Interpreting Data Collected from an FBA and Formulating Recommendations for Treatment

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Solandy Forte, PhD, LCSW, BCBA-DRegister Now for CE programs now

Dr. Forte is an approved ACE provider and is authorized by the Behavioral Analyst Certification Board (BACB) to provide Learning CE events for BCBA and BCaBA certificants.

Monday, March 18, 2024
11 am – 1 pm

2 CECs

Registration Fee: $50
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors

Link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

Data. Data. And more data. It all must be analyzed and analyzed well. The clinician must take every single piece of data collected and interpret it in order to confidently identify the function(s) of behavior. The information gathered through the collection data may or may not support your original hypothesis but will definitely inform treatment. You have gathered the information you need to make treatment recommendations, now learn how to put it all together.

Participants will learn to:

  • interpret data collected
  • identify functions of behavior
  • formulate function-based recommendations

Conducting a Functional Behavior Assessment: The Clinical Interview

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Solandy Forte, PhD, LCSW, BCBA-D

Register Now for CE programs now

Dr. Forte is an approved ACE provider and is authorized by the Behavioral Analyst Certification Board (BACB) to provide Learning CE events for BCBA and BCaBA certificants.

Monday, March 4, 2024
11 am – 1 pm

2 CECs

Registration Fee: $50
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors

Link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

Gathering the most relevant information from your clinical interview is critical. Information gathered will help to determine your steps when conducting a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA). We will discuss the importance of setting events and how they contribute to understanding behavior function. There are structured and semi-structured tools that can be used to guide clinicians through the interview process. The pros and cons of each will be reviewed.

Participants will learn to:

  • define and identify setting events
  • use a semi-structured assessment tool
  • define the purpose of a clinical interview

Providing Inclusive, Affirming Care to Trans and Gender Expansive

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This program provides at least 1 hour of content on cultural competence.Register for CE programs now

Sarah A. Gilbert, LCSW

Thurs, February 22, 2024
8:30 am – 12:30 pm
4 CECs

Registration Fee: $100
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors

Link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

The goal of this webinar is to increase participants’ cultural competence in serving gender diverse clients by gaining a greater understanding of the unique micro and macro issues this population experiences. Sarah Gilbert LCSW, founder of Transitions Therapy LLC; will share her practice experience and passion for creating more trans-affirming clinical spaces for trans and gender-questioning teens, adults, and the people who love them.

Ample time will be provided for questions and answers.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand gender identity, expression as existing on spectrum rather than a binary
  • Clarity on diagnostic DSM 5 Diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria for kids, adults
  • Understanding the concepts of cisnormativity and implicit bias as they pertain to personal, societal challenges including barriers to treatment and access to resources
  • Exploration of transition options and our role as providers in supporting clients through the options

Recovery Capital: Factors that Support Substance Use Recovery

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Approved by the Connecticut Certification Board (CCB) for Alcohol and Drug Counselors

William C. Gilbert, PhD, MSW, LCSW, AADCRegister for CE programs now
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Webinar
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

2 CECs

Registration Fee: $50
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and current SSW Field Instructors

Link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

Those suffering from substance use disorders can face many obstacles in achieving and maintaining recovery. As advocates for those in recovery, we know that such obstacles can delay or prevent a person from meeting their recovery goals. In response to this problem, recent research has explored those factors that support recovery. Using the concept of “Recovery Capital,” Dr. Gilbert will present findings of his research on the relevance of social support, twelve step meeting participation, and spirituality as factors that foster recovery. He will also discuss how his findings can be applied to assist programs that serve people with substance use disorders.

Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:

  • define the concept of “Recovery Capital”
  • demonstrate an understanding of those factors that contribute to maintaining recovery
  • formulate a plan to apply the findings presented to assist their clients

Understanding Military Culture: Implementation in Treatment

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Christopher Morse, LICSW, MVF-ASW  Readjustment Counselor, Providence Vet CenterRegister for CE programs button
Saturday, February 8, 2025
10 am – 12 pm

2 CECs – This webinar provides 2 hours of content on practice with Veterans

Registration Fee: $50
10% discount for UConn SSW Alumni and Current SSW Field Instructors

Webinar link will be emailed when your registration is complete.

