June 20, 2019 - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT   

Research shows that upward of 70% of children in schools report experiencing at least one traumatic event before age 16. Today, students are exposed to direct and indirect forms of trauma, creating the need for the school community to address the mental health needs of children and adolescents to promote successful school experiences. This session will provide an overview of the impact of trauma on children and adolescents, as well as interventions for direct practice and collaboration with teachers, families, and communities.

June 20, 2019 - 12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EDT   

The United Nations defines human trafficking as the “recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud, or coercion) for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation.” In 2017, 8,759 cases of human trafficking were reported - this is a 13% increase from 2016. In the United States, California and Texas have the highest number of reported cases, due, in part, to their larger populations and border proximity. The increasing awareness of human trafficking and the susceptibility of immigrants has created a heightened awareness that social workers need to be informed on how to identify, support and work with victims of such devastating circumstances. This course focuses on how to identify possible signs of human trafficking, and the next steps towards stabilization, support, and paths for recovery.

June 20, 2019 - 1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. EDT   

Traumatic events are widely acknowledged to have long-term impacts on younger individuals, yet we have only recently begun to assess for and gain an understanding of trauma in the lives of older adults. For many older adults, trauma is often overlooked as being either a distant past event (e.g. child abuse) or a normal part of aging (e.g. widowhood). This session will discuss trauma-informed care – looking at how past and recent events can be traumatic for older adults and how to assess and plan for the prevention of re-traumatization.

June 20, 2019 - 1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. EDT   

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth experience trauma at higher rates than their straight peers. Common traumas experienced by these youth include bullying, harassment, traumatic loss, intimate partner violence, physical and sexual abuse, and traumatic forms of societal stigma, bias, and rejection. Further, research detailed in a Harvard University study showed that LGBTQ youth are a high risk for incurring PTSD in particular when compared with cisgender and heteronormative populations. This session will focus on the challenges and traumatic events unique to the LGBTQ community and current best practices in addressing them.

June 20, 2019 - 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. EDT   

Natural disasters. School violence. Domestic terrorism. Racial disparities. Domestic violence. These events, and many more, can have a tremendous impact on people’s daily lives. Due to our skills and the presence of social workers in various settings (hospitals, schools, mental health centers, etc), social workers are increasingly accepting the challenge to address these issues. In this session, social workers from the broader community and our NASW Chapters will share unique, effective techniques they have employed to help others deal with these life-changing events from a micro and a macro perspective. It is intended to highlight the positive ways social workers across the nation are working to elevate their communities and to provide the attendees with takeaways that they can implement in their own communities.

June 20, 2019 - 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT 

The social work profession, like all helping professions, requires individuals to be conscious of how listening to the trauma of our clients can impact us both professionally and personally. The retelling of difficult memories and the focus on survival skills impacts even the most trauma-skilled professionals - being exposed to this on a regular basis can lead to burn-out and compassion fatigue. Learn how even the simplest of self-care regimes can make a huge difference in your professional and personal life, as well as the effectiveness towards your clients' interventions.