Professional Development and Continuing Education

Stick With It: Long-Acting Solutions for HIV Treatment and Prevention
Tuesday, September 9 | 1pm-2:30pm (EST) Virtual Training (1.5 CE)
 

Facilitator: Caitlin Prather, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP, TTS
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Juniper and Pride Clinics 
Residency Program Director, PGY2 Ambulatory Care

FREE EVENT
Register Here

Program Overview:

Join us for an interactive discussion addressing ways to implement long-acting injectable protocols for HIV Care and Prevention. In recent years, the use of long-acting injectables in HIV care and prevention has been an impactful tool for treating and preventing HIV infections. However, implementation can be a challenge and through this training participants will be able to: 

Objectives

• Describe the role of long-acting injectable therapies in the treatment and prevention of HIV.
• Compare currently available long-acting agents in terms of mechanism, dosing schedule, and indications.
• Explain the clinical trial data supporting the use of lenacapavir for HIV PrEP.
• Identify appropriate candidates for long-acting injectable PrEP and ART, with consideration for adherence, stigma, and access barriers.

The Suicide Risk Continuum: Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention
Addressing the National Crisis of Suicide

Tuesday, September 16 | 10am-12pm (EST) Virtual Training (2 CE)

Facilitator: Nikole S. Jones, LCSW-C
Suicide Prevention Coordinator, U.S. Departmetn of Veteran Affairs
Therapy 4 Life, LLC, Therapist and Owner

Register Here

Program Overview:

In 2023, an estimated 49,300 lives were lost to suicide in the United States, making it the 11th leading cause of death nationwide—claiming one life every 11 minutes (CDC). This urgent public health crisis demands awareness, preparedness, and action.

This interactive training will equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to identify suicide risk, respond effectively in a crisis, and provide meaningful support to individuals and families. The session will cover the latest statistics, risk factors, and warning signs of suicide, along with practical prevention strategies, such as creating a suicide safety plan to reduce self-harm risk and strengthen healthy coping.

Participants will learn what to do when suicide risk is imminent—including how to access 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline support or initiate an emergency petition—and will gain resources for helping survivors of loss. This training offers life-saving information for those working directly with individuals, families, and communities.

Objectives:

• Understand the prevalence and scope of suicide in the U.S.
• Identify risk factors and warning signs of suicide.
• Create a suicide safety plan to reduce the risk of self-harm.
• Take appropriate steps when suicide risk is imminent.
• Support individuals and families coping with the loss of a loved one to suicide.

Who the Training Is For

• Social Workers (offering 2.0 CEUs)
• Medical Doctors, Nurses, Psychiatrists, and Psychologists Coordinators
• Educators, School Administrators, and Coaches
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Professionals
• Community Advocates and Crisis Responders

ENCORE: Opportunities to Increase HIV Prevention for Persons with Disabilities
Tuesday, September 16 | 1pm-2pm (EST) Virtual Training (1 CE)

Facilitator: 
James L. Huang, M.D., F.A.A.F.P
Gallaudet University 
Medical Director

FREE EVENT
Register Here

Program Overview:
Please rejoin us as we discuss the unique challenges persons with disabilities may face when attempting to access HIV Prevention services, once again. Participants will be offered tips to help guide those patients through the process of receiving these services and remaining in care.

Objectives

• Define ableism and disability.
• Identify factors contributing to disparities in HIV screening and prevention in People With Disabilities (PWD).
• Implement strategies to achieve equitable HIV prevention for PWD.

Empowering Social Work Leadership: An Organizational Policy Blueprint for Strengthening Administrative Responses for Client-Perpetrated Violence

Thursday, September 25 | 10am-12pm (EST) Virtual Training (2 CE)

Facilitator: Christie T. Nebedum, DSW
Lecturer and Field Education Faculty Liaison
Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work< The University of Oklahoma

Register Here

Program Overview:

Client-perpetrated violence (CPV) is a growing concern in social work and human services, with far-reaching effects on staff well-being, organizational culture, and service delivery. While many agencies address incidents reactively, few have consistent, trauma-informed systems in place to prevent, respond to, and recover from these events. This two-hour interactive training empowers social work leaders to move from a culture of tolerance toward one of proactive protection, accountability, and resilience.

Grounded in the R.E.S.T.O.R.E. framework—Resilience, Ecological Systems, Trauma-Informed Organizational Response, and Empowerment—participants will explore a policy blueprint that can be adapted across agency types and service settings. Through engaging real-world case studies, policy-mapping exercises, and guided discussion, participants will learn how to strengthen safety measures, build trust within teams, and establish clear, equitable protocols that prioritize the well-being of staff and clients alike.

