2022 EPAS Reaffirmation Training

CSWE's Department of Social Work Accreditation (DOSWA) is pleased to offer this 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) reaffirmation accreditation training for social work educators. 

Purpose | This training prepares accredited baccalaureate and master’s social work programs for reaffirmation and continuous compliance under the 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS).

Objectives | This training will enable programs to:

1. Understand and navigate accreditation processes.
2. Learn and apply the 2022 EPAS within the program’s unique context.
3. Understand fundamentals of scheduling and hosting a site visit. 
4. Gain awareness of and encourage engagement with CSWE accreditation services.
5. Promote confidence in the reaffirmation process for continuous improvement.

This hybrid training model consists of two components:

1. Self-paced online learning modules via the CSWE Learning Academy 
2. Live drop-in question and answer (Q&A) sessions via Zoom

Online modules are designed to provide resources and guidance for each step in the reaffirmation process and continuous compliance between reviews. Live Q&A sessions provide interactive spaces for multiple programs to ask questions, learn from each other, and consult with CSWE accreditation staff.

To maximize your learning and the program's success achieving its accreditation goals, programs are encouraged to engage in all components of this hybrid training and our year-round accreditation services. 

Additional modules and Q&A sessions will be added as they become available. Check back often for new content!

How to Navigate this Training Course

• To maximize your learning, we advise you to complete the full course by reviewing each tab consecutively from left to right, beginning with this "Course Overview" tab followed by the "Reaffirmation Timetables & Fees" tab. 
• As you review each tab, you are encouraged to attend live Q&A sessions to assist your learning process. Review the "Live Q&A Sessions" for dates, times, and access information. 
• Once you've completed all tabs, you are welcome to revisit the video modules, step-by-step tabs, and attend live Q&A sessions as you navigate your program's reaffirmation process and engage in continuous compliance efforts. 
• We empower each learner to complete the pre/posttest to help the CSWE accreditation staff understand the training strengths and needs of our learners. We also ask that each learner complete a training evaluation so that we can continue to enhance training, services, and resources. These feedback opportunities are found in the "Video Modules & Evaluations" tab. Thank you for your invaluable feedback! 

Consultation Services

During and between reaffirmation cycles, program primary contacts may email questions to their their program's CSWE accreditation specialist. They may also book phone or video consultations via a scheduling application located in each specialist’s email signature. Learn more about CSWE accreditation services.

Accreditation consultations and presentations are also provided at CSWE's Annual Program Meeting (APM) and communicated to program primary contacts in advance of the conference. 

Are you a primary contact and unsure who is your program's accreditation specialist? Email accreditation@cswe.org. Primary contacts are identified in the Directory of Accredited Programs. 

Webinars

CSWE accreditation staff provide topical webinars featuring accreditation information, resources, and helpful tips, as well as to respond to questions about the selected topic. 

Additional webinars are posted on the CSWE accreditation training webpage and communicated to program primary contacts as they become available. 

Past Accreditation Slide Decks

Past accreditation slide decks and recordings are posted on the CSWE accreditation training webpage. Topics include: 

• Accreditation Services Orientation
• Demystifying the Accreditation Process
• Writing an Accreditation Document
• Navigating Accreditation-Related Program Changes
• 2015 EPAS: Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes
• 2015 EPAS: Frequently-Cited Standards

Additional slide decks are posted on the CSWE accreditation training webpage as they become available. 

CSWE Membership

While not a function of accreditation, CSWE encourages all who teach, work, and learn at a candidate or accredited social work education program to link to their program's CSWE membership! This is a great way to keep your educational community connected to CSWE and remain current on both compliance matters and best practices in social work education. 

Programs are encouraged to complete this training course, engage in accreditation services, and utilize all resources available to achieve its accreditation goals. We look forward to collaborating with you! 

Cost

This 2022 EPAS reaffirmation training is at no additional cost. 

This training model allows unlimited access to both online self-paced learning modules and live drop-in Q&A sessions for social work educators. 

Questions? Email accreditation@cswe.org.

