacy is needed.  Important legal cases are examined, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Bostock v. Clayton County.  The course highlights ethical standards from the NASW Code of Ethics, including engaging in social and political action (macro level); practicing non-discriminatory practices (mezzo level); and promoting the well-being of clients (micro level).   The course provides an overview of what it means to be transgender with guidance on how to be a good ally.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Unfortunately, this course is no longer available in CE Broker for Florida professionals.

Participants who complete this course will receive 2 continuing education clock hours. 1 of these clock hours is Ethics and 1 of these clock hours is Social and Cultural Competence.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Understanding Culture and the Mistreatment of Elders (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This updated course explores the mistreatment of African American, Latinx, and Asian American and Pacific Islander elders.  Research briefs examine how different cultures perceive elder mistreatment and how they seek help.  Cultural beliefs, views, and norms are highlighted, along with research findings.  The course identifies, risk factors, protective factors, and proposed interventions.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Participants who complete this course will receive 2 continuing education clock hours. 1 of these clock hours is Ethics and 1 of these clock hours is Social and Cultural Competence.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Engaging Men Across the Violence Prevention Continuum: An Exploratory Study (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course offers a discussion among violence prevention practitioners on how to engage men across the violence prevention continuum.   The course presents research findings from an exploratory study and highlights practitioners’ efforts to work with male perpetrators, victims, and allies.  Practitioners reported a number of challenges, including a lack of education, tools, resources, and research.  The impact of trauma, bias, and stigma are examined.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Responding to Covid-19: New Trends in Social Workers Use of Information and Communication Technology (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores the impact of ICT use on clinical practice during the Covid-19 pandemic and its affect on social work core values, including client well-being, confidentiality, privacy, boundaries, and advocacy.  The ICT expansion importantly allowed social workers to continue their therapeutic relationships with clients when it would not have been possible otherwise.  Many clients responded well to the increased flexibility and creativity offered by ICT.  Other clients experienced critical barriers, such as lack of internet access and poor internet literacy.  Ethical dilemmas were experienced and examples are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Political Advocacy Without a Choice: Highlighting African American Political Social Workers (2 credit hours)

Participants who complete this course will receive 2 continuing education clock hours. 1 of these clock hours is Ethics and 1 of these clock hours is Social and Cultural Competence.

Program Summary:   This course highlights the political action and leadership of early African American social workers and their work challenging discrimination and injustice while advocating for systemic change.  Authors Donisha Shepherd and Suzanne Pritzer offer a social work history that moves beyond Jane Addams’ Hull House and includes the important and sometimes overlooked contributions of social workers like Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Victoria Earle Matthews, Thyra Edwards, Lester Blackwell Granger, and more.  The course uses Lane and Pritzker’s five domains of political social work practice as a framework for understanding the different domains of political advocacy.  The course also includes the NASW 2021 Blueprint of Federal and Social Policy Priorities, which outlines current policy priorities and solutions for national leaders.  Priorities such as high quality healthcare for all, ending homelessness, eliminating racism, reforming immigration policy, and advancing political justice are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Guardianship and Advocacy: Exploring the Ethical Principles of Autonomy, Self-Determination, Decision-Making, Well-Being, and Non-Malfeasance (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores the legal process of guardianship and the ethical principles of advocacy, autonomy, self-determination, decision-making, and non-malfeasance.  While guardianship serves an important role in protecting individuals from harm, it also limits fundamental rights as decision-making is transferred from the individual to the guardian.  For this reason, the appointment of a guardian should always be a last resort and only if a less restrictive option is not achievable.  The course highlights the role of the guardian as advocate, promoting the individual’s rights, wishes, and well-being.  The course also examines how the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in changes to practice, some of which will likely continue as we move forward in a post-pandemic world. NGA Guardianship Standards of Practice and Ethical Principles are featured.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

An Ethical Analysis of the Mitigation Measures, Restrictions, and Social Isolation of Long Term Care Residents during the Covid-19 Pandemic (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course offers an ethical analysis of the mitigation measures, restrictions, and social isolation of long term care residents during the Covid-19 pandemic.  The course explores concepts of harm, proportionality, reciprocity, and transparency.  Ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, maleficence, and justice are examined.  The reading also includes surveys of long term care family members measuring the impact of restrictions on their relatives’ physical and mental conditions.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Pandemic Ethics: Rethinking Rights, Responsibilities and Roles in Social Work (1 credit hour)

