SWCHRS Live Learning Lab

Date & Time: April 22, 12 - 2 PM CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details: Many helping professionals encounter individuals and families navigating complex housing systems and the criminal justice system—yet few have a practical understanding of how housing and criminal justice policies actually operate. This session will offer a grounded, accessible introduction to these policy systems that bridge this knowledge gap towards practice-oriented understanding.

Policy analysts from the Oklahoma Policy Institute will examine how local, state, and federal housing and criminal justice policies impact social work and client populations. This session begins by establishing a clear, accessible foundation for understanding how housing policies function across levels of government and how these approaches shape the experiences of communities and service providers. It will then integrate key components of the criminal justice system, highlighting how justice involvement influences housing access, family stability, and behavioral health needs. Ultimately, the session will conclude with an examination of policy developments and their broader implications for individuals and families impacted by housing instability and justice system involvement, as well as the programs that support them.

Participants will leave with a deeper practical understanding of housing policy and criminal justice policy, better equipping them to support clients, advocate effectively, and navigate the policy landscape with clarity and confidence.

This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886970186-5438) for 2 continuing education contact hours

Speaker: Sabine Brown, Housing Senior Policy Analyst at Oklahoma Policy Institute

Speaker Bio: : Sabine Brown joined the Oklahoma Policy Institute as Housing Senior Policy Analyst in January 2022. She previously worked at OK Policy from January 2018 until September 2020 as the Outreach and Legislative Director and received a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa. Before joining OK Policy, she served as the Oklahoma Chapter Leader for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Sabine also earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Health Science from the University of Oklahoma and was a physician assistant prior to discovering advocacy work.

Speaker: Cole Allen, Criminal Justice Policy Analyst at Oklahoma Policy Institute

Speaker Bio: Cole Allen joined OK Policy as a Policy Fellow in August 2022 and was named the Criminal Justice Policy Analyst in October 2023. He attended the University of Oklahoma, earning a BA in International Studies with minors in Religious Studies and Middle Eastern Studies in May 2022 and is currently working on an MA in International Studies. During college, Cole was a research assistant at the Center for U.S.-China Issues and the Center for Cyber Governance and Policy. He also interned for the U.S. Department of State Diplomat in Residence for the Central United States. Cole hopes that his work at OK Policy will help make Oklahoma a more just and equitable state for all its residents. When he is not working, Cole enjoys travelling, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and following OU athletics.

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Date & Time: May 21, 12 - 2 PM CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details: When clients struggle to make meaningful changes in their lives, the instinct of many clinicians is to inform, advise, and persuade. This instinct is understandable, but research consistently shows that directive approaches often produce the opposite of their intended effect, increasing resistance and undermining the therapeutic relationship. This workshop offers an introduction to Motivational Interviewing (MI), an evidence-based, person-centered communication style built on the premise that the conversation itself can be the catalyst for change. Participants will explore the foundational spirit of MI alongside the clinical skills that bring that spirit to life in practice.

This training is designed for clinicians who want to move beyond information-giving and into genuine conversations about change. Drawing on MI's structured processes and core skills, participants will learn how to engage clients around ambivalence, support their own motivation for change, and adapt MI to the relational and behavioral demands of mental health treatment, including medication adherence and the integration of MI with approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Speaker

​Jon Kratz, LCSW — MSW Program Coordinator & Clinical Associate Professor, the University of Oklahoma

Speaker Bio: Jonathan Kratz, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma. He has an extensive background in forensic social work, clinical mental health, and school-based services with children and families. He teaches across the direct practice curriculum at OU including courses in mental health, group work, advanced clinical social work theories of practice, populations at risk, and the integrative seminar. He is a primary investigator for the Suicide Prevention Research Center and his work at OU focuses on clinical pedagogy related to Motivational Interviewing, Suicide Risk Assessment, and Clinical Skill Development using standardized clients and artificial intelligence. Jonathan is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).

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Date & Time: June 18, 12 - 2 PM CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details: Suicide is among the most serious challenges clinicians encounter, yet many practitioners report feeling underprepared to have direct, compassionate conversations with clients who may be at risk. This workshop provides a foundational framework for understanding and responding to suicide risk in clinical settings. Participants will begin with a grounding in the epidemiology of suicide in the United States, including prevalence, population-level risk factors, and current trends, before moving into the relational and clinical skills that make these conversations possible.

This training offers practical guidance for clinicians on how to initiate and sustain a therapeutic conversation about suicidal ideation, how to conduct a structured screening and assessment, and how to use clinical judgment to navigate disposition decisions. Rather than treating risk assessment as a procedural checklist, this workshop positions it as a clinical encounter rooted in relationships, curiosity, and collaboration. Participants will leave with both a conceptual framework and concrete tools they can apply immediately in their practice.
 

Speaker

​Jon Kratz, LCSW — MSW Program Coordinator & Clinical Associate Professor, the University of Oklahoma

Speaker Bio: Jonathan Kratz, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma. He has an extensive background in forensic social work, clinical mental health, and school-based services with children and families. He teaches across the direct practice curriculum at OU including courses in mental health, group work, advanced clinical social work theories of practice, populations at risk, and the integrative seminar. He is a primary investigator for the Suicide Prevention Research Center and his work at OU focuses on clinical pedagogy related to Motivational Interviewing, Suicide Risk Assessment, and Clinical Skill Development using standardized clients and artificial intelligence. Jonathan is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).

Register Now