Professional Development and Continuing Education

CEE Series: Matters of the Heart: Cardiovascular Risk in People with HIV
Tuesday, June 2 | 11-12pm (EST) | CE: 1 credit

Facilitator:

Caitlin Prather, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP, TTS
Senior Clinical Pharmacist II, Juniper and PRIDE Clinics
Residency Program Director, PGY2 Ambulatory Care
 *Offered in collaboration with Mid-Atlantic AIDS Education and Training Center and Howard University School of Social Work

Register Here

Objectives

1. Describe the epidemiology and mechanisms contributing to increased cardiovascular disease risk among people with HIV, including the effects of chronic inflammation, immune activation, and aging.
2. Discuss traditional and HIV-specific cardiovascular risk factors that may influence long-term health outcomes in people with HIV.
3. Identify the impact of antiretroviral therapy, comorbid conditions, and social determinants of health on cardiovascular risk management in HIV care.
4. Summarize the results of the REPRIEVE trial on preventing cardiovascular disease in people with HIV.
5. Apply interdisciplinary strategies to optimize cardiovascular risk reduction in people with HIV, including prevention, screening, lifestyle interventions, and pharmacologic management.

Audience: 
Pharmacists, Social Workers, Nurses, Physicians, Other Healthcare Professionals

It Takes a Village: Community Partnerships Promoting Quality Care for People with HIV
Wednesday, June 10 | 11-12pm (EST) | CE: 1 credit

Facilitator:

Bryan Price
Founder and Principal 
GTP Wellness and Consulting, LLC. 

 *Offered in collaboration with Mid-Atlantic AIDS Education and Training Center and Howard University School of Social Work

Register: https://www.maaetc.org/events/view/30883

Objectives

1. Describe the evidence base for multi-sector community partnerships in improving HIV care continuity and outcomes along the HIV care continuum.
2. Identify at least three types of community partner organizations (CBOs, FBOs, housing, legal, behavioral health) and their specific clinical integration roles.
3. Apply a responsive care and background-aware framework to develop or strengthen existing referral and care coordination partnerships.
4. Utilize at least two practical tools or models (e.g., Partnership Assessment Tool, warm handoff protocols) to build community partnerships in their clinical setting.

Audience: 
Pharmacists, Social Workers, Nurses, Physicians, Other Healthcare Professionals

Solutions to Heal and Restore the Soul of our Community Conference
Saturday, June 13, 2026 | 9-3pm (EST) | CE: 5 credit

Featured Speakers:

• Dr. Frank Malone, 100 Fathers Inc.
• Dr. Robert Cosby, Howard University Multidisciplinary Gerontology Center
• Dr. Daemon “Dr. Dae” Jones of HealthyDaes

Register Here

Join us for a transformative day of healing, education, wellness, intergenerational connection, and community restoration at the 2026 Solutions to Heal & Restore the Soul of Our Community Conference. The conference will be grounded in research-to-practice principles, culturally responsive community engagement, intergenerational relationship-building, restorative practices, family strengthening, and holistic health and wellness initiatives designed to reduce social isolation and improve community wellbeing. 

Hosted at the Howard University School of Social Work, this powerful gathering brings together community leaders, social workers, educators, healthcare professionals, students, caregivers, faith leaders, artists, and families to explore innovative approaches to strengthening communities through healing-centered engagement.

Conference Highlights

Family and Fatherhood
Intergenerational Community Engagement
Holistic & Naturopathic Mental, Physical Health and Wellness
Community Engagement Panel Discussion

Objectives

1. Increase participant knowledge and awareness of the relationship between social isolation, intergenerational disconnection, family instability, chronic disease disparities, and community wellbeing within African American communities.
2. Strengthen community collaboration by connecting participants with interdisciplinary leaders, service organizations, wellness practitioners, fatherhood advocates, educators, researchers, and grassroots community stakeholders committed to restorative community solutions.
3. Equip participants with measurable strategies, tools, and actionable community-based practices that support healing, resilience, family engagement, healthy aging, and sustainable community restoration efforts.
4. Facilitate participant-driven engagement through surveys, blueprint planning activities, group dialogue, and reflective learning exercises that result in observable individual and organizational action commitments for the upcoming fiscal or academic year.