Objectives:

• Recognize the organizational impact and risk patterns associated with CPV.
• Assess current agency practices and identify gaps in trauma-informed policies.
• Describe the components of the R.E.S.T.O.R.E. framework and apply them to policy development.
• Use the ten-policy blueprint across prevention, intervention, and postvention phases.
• Apply real-world case examples to operationalize policies in diverse settings.
• Develop concrete action steps to enhance leadership accountability, staff safety, reporting, and follow-up.

Group Therapy in Clinical Supervision
Thursday, November 20 | Time TBD (Virtual Training)

We are developing a training session on Group Therapy for Clinical Supervision and would like your input to ensure the content is relevant and meets your professional needs. Your responses will help shape the focus, case examples, and resources provided during the session.

Take Pre-Training Survey

When They Mourn: Guiding Children and Teens Through Grief and Healing
Thursday, August 28 | 10am-12pm (EST) Virtual Training (2 CE)

Facilitator:
Kevin Carter, MSW, LCSW
Senior Research and Practice Fellow 
Lindy Institute for Ubran Innovation, Drexel University

Program Overview:

Grief can be overwhelming for anyone, but for children and teens—especially within African American communities—the experience of loss can be impacted by cultural, social, and systemic factors. This interactive workshop was designed specifically for social work and human services professionals who support caregiving adults. It offered practical tools and culturally relevant frameworks to help guide children and adolescents through the grieving process with empathy and understanding.

Participants explored foundational concepts of childhood and adolescent grief, gain insights into age-appropriate expressions of loss, and strengthen their ability to coach and empower caregivers. The training also highlighted the importance of caregiver self-regulation and emotional modeling, with an emphasis on the cultural context of grief in African American families and communities.

Objectives:

• Explore the diverse ways children and teens understand and express grief across developmental stages.
• Identify effective communication techniques and supportive interventions for young people experiencing loss.
• Strengthen caregiver skills in self-regulation, empathy, and emotional modeling during times of grief.
• Apply culturally responsive models of care that address the specific grief experiences of African American children, families, and communities.

Impact of Sexual Trauma and Domestic Violence on LGBTQ+ Youth
Thursday, July 10 from 10am-12pm
2 CEU credit

Facilitator: Dr. Marya Wright, DSW, LCSW
Founder & CEO, Wright Community Services LLC
Marya Wright Consulting LLC

Training explored the complex impact of sexual trauma and domestic violence on LGBTQ+ youth, with a focus on how these experiences intersect with race, gender identity, and systemic oppression. Centered around a Black, liberatory lens, participants examined culturally responsive and trauma-informed strategies rooted in Black feminist and healing justice frameworks. Through interactive case vignettes, applied ethics, and community-based practice tools, attendees deepened their ability to support Black LGBTQ+ youth with cultural humility and clinical insight. This training was especially relevant for Black social workers committed to anti-oppressive, affirming practice and aligns with Howard University’s mission to prepare culturally grounded practitioners and scholar-activists.

Objectives:

• Identified at least three keyways sexual trauma and domestic violence uniquely affect LGBTQ+ youth, with an emphasis on Black and marginalized communities.
• Explained the intersectionality of race, gender identity, and systemic oppression in contributing to vulnerability and resilience among LGBTQ+ youth experiencing trauma.
• Evaluated the ethical considerations specific to working with LGBTQ+ youth survivors, including confidentiality, mandatory reporting, and culturally responsive care.

Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025| 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Virtual)
Howard University School of Social Work
CE Credit: 2

Facilitator: Ta'Wane Watkins, LCSW, LICSW
Jaxcyn Therapy Group, Founder

Overview: 

This training equips social work professionals with practical tools to support Black men facing trauma through a culturally grounded approach. Participants will examine the effects of racial trauma, systemic barriers, and societal pressures on mental health and well-being. The workshop highlights strategies for fostering resilience, strengthening coping skills, and applying interventions that reflect the lived experiences of Black men. With a focus on empowerment, healing, and strengths-based techniques, this program offers actionable methods to build trust, deepen therapeutic connections, and enhance support in clinical practice.

Objectives:

• Understanding the Impact of Racial Trauma: Explore the ways racism, discrimination, and systemic inequality contribute to trauma in Black men.
• Identifying Coping Strategies and Resilience-Building Technique: Discover real-world examples of resilience strategies that Black men use to navigate trauma.
• Exploring Culturally Competent Approaches to Therapy: Explore frameworks that consider community support systems, historical trauma, and societal pressures.
• Promoting Healing and Growth through Strengths-Based Approaches: Learn how to foster empowerment, healing, and personal growth in Black men who have experienced trauma.

