Continuing education

"Insights into Serious Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Seminar Series"

Jan. 18-April 25, 2024
The School of Social Work is offering an upcoming continuing education webinar series, "Insights into Serious Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Seminar Series," to provide valuable knowledge and foster discussions on various aspects of serious mental illness (SMI).

The goal is to bring together experts in the field to share their insights and experiences with the broader community, including social workers, students, alumni and field instructors.

Overview

This comprehensive seminar series will consist of seven informative sessions, each led by speakers who specialize in different areas of SMI. The sessions will be designed to address critical topics related to SMI, including its introduction, global perspectives, racial trauma, crisis intervention, children/adolescents, substance use and its intersection with the Virginia legal system.

Registrants will be able to review an archive of their sessions for a time-limited period after the series concludes.

Session details

Series objectives

Each session will have specific learning objectives to ensure that participants gain valuable insights into the respective topic. These objectives will vary depending on the session's focus but will include a combination of the following:

Define and understand SMI and its impact on individuals.
Explore global perspectives on SMI and its implications.
Examine the intersection of racism, trauma and SMI.
Identify crisis intervention strategies for individuals with SMI.
Discuss the challenges and treatment modalities for children/adolescents with SMI.
Analyze the co-occurrence of substance use and SMI.
Gain knowledge of the Virginia legal system and its relation to SMI.

Continuing education credits: NASW-Virginia Chapter

Participants in the school's webinar series will have the opportunity to earn continuing education (CE) credits from the NASW-Virginia Chapter. (10.5 Category I Continuing Education Contact Hours, including 7.5 Ethics Hours. Approval code: 240118VCU)

The background of presenters will reflect competence in ethical training, and the training will demonstrate relevance to social work practice. In addition, all attendees will receive a certificate of completion, if they complete the entire series.

Note: CEUs are available only for participants who attend the live sessions; asynchronous participants are not eligible.

Digital badge: Introduction to Serious Mental Illness

Upon completion of three required and two elective sessions from the webinar series, attendees will earn a Level 1 Introduction to Serious Mental Illness digital badge. This badge signifies your commitment to enhancing your knowledge and skills in the field of mental health, and it can be proudly displayed on your digital profiles.

Note: The digital badge is available only for participants who attend the live sessions; asynchronous participants are not eligible.

Target audience

This seminar series is designed to cater to a diverse audience, including social workers, students, alumni, field instructors and anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of serious mental illness and related issues.

The school believes that "Insights into Serious Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Seminar Series" will be a valuable educational opportunity for all participants. By delving into various aspects of SMI, the training aims to equip attendees with knowledge, tools and perspectives that can significantly impact their professional practice.

Cost

The cost per session is free for VCU School of Social Work students, faculty, community-embedded faculty and staff; $30 for VCU alumni or field instructors; and $35 for all other attendees. This pricing structure is intended to make the series accessible to all, with a special emphasis on supporting students' learning and engagement.

School of Social Work