While the U.S. is seeing increased attention paid to the mental health, substance abuse, and suicide issues within the military and veteran communities, there is also increased concern about our nation’s capacity to provide the services needed. More and more veterans are obtaining mental health care in the civilian sector, but frequently community clinicians have a limited understanding of military and veteran culture.  To assist in developing a therapeutic rapport with veterans and service members, trainer Chris Morse LICSW, MVF-ASW, has drawn on his own military and clinical experience to develop this webinar. Chris will provide clinicians with an overview of military culture, norms, and mores and explore how military life and the combat environment may shape the presentation of the client throughout treatment.

This webinar will:

  • provide a brief overview of military culture and cultural components
  • examine how military service may later affect a veteran’s future interactions
  • identify aspects of military culture that may influence the presentation of the client

U.S. Administration for Children and Families Grant Funds Research Project

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With a cooperative agreement sub-award of $300,000, co-Principal Investigators Jon Phillips and Cristina Mogro-Wilson will study “PRESERVE & CONNECT: Partnerships in Rigorous Evaluation of Services that Enhance family wellbeing in Rural VErmont, and urban Latine and Black communities in CONNECTicut.”

The primary goal of the project is to determine whether the “Breakthrough Parenting Curriculum: Navigating Trauma Across Generations (BPC)”— a trauma-informed parenting intervention — is effective at promoting child, parent, and family wellbeing among underserved families at-risk for involvement with the child welfare system. The researchers have partnered with colleagues at the University of Vermont and local community agencies, including the Connecticut Department of Children and Families and Wheeler Clinic, to conduct a three-year, multi-site randomized control trial of the intervention.

“This project allows us to focus on supporting families and preventing child maltreatment in our home state rather than waiting until things get to the point where the child welfare system opens a case,” says Phillips. “Another exciting aspect of this study is that we will be providing financial compensation to parents who have lived experiences with the child welfare system to become trained in the intervention and co-facilitate the parenting group alongside a mental health professional.”

This project is supported by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award (Award#:90FA3008-01-00) totaling $1.5 million with 100 percent funded by ASCF/HHS. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACF/HHS or the U.S. Government.

Learn more about Phillips and Mogro-Wilson's research.

Four SSW Alums Win Local Elections in CT

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Four UConn School of Social Work alums recently won their local elections in Connecticut. We extend our congratulations to:

Pamela Floyd-Cranford ’96 SSW won re-election to the Manchester Board of Directors

Darleen Klase ’88 (CLAS) ’08 SSW won a seat on the Windsor Town Council

Dr. Shannon Lane ’09 SSW won a seat on the Bethany Board of Education

Sarah Miller ’22 SSW won her re-election to the New Haven Board of Alders

Both Dr. Lane and Klase were endorsed by NASW/CT PASE, the political action committee of NASW/CT.

“UConn SSW is proud to have so many of our alumni leading in politics and policy across the state and country,” says Tanya Rhodes Smith, instructor in residence and director of The Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work. “Social workers are uniquely qualified to serve as elected officials because they bring the profession's values, expertise of how policy impacts communities and populations, and our commitment to social justice to their role as leaders.”

 

 

Marlene Matarese Received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award in Social Work

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Associate Research Professor Marlene Matarese has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in Social Work to Galway, Ireland, for the 2023 – 2024 academic year, from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Matarese is the deputy director of Innovations Institute at UConn School of Social Work and specializes in evidence-based and evidence-informed intervention design; and best practices in implementation science within the context of the public child-, youth-, and family-serving systems as well as LGBTQ+/sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, workforce development; and systems of care.

