Identifying Substance Use and Co-occurring Disorders in Our Learners: Strategies for Assessment, Intervention, and Supporting the Caregivers (1.0 CE) 

Course Description: Because substance use and mental health affect learners at all levels, school social workers must be aware of strategies and tools that can assist with assessment, intervention, and supporting parents to identify learners' mental health and substance use concerns. The session will provide participants with an overview of tools that they can utilize to assess and intervene with learners who may be struggling with issues related to substance use, including co-occurring disorders. Additionally, participants will be provided with strategies to support parents and other caregivers in identifying mental health and substance use concerns. 

Learning Goals:  

1. Participants will leave with strategies to assess learners for signs of substance use.
2. Participants will be able to identify interventions for learners who show signs/symptoms of substance use.
3. Participants will apply new strategies for supporting parents in identifying learners' mental health and substance use issues. 

Speaker:

Dr. Tiffany Welch, LMSW, LSW, LGSW is the BSW Program Director and Associate Professor of Social Work at Commonwealth University. Dr. Welch is also a part-time instructor for Capella University's Master of Social Work program. Dr. Welch earned her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree at Mansfield University, her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Marywood University, and her Doctor of Social Work (DSW) at Capella University. Dr. Welch is a licensed social worker in Pennsylvania, New York, and Minnesota and is a permanently certified school social worker in New York State. She is a current item writer for the Association of Social Work Boards. Dr. Welch serves on the board of directors for Harbor Counseling, a nonprofit drug and alcohol outpatient treatment center. Before her teaching career, Dr. Welch worked as a clinical therapist in the community, schools, and the prison setting, providing services to those with drug and alcohol, mental health, and co-occurring disorders. Additionally, Dr. Welch worked as the district-wide behavior specialist for a local school district. Dr. Welch has presented on topics related to addiction at the national, state, and local levels. Her current areas of research interest include addiction, the stigma surrounding mental health, self-care, and issues surrounding Social Work Regulation. 

Content level: Intermediate

Target Audience: School Social Workers

Refund policy: No refunds will be given.

School Social Work Association of America, 1789, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. School Social Work Association of America maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 7/27/2023-7/27/2026. 

Note: Many state licensing boards impose specific limitations on course content, distance education, or other elements of continuing education, even when courses are taken from approved providers. It is your sole responsibility to ensure that the courses taken will meet the requirements for your license.