Program Summary: This course explores the ethical challenges experienced by social workers during the Covid-19 pandemic and offers a framework for understanding ethics during a time of crisis. Four broad responses to ethical challenges were identified and include ethical confusion, ethical distress, ethical creativity, and ethical learning. The course highlights the efforts of social workers to practice ethically during this time of change and introduces concepts of ethical agency, slow ethics, and professional judgement.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Prevention and Treatment of Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among College Students (2 credit hours)

Course Summary:  The college years represent a major life transition for young adults as they begin to navigate a larger world.  We know that many mental disorders often begin during adolescence and early adulthood and an increasing number of college students report mental health concerns.  This course explores common mental disorders among college students, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.  Evidence-based clinical interventions and treatments are highlighted along with strategies for working with diverse student populations.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.
Read the complete description of this course…..

The Importance of a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare System (1 credit hour)

Course Summary:  Building a trauma-informed practice requires ongoing training and support with a shift in the conversation from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”  This course explores how trauma-informed child welfare improves children’s safety, permanency, and well-being.  The course examines trauma screening and assessment, workforce development, resource parent training, access to evidence- based treatment, and the role of protective factors.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Illinois Sexual Harassment Prevention (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course covers the topic of Illinois sexual harassment prevention. All Illinois employees are now required to receive sexual harassment prevention training that complies with the Illinois Human Rights Act.  The course includes definitions of sexual harassment as outlined in the Illinois Human Rights Act, examples of unlawful sexual harassment, a summary of laws concerning sexual harassment, and a summary of employer responsibilities.

This course is recommended for Illinois social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Unintended Consequences: Intimate Partner Violence, Military Caregivers, and the Law (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the unique challenges facing military caregivers who experience intimate partner violence. Caregivers’ dependence on military members’ entitlements add additional complexities.  Risk factors for IPV perpetration are discussed, including injuries such as PTSD, SUD, and TBI.  Finally, the course discusses how state elder and disability abuse statutes add barriers for military caregivers who are considering leaving the relationship.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Embracing Diverse Women Veteran Narratives: Intersectionality and Women Veteran’s Identity (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course applies the theory of intersectionality to women veterans and explores how women veterans often experience multiple forms of oppression such as racism, sexism, and classism.  The course examines how these experiences of oppression accumulate and affect identity formation.   Intersectionality is offered as an meaningful way to increase our understanding of women veterans’ lives and experiences.  Important concepts are discussed including markers of difference, institutional betrayal, horizontal hostility, and individual solutions.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:  Telehealth modalities have been shown to increase access to treatment and improve health outcomes for individuals with severe mental illness and substance use disorder.  This course examines how telehealth modalities can effectively treat individuals with SMI and SUD.  Examples of evidence-based telehealth treatment interventions include Behavioral Activation Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Medication-Assisted Treatment.  Implementation strategies and considerations are explored.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Working with Families (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores family counseling in SUD treatment and provides an overview of family-based counseling interventions.  Common family characteristics are examined using a systems perspective.  Four main family-based models are discussed in this course: the chronic disease model disease, family systems theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, and multidimensional family therapy.  Benefits and challenges of family counseling in SUD treatment are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

