Program Summary:  This course explores the concept of violence in medicine and healthcare.  Examples may include violence to the body (cancer treatments, dissection, surgery), structural violence (under-resourced patients), violence in language (illness is war, fight), or demeaning interactions (patient is non-compliant).  The course examines how the construct of medicine as savior affects the ethical principles of beneficence, autonomy, informed consent, decision-making, futility, and dignity.  Alternative metaphors for treatment are offered.

This course is recommended for medical 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…..

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, diagnosis, and treatment are discussed.  Risk factors for dementia and cognitive impairment are also explored.  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…..

Program Summary:  This course explores how caseworkers and agencies can best support victims of child trafficking.  The first reading discusses the scope of human trafficking, myths, risk factors, victim needs, and service coordination.  The second reading describes recent federal legislation and initiatives in addition to state and agency policy.  The course emphasizes the need for 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…..

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…..

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…..

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…..

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…..

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…..

Program Summary:  This course explores prescription opioid misuse, heroin use, maintenance medications, and treatment.  Historical trends have shifted since the 1960’s with a changing demographic of opioid users and increasing prescription opioid misuse. From 1991-2011, US opioid prescriptions nearly tripled.  Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are effective treatments but highly underutilized.  Access to the opioid antagonist, Naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, is increasing.

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…..

Program Summary:  This course explores strategies and approaches for suicide prevention and includes a discussion of strengthening economic supports, strengthening mental health care, creating protective environments, promoting connectedness, teaching coping, supporting people at risk, and lessening harm.  Comprehensive prevention efforts are identified along with examples of effective programs, practices, and policies.

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…..

Program Summary:  This course examines the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders using the DSM-5 and includes a discussion of panic disorder, agoraphobia, separation anxiety disorder, selective mutism, specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder.  Case presentations are given.  The course also explores the following topics:  the DSM-5, the triple vulnerability model, the transdiagnostic model of treatment, motivational enhancement, psychoeducation, self-monitoring, cognitive restructuring, avoidance, exposures, and coping skills.

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

Read the complete description of this course…..

Program Summary:  This course explores evidence and practice issues related to grief, bereavement, and loss.  The course examines different types of grief ranging from normal grief to more severe or complicated grief.  Psychosocial and pharmacologic treatment options are offered.  The course also provides a discussion of issues and interventions for grieving children.  Note: This course replaces our previous course, Bereavement, Mourning and Grief.

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

Read the complete description of this course…..