This session will present a framework for social workers engaging in disaster response that balances effective community support with self-care strategies, promoting sustainable service delivery and worker well-being. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the importance of self-care in disaster response and leave with actionable strategies to implement both individually and organizationally.

Nina Spinelli, MPA

This workshop will help participants understand the stressors associated with separating or retiring from military service. Attendees will learn about different types of transitions from military service (i.e., separation for cause, separation by choice, medically mandated separations, full retirement) and how these transition stressors vary and may possibly impact mental health. Attendees will learn about challenges associated with mandated and choice-driven military service transitions. The presentation will conclude with a discussion on how social workers and other mental health providers can best support transitioning service members.

Rachel Foster PhD, LCSW

This session will emphasize the central role of relationships in the psychological well-being of clients. We will delve into the theoretical foundations such as mutual influence, the power of co-creation of meaning, and the therapeutic relationship as a microcosm of broader relational patterns. Attendees will gain insights into the importance of empathy, attunement, and repairing relational ruptures in and outside of the therapy. There will be an emphasis on how the therapeutic alliance helps in the healing process.

Antoinette Souffrant, LCSW

Those who respond to crises require specialized, culturally attuned, and proactive mental health care. Humanitarian workers, emergency services, police, fire, and military exist within deeply idiosyncratic cultures where trust, wisdom, and belonging are earned through experience, challenge, and exposure. This workshop will provide a framework and best practices for mental health providers to understand the unique cultural considerations within these populations in order to develop authentic, trusting relationships and provide quality behavioral health care.

Adam Milano, LCSW, DSW, EdM, MSSW,

This session addresses the unmet needs of Black women facing mental health challenges. It proposes a reimagined therapeutic approach, integrating evidence-based practices with ancestral healing methods. By combining research, theory, and practical application, it aims to shift mental health treatment from well-intentioned to truly transformative.

Ieisha Beasley DSW, LCSW-S,

Brittany Reed, DSW, LMFT-S,

It has long been thought that youth who engage in problematic sexual behavior (PSB) need intensive residential treatment. Best practices actually show that most youth with PSB can be treated on an outpatient basis while living at home or in the community with appropriate safety planning. In an effort to advocate for children and adolescents who engage in PSB to remain in the community, this workshop will explore effective safety planning strategies and components, including considerations for implementing a safety plan following intrafamilial sexual abuse.

Elisa Ford, LCSW,

Rachel Maid, MSW, LCSW,

Please join us to speak LIVE with the sponsors and exhibitors of the 2025 NASW-NC Virtual CSWI Spring Conference during lunch.

Social Workers are often on the forefront of community crisis response, which many of us experienced firsthand in the midst of the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. As aid began to flow in from across the state and country, local Social Workers played a crucial role in linking their neighbors and communities to necessary resources. With the high likelihood that community crises will continue to increase in frequency due to issues like climate change and sociopolitical upheaval, this workshop will inform Social Workers on best practices for collaboration to proactively plan for crisis response on the community level.

Jill Williams, LCSW,

This session explores the intricate relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and chronic homelessness, focusing on how trauma significantly influences an individual's pathways to homelessness. We will examine the impact of early-life stressors and trauma on mental health, substance use, and resilience, as well as analyze treatment disparities that affect vulnerable populations. Through case studies and current research, we will highlight the importance of trauma-informed care and community-based interventions, aiming to provide participants with a deeper understanding of how addressing ACEs can inform more effective strategies for preventing and treating chronic homelessness.

Dimica Lawrence, LCSW,

It is estimated that nearly 1 in 5 Americans use a tobacco product (49 million people). The majority of individuals who use tobacco express a desire to quit. Inquiring about tobacco use can feel intimidating and overwhelming. This workshop will give social workers the tools they need to help clients achieve long-term cessation. Understanding the history of the tobacco industry and reasons for the increased rates of tobacco use among minority populations will serve as the foundation for this presentation. Attendees will then review the best-practice interventions to help people work towards a tobacco-free lifestyle.

Julie Hartzell, LCSW, NCTTP,

Susan Trout, LCSW, MSPH, NCTTP,

In today's complex and demanding human services landscape, practitioners often find themselves navigating ethical dilemmas and encountering situations that can lead to moral distress. This training course is designed to equip professionals in the human services field with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to address these ethical challenges while prioritizing their own well-being.

Sheng Lee Yang, MSW, LCSW,