The Opioid Crisis and the Hispanic Latino Population: An Urgent Issue (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course examines national data and explores the impact of opioid misuse on the Hispanic Latino community.  It includes a discussion of sociocultural factors, such as immigration issues, religion, stigma, and a lack of culturally responsive prevention and treatment.  Strategies to address opioid misuse are given, including an overview of evidence-based treatment recommendations and medication-assisted treatment.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Prevention and Treatment of HIV Among People Living with Substance Use and/or Mental Disorders (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores the unique challenges and strategies for preventing and treating HIV for people with substance use and/or mental disorders.   You will learn about the interrelated factors that impact HIV prevention and treatment efforts.  Programs and practices are examined, including PrEP, Syringe Services Programs, Contingency and Management, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Patient Navigation.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Treatment for Suicidal Ideation, Self-Harm, and Suicide Attempts Among Youth (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course provides an overview of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and suicide attempts among youth and includes a discussion of risk and protective factors that can increase or mitigate an individual’s level of risk.  Programs and practices that address treatment are examined, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Attachment-Based Family Therapy, Multisystemic Therapy- Psychiatric, Safe Alternatives for Teens and Youth, Integrated Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Youth-Nominated Support Team-Version II.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Social Support and Other Wellness Strategies for Older Adults- Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores health, wellness, and recovery strategies for older adults who misuse substances.  The course includes a discussion of positive social supports, complementary therapies, continuing care, relapse prevention, and resilience.  The value of an approach that is strengths-based and trauma-informed is emphasized.  The reading is Chapter 7 of SAMHSA’s TIP 26 Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Substance Misuse and Cognitive Impairment- Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:   This course explores substance misuse and cognitive impairment in older adults.  The course examines how cognition in older adults may be affected by alcohol, benzodiazepines, tobacco, co-occurring disorders, and more.  It includes a discussion of screening, diagnosis, treatment, and caregiver stress.  The reading is Chapter 6 of SAMHSA’s TIP 26 Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Treating Drug Use and Prescription Medication Misuse in Older Adults (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:    This course explores options for assessing, diagnosing, and treating drug use and prescription medication misuse in older adults.  DSM-5 criteria for SUD are given and include consideration for older adults.  Age-specific treatment options and the SUD treatment continuum of care are examined.  The reading includes Chapter 5 of SAMHSA’s TIP 26 Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Treating Alcohol Misuse in Older Adults (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:    This course explores screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment options for older adults with AUD.  Screening tools such as AUDIT and SMAST-G are discussed, along with DSM-5 criteria for AUD and considerations for older adults.  AUD treatment approaches such as CBT, PST, TSF, and pharmacological interventions are included.  The reading is Chapter 4 of SAMHSA’s TIP 26 Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Identifying, Screening for, and Assessing Substance Misuse in Older Adults (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:    This course explores ways to identify, screen, and assess older clients for substance misuse.  The course provides an overview of screening tools for substance misuse and co-occurring mental disorders. A description of brief and full assessments is given, along with a discussion of age appropriate care for older adults.  Challenges to screening and assessing older clients for substance misuse are explored.  The reading includes Chapter 3 of SAMHSA’s TIP 26 Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Older Adults and Substance Misuse: Understanding the Issue and Principles of Care (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores how older adults experience substance misuse differently and provides an overview of the unique needs of older adults with substance use disorder.   Screening, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations are discussed along with general principles of care.  The reading includes Chapters 1 and 2 of SAMHSA’s TIP 26 Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Treatment Models and Settings for People with Co-Occurring Disorders- Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the co-occurrence of substance use disorders and mental disorders.  It examines treatment models and settings, including intensive case management, assertive community treatment, therapeutic communities, and more.   Common medications that clients with CODs may be taking are discussed.  The reading includes Chapter 7 of SAMHSA’s TIP 42 Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Co-Occurring Disorders Among Special Populations- Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the co-occurrence of substance use disorders and mental disorders.  It examines co-occurring disorders among special populations, including people experiencing homelessness, those involved with the criminal justice system, women, and people of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds.  Strategies and recommendations for treatment are given.  The reading includes Chapter 6 of SAMHSA’s TIP 42 Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Strategies for Working with People Who Have Co-Occurring Disorders- Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the co-occurrence of substance use disorders and mental disorders.  It examines strategies for working with people with co-occurring disorders, such as empathic counseling, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention techniques, and skill building.  Evidence-based counseling techniques for co-occurring MDD, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and SMI are given. The reading includes Chapter 5 of SAMHSA’s TIP 42 Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Mental and Substance-Related Disorders: Diagnostic and Cross-Cutting Topics- Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders (4 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the cooccurrence of substance use disorders and mental disorders.  It focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of common co-occurring mental disorders, including depressive disorders, bipolar I disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and feeding and eating disorders.  DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches are examined, and case studies are given. The reading includes Chapter 4 of SAMHSA’s TIP 42 Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Screening and Assessment- Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the cooccurrence of substance use disorders and mental disorders.  It focuses on effective screening and comprehensive assessment for clients with possible CODs.  The 12 steps of the assessment process are examined, and a variety of screening tools are included.  The reading includes Chapter 3 of SAMHSA’s TIP 42 Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

Introduction to Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the cooccurrence of substance use disorders and mental disorders.  It offers guidance for the provision of evidence-based care for people with CODs and considers screening, assessment, diagnosis, and care needs.  The reading for this course includes Chapters 1 and 2 of SAMHSA’s TIP 42 Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Co-Occurring Disorders.  Chapter 1 offers an introduction to substance use disorder treatment for people with co-occurring disorders.  Chapter 2 offers guidance for working with people who have CODs.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

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Preparing Adoptive Families (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the importance of preparing and supporting parents, children, and youth for adoption.  It offers guidance and strategies for those who work with adoptive families and includes information on trauma, attachment, self care, financial considerations, and preplacement visits.  The course also explores the impact of adoption and 7 core issues including loss, rejection, shame, grief, identity, intimacy, and mastery and control.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