Registration

Step 1: Click the green "Register" button in the upper-right corner and complete the no-cost registration. 
Step 2: After you are registered, visit the "Live Q&A Sessions" tab and register for as many or as few drop-in consultations as desired. 

How do I login to the CSWE Learning Academy?

To register for the 2022 EPAS Reaffirmation Training, you must be a CSWE member and have a CSWE Learning Academy account and login credentials. Remember, CSWE program membership now extends to all who teach, work, and learn at a candidate or accredited social work education programs!

Current Members/Users

If you are already a CSWE member and have an existing CSWE Learning Academy account and login credentials, login to the CSWE Learning Academy. 

Need to check if you are a member? Visit the CSWE membership website.

Need to check if you have CSWE Learning Academy login credentials or reset your password? Visit the CSWE Learning Academy website. 

New Members/Users

Complete the following steps: 

1. Visit the CSWE membership website to become a member and link yourself to your social work education program.
   1. Tip! Use the same email address and password to create both your membership and CSWE Learning Academy accounts. These are separate accounts and you will complete account set-up steps for each. 
2. Visit the CSWE Learning Academy and click the "Create Account" button.
   1. Complete all prompts to create a new account.
   2. When creating a new account or updating your profile, a prompt will ask you to indicate if you are "Member" or "Non-member." Select "Member." 
3. Login to the CSWE Learning Academy with the same email address and the password used to create your new account.

Questions about registration? Email accreditation@cswe.org.

Imagine if all 700,000 social workers in the U.S. each registered three people to vote, and they registered three more and so on. Social workers can leverage their skills through voter engagement; and bring more attention to their clients, communities, and the profession.

This webinar will explore how to activate social workers across the US to mobilize their clients, students, constituents, colleagues, and themselves to register and, more urgently to vote!

Voting is Social Work (VISW) leadership is available to speak virtually to any major meeting or event that you may have between now and Election Day. Please reach out to VISW at Info@votingissocialwork.org if you are interested in partnering with them.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Understand the current threats to democracy 

2. Acquire information about voter registration and the actual voting process 

3. Obtain resources and support for electoral activism

The content for this webinar was developed and delivered by Voting is Social Work and hosted by the Council on Social Work Education. The views and opinions expressed during the webinar are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views and positions of the Council on Social Work Education.

About the Webinar:

In this webinar, researchers from the Social Action Lab at the University of Pennsylvania will discuss a novel, virtual social-behavioral intervention, GROV (Grid for Reduction of Regional Vulnerability), which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) under the DP01 mechanism led by PI Dolores Albarracin. The presentation will showcase how the intervention seeks to foster effective social regulation of community challenges as a way of promoting HIV and HCV testing, preventing overdoses, seeking mental and physical health treatments, establishing social relationships, etc. The research team will delve into the intervention's design and procedures and share preliminary results during the webinar, followed by a question-and-answer session for attendees.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize social regulatory approaches in HIV and HCV prevention
2. Encourage discussions to promote HIV/HCV testing while addressing underlying social and ecological issues
3. Identify strategies to ensure all onboarded participants are eligible and maintain a high retention level

Moderator:

Lili Windsor, PhD, MSW, Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Research. School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Presenters:

Man-pui Sally Chan, PhD, Research Associate Professor, Social Action Lab at the University of Pennsylvania

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

For more information on Providers Clinical Support System - Medication for Opioid Use Disorder, visit https://pcssnow.org/courses/

PCSS-MOUD Funding Statement:

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

ASWB ACE CE Language: 

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), provider #1163, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CSWE maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 01/23/2018 - 01/23/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.     

The field of Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Treatment has changed substantially over the past decade. The opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic have fueled unprecedented research documenting the impact of social determinants of health (how and where people live, work, and play) on substance use; developing new forms of pharmaceutical treatments; and highlighting the need to address racism and stigma in treatment and prevention. Yet, much work remains to improve treatment and access to quality SUD treatment. This webinar series invites us to merge results from cutting edge research and clinical experience to inform social work practice. We will explore how social work practitioners have implemented research findings in their practice, how people with SUD are experiencing services, and what are the pressing gaps that need to be addressed. We will consider the impact of social determinants of health, including racism and stigma, on different populations throughout the series. Finally, we will learn firsthand about new developments in SUD Treatment research and how we can leverage technology to improve access and outcomes. Our goal is to explore ways to address SUD more thoroughly, equitably, effectively, and effectively in our clinical practice.

