Town Halls, Conversations, and Panels Oh My

During the pandemic, I was able to moderate and organize some great townhalls/panel discussions on some timely topics. Check them out!

The first panel I was a part of was entitled Staying Connected: LGBTQ Resource Beyond COVID-19. It was put organized by the Toledo Lucas County Health Department and Equality Toledo. I got to share some tips and information on mental health during the pandemic. This event was covered in the local news. 

 

Next was a panel I organized and moderated for the Social Justice Subcommittee of the City of Toledo's Human Relations Commission. The panel was entitled Promoting Wellness for Youth of Color and focused on ways parents and professionals can support youth's mental health. I think this went so well and even got some good coverage in the local newspaper. 

 

In October I helped to organize and co-moderate a panel with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department and the UT Opioid Task Force. This was entitled Community Conversation: A Panel Discussion on the Opioid Epidemic. The goal of this event was to help raise aware of the current state of the opioid epidemic and provide resources for families and friends with loved ones with opioid use disorder. 

Finally, I helped to organize Color Me Latino: a conversation on anti-blackness in the Latino Community. This was with the Social Justice Subcommittee of the City of Toledo's Human Relations Commission and the Latino Alliance of Northwest Ohio. While I wasn't on the panel or moderating this event, I helped to identify panelists, develop questions, and interact on Facebook to help promote the event. The goal of this panel was to raise awareness on the issue of colorism and anti-blackness in the Latino community and to start a larger conversation around the issue.

 

Free CEUs

 I often am asked about getting free CEUs or continuing education units. There are probably a lot of places to get free or low cost CEUs, however I think of the continuing education process as an opportunity to grow professionally and not just a requirement of the license. 

During the pandemic, several organizations offered (and are continuing) to offer free, quality CEUs. From topics on telehealth to ethics to much more. I have even been able to take part in some of them such as an ASAM training through The Ohio State University College of Social Work. I don't know if this trend will continue into 2021. 

By being a member of NASW Ohio, social workers can receive all their CEUs for free through monthly trainings. These trainings are live, but are recorded for later viewing. While they really free because the membership to NASW costs money, it is a very valuable perk of membership. Free free to check out NASW Ohio for more information and to become a member. 

Free State Social Worker is a site that offers CEUs at a cost of just $5 per hour. I have not obtained any CEUs from them, but a colleague of mine mentioned them so I thought it was worth saving. 

eBased Academy offers completely free CEUs. I have taken advantage of these before and they are well designed and thought through. The site is operated by the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addition Services. These courses are great for social works and addition professionals. 

There are probably others who offer free CEUs on a regular basis. 

Again, I believe social workers should think of continuing education as an opportunity to learn and grow professionally. They should consider areas of weakness, emerging issues, or issues already cultural competency to fulfill these requirements. While have a wide range of CEUs may meet the renewal requirements for the licensing board, it does little to help the social worker grow. I would encourage any social worker to consider their continuing education as they consider their professional goals for 2021.