Restorative Justice 101: Principles and Practice
Thursday, June 18 | 10am-12pm (EST)
Virtual Training (2 CE)

Register Here
Facilitator:

Tiffany D. Johnson, MSW, LSW
Mending Communities, Founder

Program Overview:

An introductory course designed to ground participants in the foundational concepts, values, and applications of restorative justice. This training session explores restorative justice as both a philosophy and a practical approach to building healthier relationships, strengthening communities, and addressing harm in meaningful and constructive ways.

Participants will learn how restorative practices shift the focus from punishment to accountability, healing, and repair. The course examines the historical roots of restorative justice, the core principles that guide restorative work, and the essential elements that make restorative processes effective. Through reflection, discussion, and experiential learning, participants gain an understanding of how restorative practices promote empathy, communication, and community well-being.

This course also introduces key restorative tools such as circles, supported dialogue, and collaborative problem solving. Real world examples from schools, community settings, and the justice system help illustrate how restorative approaches create safer and more connected environments. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with foundational knowledge that supports further learning, skill development, and the confident use of restorative practices in a variety of settings.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Define Restorative Justice and identify its core values.
• Describe the historical and cultural foundations of Restorative Justice.
• Differentiate restorative justice from punitive approaches.
• Identify practical applications of Restorative Justice in community, school, and reentry settings.
• Reflect on the importance of healing, accountability, and relationship repair.

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for human-service professionals seeking an equity-centered, restorative approach to addressing harm and conflict. It is particularly relevant for those working in schools, child and family services, criminal justice and reentry programs, behavioral and mental health settings, and community-based organizations.

Balancing the Scale: Weight Management in HIV Care
Tuesday, June 23 | 11-12pm (EST) | CE: 1 credit

Facilitator:

Caitlin Prather, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP, TTS
Senior Clinical Pharmacist II, Juniper and PRIDE Clinics
Residency Program Director, PGY2 Ambulatory Care

 *Offered in collaboration with Mid-Atlantic AIDS Education and Training Center and Howard University School of Social Work

Register: https://www.maaetc.org/events/view/30237 

Objectives

1. Describe factors associated with weight changes in persons with HIV, including antiretroviral therapy, metabolic changes, lifestyle factors, and social determinants of health.
2. Discuss the relationship between weight management, cardiometabolic risk, and long-term outcomes in persons with HIV.
3. Identify considerations for selecting and monitoring antiretroviral and adjunctive therapies that may impact weight and metabolic health.
4. Apply interdisciplinary approaches to support healthy weight management in persons with HIV through lifestyle interventions and pharmacologic options.

Audience: 
Pharmacists, Social Workers, Nurses, Physicians, Other Healthcare Professionals

Understanding Neurodiversity: Strategies for Inclusion and Advocacy
Thursday, April 23 | 12pm-2pm (EST)
Virtual Training (2 CE)

Facilitator:

Marya Wright, DSW, MSW, LCSW
Founder & CEO | Wright Community Services LLC | Marya Wright Consulting LLC 

Program Overview:

Designed to foster a deep understanding of neurodiversity and equip participants who work with System Involved Youth with practical strategies for promoting inclusivity and advocating for the rights of neurodiverse individuals. The training covered the diverse spectrum of neurodiverse conditions, their impact on various environments, and the importance of creating accommodating spaces that celebrate differences. Through interactive sessions, case studies, and practical exercises, participants gained valuable insights and tools to create an inclusive and supportive environment for neurodiverse individuals in their communities, workplaces, and educational institutions. 

Learning Objectives

• Understand the concept of neurodiversity and recognize the diversity within the spectrum of neurodiverse conditions for working with System Involved Youth.
• Identify the challenges faced by neurodiverse individuals, System Involved Youth, in different settings, including educational environments and workplaces.
• Acquire practical strategies for creating inclusive environments through the implementation of universal design principles and tailored communication techniques for supporting System Involved Youth.

Who Should Attend?

This training was designed for health and human service professionals who work with system-involved youth across clinical, educational, community, and justice settings. It was particularly relevant for social workers in the areas of behavioral and mental health, juvenile justice, public and community health, school-based health and program administrators, case managers, and care coordinators who support neurodiverse youth. 

Environmental Justice in Crisis: Addressing Natural Disaster Disparities Among Communities of Color and Low-Income Populations

Thursday, January 29 | 12pm-2pm (EST)
Virtual Training (2 CE)

Facilitator:

Kimberly Warmsley, MSW, LCSW
Kimbery Warmsely Enterprise, CEO
Former Councilmember and Vice Mayor, Stockton City Council

Program Overview:

In this urgent and comprehensive course, participants examined the profound impact of wildfires on vulnerable communities, focusing on the recent catastrophic wildfires in the Los Angeles region. Through an in-depth exploration of the intersection of climate change, racial and socioeconomic disparities, and systemic barriers to recovery, the course highlighted the critical role of social workers in disaster response and recovery.