For more information on Providers Clinical Support System, please visit their webiste: https://pcssnow.org/

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

PCSS-MOUD Funding Statement:

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

ASWB ACE CE Language: 

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), provider #1163, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CSWE maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 01/23/2018 - 01/23/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.     

The process for receiving CE certificates varies between live-online and on-demand programs. For information on how to claim your certificates, please see below:

Live Online Webinars:

For live online webinars, eligible participants will receive an invitation to claim their CE certificates with 30 days of the webinar offering date. Certificates will be made available through CSWE's Learning Academy, where eligible attendees will be able to complete the course evaluation and claim their CE certificate. Eligible attendees will receive an email notification prompting them to claim their certificate through the learning academy once it is made available. In order to receive CEs for live-online webinars, the attendee will have to complete the following steps:

Step One:

The attendee must be present for the entire webinar. This means that the attendee must log-in on time and must be present for the duration of the webinar. If a participant is not present for the entire webinar, they will not be considered eligible to receive CE credits.

Step Two:

The attendee must complete the required evaluation(s). After the completion of the webinar, CE eligible attendees will receive an invitation to claim their certificate through CSWE’s online Learning Academy via email. The attendee would then log into the learning academy and complete the required program evaluation(s) for the corresponding webinar. Most programs will only have one evaluation, but there may be additional evaluations depending on program requirements.

Step Three:

Once the attendee has completed the required evaluation(s), they will be able to access their certificate through their Learning Academy dashboard. The certificate can be downloaded and accessed through the Learning Academy at any time.

On-Demand Webinars:

For on-demand webinars, participants will receive their CE certificates after the completion of the webinar content. The certificate will be available for viewing and download in the learning module as well as in the participant's Learning Academy dash board once the below steps are complete:

Step One:

Complete webinar content

Step Two:

After completion of the webinar content, the attendee will be directed to take a posttest. Attendees must complete the posttest and pass with a score of 80% or higher. If the attendee does not pass the posttest on their first attempt, they will be allowed to re-test two additional times. If the attendee does not pass the posttest on their third attempt, they will not be eligible to claim CEs.

Step Three:

The attendee must complete the required evaluation(s). After the completion of the program content and posttest, participants will be prompted to complete the evaluation(s). Most webinars will only have one evaluation, but there may be additional evaluations depending on program requirements.

Step Four:

Once the attendee has completed the webinar content, posttest, and required evaluation(s), they will be able to access their certificate through their Learning Academy dashboard. The certificate can be downloaded and accessed through the Learning Academy at any time.

About the Webinar:

Most treatments and interventions for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) require that individuals engage in interpersonal communication with their health service providers or individuals in their recovery support network. However, at the specific moment when people resume their misuse of opioids, they are often alone or with people who enable their substance use. This webinar will provide information on the utilization of paced breathing exercises, delivered by smartphone, for self-management of drug cravings, stress, and anxiety. This session will include an overview of just-in-time interventions for substance use disorders, the biological basis for paced-breathing effectiveness, and user experience results from a pilot study.

Learning Objectives:

1.  Identify the fundamental concept of just-in-time (JIT) smartphone interventions and their relevance across various domains. 
2. Describe the physiological mechanisms behind smartphone-delivered resonance breathing exercises. This includes exploring how it affects the autonomic nervous system, heart rate variability, and overall stress levels. 
3. Recognize indicators of a positive user experience of JIT smartphone interventions.

Moderator:

Lili Windsor, PhD, MSW, Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Research. School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Presenters:

Fiona Conway, PhD, Associate Director of Research at the Addiction Research Institute at Steve Hicks School of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

For more information on Providers Clinical Support System - Medication for Opioid Use Disorder, visit https://pcssnow.org/courses/

PCSS-MOUD Funding Statement:

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

ASWB ACE CE Language: 

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), provider #1163, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CSWE maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 01/23/2018 - 01/23/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.     

