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Cultural Competence Continuing Education Courses

At Free State Social Work, we provide great online cultural competence continuing education courses for social workers, counselors, and therapists!

All of our courses are on sale for $5 per credit hour for a limited time (regularly $5.99 per credit hour). We also offer an unlimited package! One year of unlimited courses is on sale for $70 or two years is on sale for $120 for a limited time (regularly $74.99 and $124.99).

Click here for more details about our unlimited packages.

Click here for more information about how to get started.


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…..


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…..


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.

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…..


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…..


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…..


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…..


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…..


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…..


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…..


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