Building lessons from previous disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Helene, and Hurricane Camille, this course provided a framework for how social workers can help mitigate inequities and support long-term healing and resilience for marginalized populations in the aftermath of wildfires. As a profession rooted in social justice, social work holds a responsibility to respond to environmental justice issues, recognizing that environmental degradation disproportionately affects historically disinvested communities. Addressing environmental justice in these communities is an act of racial justice—necessary to protect and enhance environmental protections for those most impacted.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this training, participants were able to:

• Analyze the geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic factors contributing to disparities in wildfire impact, specifically among communities of color and low-income populations.
• Identify the unique challenges affected communities face, including housing loss, economic instability, and health disparities, and how these factors hinder recovery efforts.
• Understand the psychological and emotional toll of wildfires on survivors, especially in marginalized communities, and apply trauma-informed, culturally competent strategies in mental health support.
• Explore the systemic barriers exacerbating the inequities in disaster response, such as insufficient planning, communication failures, and barriers to insurance and financial assistance.
• Examine the essential role of social workers in advocating for equitable disaster response, providing mental health support, and contributing to long-term recovery efforts.
• Develop strategies for supporting communities in building resilience and preparing for future disasters through systemic change and policy advocacy, including environmental and racial justice efforts.

Who Should Attend?

This course was designed for social workers, disaster response professionals, public health advocates, and community leaders involved in disaster response, recovery, and resilience building. It is particularly relevant for those working in areas affected by wildfires or other climate-related disasters and those advocating for systemic change to address the needs of marginalized populations.

Introduction to Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Implications for Social Work from the Black Perspective
Thursday, December 11 | 10am-12pm (EST) Virtual Training (2 CE)

Facilitators:

Gloria Cain, Ph.D., LMSW
Janice M. Davis, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW-C
Janice Berry Edwards, Ph.D., LICSW, LCSW-C, ACSW, BCD

Program Overview:

This course introduced practitioners to PAT as a treatment modality, exploring both the myths and truths surrounding its use and addressing cultural biases that influence treatment delivery. Through the lens of the Black Perspective, participants examined how these biases impact underserved communities while exploring current trends in PAT and gaining a brief, digestible introduction to psychopharmacology as it relates to practice. The session highlighted implications for social work and interprofessional collaboration, culminating in an applied case study review.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this training, participants were able to:

• Define and describe PAT as a treatment modality
• Discuss the myths and truths surrounding PAT
• Identify emerging trends in treatment
• Gain a digestible introduction to psychopharmacology
• Explore PAT within underserved communities through the Black Perspective
• Examine implications for social work and interprofessional practice
• Apply learning through a case study discussion

Black Grief, Community, and Connection During the Holidays
Thursday, December 4 | 12pm-1:30pm (EST) Virtual Training (1.5 CE)

Facilitator:

Jihan Eley, LCSW-C, LICSW
Grief and Trauma Therapist

Program Overview:

The holiday season often amplifies grief, especially within Black families carrying the weight of personal loss and generational trauma. This session explored how grief is experienced and transformed in Black communities through practices of connection, ritual, and storytelling. Drawing from scholarly research on Black grief and bereavement, alongside the wisdom of contemporary Black thinkers and healers, participants examine grief not just as an individual experience but as a communal and embodied one.

Participants considered how movement, story, song, ritual, and collective care can help transform grief into connection. The group also explored how continuing bonds theory intersects with African diasporic traditions that honor ancestors and community memory, provide pathways for healing during a time of year often marked by both joy and pain.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this training, participants were able to:

• Identify cultural and historical dimensions of grief within Black families, including the impact of systemic oppression and collective loss.
• Describe how grief during the holiday season uniquely affects Black communities, particularly in contexts of family gatherings, rituals, and remembrance.
• Explore the role of community-based practices, such as storytelling, music, ritual, and movement to transform grief and foster resilience.
• Integrate insights from Black grief researchers and healing practitioners to reimagine grief as a site of connection rather than isolation.
• Reflect (via prompts) on their own relationship to grief, community, and holidays, and consider how they might apply these insights in their families or professional settings

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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