The focus of her work has been improving access to and the quality of systems and services for children and youth with public system involvement. Matarese is the Principal Investigator (PI) for the National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability, and Permanency for LGBTQ+ Children and Youth in Foster Care, and the National Quality Improvement Center on Family-Centered Reunification funded by the Children’s Bureau. She is also PI for the National Center of Excellence for LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity, funded by SAMHSA and the National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression. Marlene serves as PI on other national, large-scale initiatives including the design, implementation, and evaluation of numerous best practices.

Since September 2023, Matarese has been hosted in Ireland by the University of Galway, School of Political Science and Sociology, Social Work Programme. She is leading a research project on foster care experiences of LGBTQ+ youth who have transitioned out of care from September 2023 through April 2024 entitled Exploration of LGBTQ+ Young Adults' Experiences in Ireland's Child Welfare System: Building a Foundation of LGBTQ+ Culturally Responsive Care. Additionally, as visiting faculty, she is reviewing social work practice curricula to embed LGBTQ+ content throughout, mentor students, and lecture across the region.

Matarese is among over 800 U.S. citizens who will teach or conduct research abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus, and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.

Learn more about Matarese’s work.

Former Faculty Member Ivor Echols Recognized as NASW Pioneer

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Retired faculty member and founding director of the Center for International Social Work Studies at UConn School of Social Work, Lynne Healy, Ph.D., recently nominated former faculty member Ivor Echols for posthumous recognition as a NASW Pioneer. Along with her nomination letter below, Dr. Healy added, "In addition to Dr. Echols' deep commitment to fight poverty and racism, her greatest gifts to the University of Connecticut were the countless students who were inspired by her to become better social workers and better people." A supporting letter was also written by Ken Green, '79 (MSW), SSW alum and former State Representative.

The Nomination of Ivor J. Echols (1919-2000) for Pioneer Recognition

Late faculty member Ivor EcholsIvor J. Echols, MSW, PhD, made pioneering contributions as an educator, an activist for civil rights and social justice, and an avid promoter of the social work profession. She inspired hundreds of students and as a leader, strengthened numerous community and national organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Black Social Workers. Throughout her life, she worked tirelessly to combat racism and injustice, especially toward the African-American community and those living in poverty. She was a leader in national, state, and local organizations.

Dr. Echols used her personal experiences with racism, her keen love of social work, and her firm but warm approach to reach students and steer them toward work for social justice. Among her many activities, she led efforts to promote professional civility and unity though her leadership in both the National Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Black Social Workers, during the most turbulent years of the 1970s.

Read the full nomination at the NASW Foundation website.

Rebecca Thomas Received Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award in Social Work

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Professor Rebecca L. Thomas has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in Social Work to Sofia, Bulgaria, for the 2023-2024 academic year, from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Thomas teaches in the Policy Practice concentration at UConn School of Social Work (SSW) and is the director of the Center for International Social Work Studies at SSW. She represents the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) at the United Nations on the NGO Committee of migration, and also serves on the Katherine Kendal Institute of CSWE. Her research and scholarship include international social work, international development, climate-induced migration, and refugees and immigrants.

From January 2024, Thomas will be working at the New Bulgaria University situated in Sofia, on three initiatives, with implications for research, policy recommendations, and sustained collaboration. She will be teaching a course on Program Evaluation to Doctoral Students; expanding her research on the lived experiences of Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria; and working with diverse stakeholders to strengthen social work practice and policy initiatives to advance the Rights of the Child in Bulgaria. These projects were developed in consultation with the leadership and faculty of the New Bulgaria University.

Thomas is among over 800 U.S. citizens who will teach or conduct research abroad for the 2023-2024 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions. Upon returning to their home countries, institutions, labs, and classrooms, they share their stories and often become active supporters of international exchange, inviting foreign scholars to campus, and encouraging colleagues and students to go abroad.

"We congratulate Dr. Thomas on her Fulbright Scholar Program Award,” says SSW Dean Laura Curran. “This honor demonstrates her deep knowledge and expertise in international social work, research on refugees, and policy practice. It will also expand our School’s impact and support our mission to improve human well-being, both locally and globally.”

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.

Learn more about Thomas’s research.