The Opioid Crisis and the Black/African American Population: An Urgent Issue (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course describes the impact of the opioid crisis on the Black/African American community and discusses challenges to prevention, treatment, and recovery.  The course includes national data on opioid misuse and offers an overview of evidence-based treatment practices and key strategies.  Medication-assisted treatment and psychosocial interventions are explored and include a review of methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, and naloxone.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Enhancing Motivation for Change in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Part 2 (3 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course is Part 2 of a two-part series exploring strategies for increasing motivation to change substance use behaviors.  Part 2 continues to explore the various stages of change and the motivational counseling strategies that can enhance commitment to change.  This course includes Chapter 5- From Contemplation to Preparation:  Increasing Commitment, Chapter 6- From Preparation to Action:  Initiating Change, Chapter 7- From Action to Maintenance:  Stabilizing Change, and Chapter 8- Integrating Motivational Approaches in SUD Treatment Settings.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Enhancing Motivation for Change in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Part 1 (5 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course is Part 1 of a two-part series exploring strategies for increasing motivation to change substance use behaviors.  The five stages in the SOC model are highlighted including precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.  Motivational counseling and various interventions that can help strengthen client commitment to change are explored.  This course includes Chapter 1- A New Look at Motivation, Chapter 2- Motivational Counseling and Brief Intervention, Chapter 3- Motivational Interviewing as a Counseling Style, and Chapter 4- From Precontemplation to Contemplation:  Building Readiness.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Acts of Omission: An Overview of Child Neglect (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course provides an overview of child neglect and explores risk factors, protective factors, reasons for neglect, and consequences.  Strategies for assessment,  prevention, and intervention are given.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice  Read the complete description of this course…..

Use of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Criminal Justice Settings (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the use of medication-assisted treatment and offers guidance for improving the care of individuals with OUD who are or who have been in contact with the criminal justice system.  The course looks at best practices for counseling, medication dosage, medication duration, co-occurring mental health disorders, and post-release services.  FDA-approved medications- methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice  Read the complete description of this course…..

The Diagnosis and Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course examines the diagnosis and treatment of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders using the DSM-5 and includes a discussion of obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, hair-pulling disorder, and skin-picking disorder .  The course explores the following:  characteristics and symptoms, specifiers, impairment and distress, changes in the DSM-5, prevalence, comorbid disorders, differential diagnostic issues, and treatment.  Case presentations are given.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and it is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice  Read the complete description of this course…..

Facing Addiction in America: Spotlight on Opioids (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course takes a comprehensive and practical look at opioid misuse, treatment, overdose, and recovery.  The course includes a discussion of the prevalence of opioid misuse and the neurobiology of addiction.  Treatment approaches include a combination of medication-assisted treatment and psychosocial therapies.  FDA-approved OUD medications are discussed.  The reading includes Facing Addiction in America:  The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids.  

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

Read the complete description of this course…..

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder- Addressing Opioid Use Disorder in General Medical Settings (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course examines OUD in the general medical setting and offers guidance on screening, assessment, DSM-5 diagnosis, and treatment. Healthcare workers in general medical settings are seeing an increasing number of patients with OUD.  They are often a first contact for patients and the primary providers of ongoing clinical care. The course includes information on drug testing and shared decision-making between patients and providers.

“Effective integration of prevention, treatment, and recovery services across health care systems is key to addressing opioid misuse and its consequences and it represents the most promising way to improve access to and quality of treatment.”  –The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  

Read the complete description of this course…..

A Practical Guide to Psychiatric Advance Directives (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course examines the history of advance directives (including the Nancy Cruzan case and the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990) along with current research about psychiatric advance directives (PADs) and their benefits, barriers, and challenges.  Shared-decision making, decision supports, and decision aids are explored as important tools for supporting autonomy.  The ethical principles of informed consent, autonomy, beneficence, and justice are highlighted.   The course offers practical guidance for completing and implementing PADs.  Samples and resources on PADs are given.

This course is recommended for social workers and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit. Read the complete description of this course…..

Behavioral Health Services for American Indians and Alaska Natives- Module 2 (4 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course examines American Indian and Alaska Native cultures and offers practice-based approaches for behavioral health services.  This course is divided into two modules.  Module 2 covers Part 1 Chapter 2 of the reading and offers 4 case study vignettes with Vicki, Joe, Marlene, and Philip.  Client-Provider Dialogs are given along with Master Provider Notes.  A variety of themes are discussed including family, tradition, and identity.