About the Webinar:

This presentation reviewed the origins and trajectory of the current opioid epidemic, now described as being in its fourth wave. Considered will be the current epidemiology of the epidemic, particularly opioid-overdose related fatalities; the effectiveness of and potential gaps in current harm reduction strategies such as overdose education and naloxone distribution and drug checking services that provide fentanyl and xylazine test strips or on-site testing; principal barriers to expansion of buprenorphine prescribing among health care providers; and medication for opioid use disorder treatment initiation and engagement; and the science underscoring the significance of co-occurring tobacco use disorder among persons addicted to opioids and entering MOUD treatment.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the 4 historical "waves" of the opioid epidemic and the primary factors driving overdose related fatalities at present
2. Identify the epidemiological groups disproportionately experiencing opioid-overdose related fatalities and understand the reasons why these groups are most affected 
3. Review how specific drug use risk behaviors interact with psychosocial factors to increase risk for opioid overdoses
4. Summarize how the harm reduction approach has recently been
   re-interpreted from the original models, making it potentially less effective for treatment initiation

Moderator:

Lili Windsor, PhD, MSW, Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Research. School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Presenters:

James A. Swartz, PhD, Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Reasearch in the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois - Chicago

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

For more information on Providers Clinical Support System - Medication for Opioid Use Disorder, visit https://pcssnow.org/courses/

PCSS-MOUD Funding Statement:

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

ASWB ACE CE Language: 

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), provider #1163, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CSWE maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 01/23/2018 - 01/23/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.     

Throughout this webinar, attendees will be introduced to the foundational aspects of creating and sustaining productive community-based research partnerships. The presenters will highlight successful case studies and models that demonstrate the practical application of these collaborations, showcasing how they can lead to the development of innovative, evidence-based treatment strategies specifically tailored for women. Key discussions will include case examples such as the integration of exercise and wellness programs and the enhancement of peer support efforts, illustrating the diverse ways in which partnerships can enrich treatment interventions. However, the primary focus will remain on the overarching strategies and principles that guide these successful collaborations. Designed for social workers, treatment professionals, researchers, and advocates, this webinar aims to equip participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to foster meaningful collaborations that can significantly impact women’s recovery journeys. Join us to learn how you can contribute to advancing women's substance use disorder treatment through the power of community-based research partnerships.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the Foundations of Community-Based Research Partnerships: Understand the essential elements and benefits of forming partnerships between academic institutions and community organizations for enhancing substance use disorder treatment among women.
2. Examine Successful Models of Recovery-Oriented Community Collaborations: Gain insights into effective collaborative models that integrate research and practice, focusing on how these partnerships facilitate the development and implementation of innovative treatment strategies.
3. Apply Principles of Partnership to Improve Women's Treatment Outcomes: Learn strategies for applying community-based research partnerships to real-world treatment settings, enhancing outcomes for women in recovery from substance use disorders.

Moderator:

Lili Windsor, PhD, MSW, Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Research. School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Presenters: 

Natasha S. Mendoza, PhD, MSW, Associate Professor, Arizona State University School of Social Work

Beverly Wohlert, PhD, CEO, Arizona Women’s Recovery Center

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

PCSS-MOUD Funding Statement:

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

ASWB ACE CE Language: 

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), provider #1163, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CSWE maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 01/23/2018 - 01/23/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.     

Drawing on research and practice experience from both a social work and adolescent medicine perspective, this webinar will present research, best practices and developmental considerations when working with adolescent young women whose lives may interact with the juvenile justice system or courts. The presentation will start with research contrasting current adolescent substance use trends post-COVID with trends in a recent sample of young adolescent women who are justice involved, while highlighting the unique needs of these youth based on prior research. An adolescent medicine perspective will then be provided concerning the risks of pregnancy and HIV/STI and best practices and considerations with this population. Current gender-responsive interventions for this population will be described, with a specific focus on the development and testing of the CHOICES-TEEN intervention, a bundled risk reduction Telehealth intervention designed to reduce the risks of substance-exposed pregnancy (alcohol and marijuana) and HIV/STI.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the unique overlapping needs, contextual factors, substance use, and sexual risk behavior trends of adolescent young women involved with the juvenile justice system or courts.
2. Identify best practices and developmental considerations when working young women who are justice involved, with particular attention to substance use and sexual health. 
3. Understand the current empirical evidence supporting various gender-responsive interventions for young adolescent women involved with the juvenile justice system or courts.