Date: Thursday, October 24 at 10:00AM-12:00PM 
In Collaboration with the Chesapeake Center for ADHD, Learning and Behavioral Health
CE Credit: 2

Facilitators

• LaRhonda Gough, LCSW-C
• Shana Gage, MD
• Peter Fitts, LCSW-C

Course Overview:

Debunk common myths surrounding ADHD within the Black community and gain insights into effective treatment approaches. Participants will explore the symptoms, diagnosis, and prevalence of ADHD, both in the general population and specifically within the Black community.

Objectives: 

• Understand the impact of these myths, including underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis, and stigma within the Black community
• Explore how implicit racial bias affects ADHD diagnosis and treatment in schools and healthcare settings
• Gain a psychiatric perspective on ADHD as a medical condition with a neurological basis
• Discuss the effectiveness of common ADHD medications and address misconceptions about medication use within Black families
• Develop culturally competent social work approaches to treating ADHD, including addressing cultural barriers and reducing stigma

Video Recording-

https://howard.zoom.us/rec/share/QUbQcHubneP6WY8JCtBdUR3Ou-njLXtHU6OF49_b_kpxKyCVCKqyCUbN_FyLpUah.R4S9k5udHojV_TMo?startTime=1729778538000
Passcode: ub&rQ6RQ

*CE Certificates No Longer Available (Live Participation Required)

Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 10AM (Virtual)
CE Credit: 3  
Facilitators:
Dr. Sheryl Neverson, Ph.D., LCSW-C, LICSW
Howard University School of Social Work Adjunct Faculty
Senior Vice President of Clinical Strategy, Volunteers of America

Nicholette Smith-Bligen, MSW
Sr. Director of the Technical Assistance Unit, Casey Family Programs

Course Overview:

This course focused on understanding and addressing cultural biases and stereotypes in social work practice. Participants explored how personal and systemic biases impact their work and learn strategies to recognize and mitigate them. The course covered key concepts of cultural competence and provided techniques for creating inclusive, culturally sensitive practices. 

Objectives:

• Defined cultural biases and stereotypes.
• Identified biases in social work through case studies and reflection.
• Developed strategies to challenge personal biases and promote cultural humility.
• Enhanced cultural competence in everyday practice.
• Engaged in interactive activities to practice empathy, active listening, and bias recognition.

Video Recording

https://howard.zoom.us/rec/share/JpFgNUvTvBvxZ4Rt_XJa01UhybwAJgOfvRFkHBCkvoMzjbWND2hU8iLVbXh2ScOD.NJlDrRtNTvawOk6l 
Passcode: mp=1!k8E

*CE Certificates No Longer Available (Live Participation Required)

Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 10:00AM (Virtual)
Facilitator: Kendra S. Sims, LCSW, MSW
Dangerfield Institute of Urban Problems and Guardians of Love Foster Family Agency
CE Credit: 3 

This course delved into strength-based, trauma-informed care, equipping participants with the skills to understand and address the complex interplay between reasons, feelings, and behaviors resulting from trauma exposure. Participants learned to assess the historical causes of trauma and developed effective strategies to support children and adolescents who had experienced trauma.

A key component of the course was the exploration of the cognitive triangle, which enabled participants to understand and utilize various treatment modalities effectively. Additionally, the course emphasized the importance of considering diversity factors that impact clients, ensuring a holistic and inclusive approach to trauma-informed care. 

Course Objectives:

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of trauma, including a working definition and the four types of trauma.
• Explore the neurology of trauma, focusing on brain development in children and adolescents.
• Examine the distinction between discipline and abuse, understanding the critical transition points.
• Analyze the long-term and short-term mental health effects of early onset trauma.

Video Recording-

https://howard.zoom.us/rec/share/Tk-nfnTkcjCF5B1o4-k-v-4qyN1nQKQcgVHAfrA0xDCYStHrIAAqjLLbkAkFSTyz.73pZadRHLwCQV7Iu 
Passcode: Uc6V0V*#

*CE Certificates No Longer Available (Live Participation Required)

Looking for a co-sponsor? The School of Social Work offers continuing education certificates and evaluations to programs that meet the eligibility standards established by the DC Board of Social Work. For more information, please contact Kathelon.Toliver@howard.edu or submit application. 

We are actively seeking dynamic speakers to contribute their expertise and knowledge to our professional development course offerings. We offer courses through a strength-based lens and offer a range of topics in technology, environmental justice, ethics, political considerations, health and wellness, gun violence, gerontology, informed-trauma, and more to support the social work profession. If you are interested in leading and/or facilitating a training, please contact Kathelon.Toliver@howard.edu or submit application to provide your credentials and interests. 

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