“Never look for a psychological explanation unless every effort to find a cultural one has been exhausted.”  – Margaret Mead

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Behavioral Health Services for American Indians and Alaska Natives- Module 1 (5 credit hours)

 Program Summary:  This course offers culturally competent guidance for treatment providers working with American Indian and Alaska Native individuals.  The course examines American Indian and Alaska Native cultures and offers practice-based approaches for behavioral health services.  This course is divided into two modules.  Module 1 covers the Executive Summary and Part 1 Chapter 1.  The course explores historical factors, cultural perspectives, social challenges, and behavioral health issues.

“Never look for a psychological explanation unless every effort to find a cultural one has been exhausted.”  – Margaret Mead

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Common Comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course explores the common comorbidities that occur with substance use disorders.  Many people who develop substance use disorders also experience other illnesses such as mental illness, chronic physical health conditions, and HIV.  These disorders often occur together or co-occur.  The course explores the connections between these comorbid conditions along with approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Communication in Cancer Care (1 credit hour)

Program Summary:  This course offers important and practical guidance for improving communication in cancer care.  The course explores patients’ differing information needs, communication styles, and decision making styles.  Strategies for communication are given and include research on disclosing bad news.  Cultural and socioeconomic factors affecting communication are discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers and counselors and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..

Planning the Transition to End of Life Care in Advanced Cancer (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course examines research and trends in the transition to end of life care.  The good death is discussed from the patient perspective, the health care provider perspective, and the caregiver perspective.  Factors that influence end of life care decisions are discussed along with barriers.  The course offers strategies to improve patient-oncologist communication and decision making in advanced cancer.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers Part 2 (4 credit hours)

This is part 2 and covers Chapters 5-8.

Program Summary:  This course provides guidance to those working for the safety and well-being of children.  Part 2 examines the intake process, the initial assessment, the comprehensive family assessment, and the family plan.  The course identifies potential signs of abuse and neglect and compares safety and risk.  Protective factors, protective capacities, and risk factors are discussed.  Part 2 covers the following chapters:  Chapter 5 Reporting and Intake; Chapter 6 Initial Assessment or Investigation; Chapter 7 Comprehensive Family Assessment; and Chapter 8 Development of the Family Plan.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Child Protective Services: A Guide for Caseworkers Part 1 (2 credit hours)

This is part 1 and covers Chapters 1-4.

Program Summary:  This course provides guidance to those working for the safety and well-being of children.  Part 1 provides an overview of the child protection process and explores goals and values for child protection.  Important legislation and the legal context for child welfare are discussed.  Considerations are given for engaging families and includes a discussion of cultural sensitivity, the helping relationship, and building rapport.  Part 1 covers the following chapters:  Chapter 1 Purpose and Overview; Chapter 2 Child Protective Services Practice; Chapter 3 Legal Context of CPS Intervention, and Chapter 4 Engaging and Working with Children and Families.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Depression in Cancer Patients (PDQ) (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course looks at depression in cancer patients and focuses on issues of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.  The course explores depressive symptoms, risk factors, diagnostic challenges, screening and assessment, treatment options, and pharmacologic interventions.   Additional consideration is given to suicide risk and depression in pediatric patients.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.   Read the complete description of this course…..

Last Days of Life (PDQ) (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores care considerations for the last days of life and includes a discussion of forgoing potentially life saving treatments, withdrawing care, palliative sedation, requests for a hastened death, and no further escalation of care.    Ethical principles and dilemmas are identified including patient autonomy, clinician perceived futility, and the principle of double effect.  This course is intended as a resource to help clinicians provide the highest quality end of life care.  Grief, bereavement, and challenges to the professional caregiver are also explored.

This course is recommended for social workers and appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.  This course is not recommended for NBCC ethics credit. Read the complete description of this course…..

Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence 2nd edition (6 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course explores the co-occurrence of child maltreatment and domestic violence and provides guidance for child welfare workers and domestic violence advocates who work with families experiencing domestic violence.  It highlights the tactics of abuse, common characteristics of perpetrators, key characteristics of adult survivors, the effects of domestic violence on children, risk and protective factors, the child protection process,  safety assessment, safety planning, developing the family plan, documentation, enhancing worker safety, and collaboration.   Case examples are given.  Emphasis is placed on survivor safety and perpetrator accountability.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice. Read the complete description of this course…..