Moderator:

Lili Windsor, PhD, MSW, Professor of Social Work and Associate Dean for Research. School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Presenters: 

Danielle Parrish, PhD, MSW, Professor and Director of Baylor IMPACT Lab, Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, Baylor University

Rebecca Beyda, MD, MS, Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, McGovern Medical School at Houston

Kirk von Sternberg, PhD, MSW, Professor and Associate Director of the Health Behavior Research and Training Institute, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

For more information on Providers Clinical Support System - Medication for Opioid Use Disorder, visit https://pcssnow.org/courses/

PCSS-MOUD Funding Statement:

Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

ASWB ACE CE Language: 

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), provider #1163, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CSWE maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 01/23/2018 - 01/23/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 continuing education credits.     

CSWE hosted the Peace Corps for a webinar highlighting how social work skills translate to Peace Corps service opportunities for both social work faculty and students. Dr. Darlene Grant, senior advisor to the Peace Corps director and former clinical social worker and social work faculty, and her colleagues discuss Peace Corps service, building connections through stories, and opportunities for social workers. 

Learning Objectives: 

1.Learn about Peace Corps volunteer opportunities

2. Connect the transferability of social work skills to Peace Corps service 

3. Understand experiences of returned Peace Corps volunteers

Presenter Bio:

In June 2020, Dr. Darlene Grant joined the Peace Corps Head Quarters Director’s Office as Senior Advisor. From June 2022 to February 2023, she left her office in Washington, DC for Ha Noi, Viet Nam to lead, as senior advisor, in this newest (143rd) Peace Corps program. The program welcomed its first group of volunteers in October 2023. Dr. Grant served as Peace Corps Country Director in Kosovo from 2015 to 2019, and as Country Director in Mongolia from 2012 to 2015. Grounding her career in tenets of conscious leadership for transformation, colleagues, family, and friends were not surprised when from 2009-2011, she took a leave of absence from her tenured faculty position to serve for 27-months as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cambodia. There she partnered with 6 host country national teacher colleagues as a TEFL English Teacher and Teacher Trainer. Dr. Grant worked for 18-years as a professor of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. She taught graduate and undergraduate courses in social justice, clinical practice, research methodology, working with women with addiction and criminal justice involvement and at-risk youth. Dr. Grant was named 2006 Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers.

This webinar presents an advanced discussion of early psychosis symptoms across the spectrum from risk symptoms to threshold psychotic disorders. Strategies for recognizing, comprehensively screening for, and responding to, psychosis spectrum symptoms will be presented. An overview of the history of, and recent developments in, early psychosis clinical care will be presented. Attendees will learn ways to connect to local specialized evidence-based treatment resources for individuals experiencing early psychosis. Additional considerations and involvement of families, groups, organizations and communities will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe and implement strategies to assess information needed to differentiate threshold and subthreshold psychosis spectrum symptoms and disorders
2. Identify at least 2 benefits of Coordinated Specialty care for individuals with psychosis as suggested by research in this area
3. Understand how to connect to local specialized evidenced-based treatment resources for individuals experiencing early psychosis 

Presenter: Monica E. Calkins, PhD

Bio: Monica E. Calkins, PhD, is the HeadsUp Co-Director who oversees outreach, education, training, and Coordinated Specialty Care program evaluation and fidelity. Dr. Calkins grew up in Philadelphia, attending Philadelphia public schools and earning a bachelor's degree from Temple University. She earned a doctorate in Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research from the University of Minnesota and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania before joining its faculty, currently Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry. Dr. Calkins' research and clinical work focuses on early identification and intervention in psychotic disorders, and she has authored more than 200 scholarly publications in this area. Her work and mission is to improve the lives and experiences of young people with psychosis and their families.