SWCHRS Live Learning Lab

Date & Time: Feb. 11, 2:00–5:00 p.m. CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details: Clients living with substance use disorders often have histories of emotional, physical, and/or sexual trauma. While 12-Step groups such as AA and NA remain among the most widespread and accessible peer-support models for recovery, some traditional language within the 12 Steps may be challenging—or even contraindicated—for individuals with trauma histories.

This training introduces a contemporary, trauma-informed framework for understanding and addressing substance use. It offers broadened definitions of trauma across the lifespan and reviews SAMHSA’s core principles of Trauma-Informed Care. Participants will explore the relationship between unresolved trauma and the development of substance use disorders through an overview of the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) Study. The session also analyzes 12-Step language through a trauma-informed lens, presenting alternative language options that promote healing, empowerment, and safety. Additionally, the training highlights peer-support options beyond the 12-Step model to ensure clients can engage in recovery pathways aligned with their needs and experiences.

Speaker

​Eryca Kasse, LICSW— Founder & Executive Director, CHOICES in Healing & Recovery, Inc.

Speaker Bio: Eryca Kasse is a licensed independent clinical social worker  (LICSW) in Washington, DC with a background in co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. She received her BSW from George Mason University in 1998 and worked post bachelors with youth in high-risk situations (runaway, homeless, LGBTQ & court involved).  She received her MSW from Howard University in 2010 where she completed field placements with women returning home from prison & jail and adults living with chronic mental health & substance use disorders experiencing homelessness. Her post-graduate work has focused on adults living with co-occurring mental health & substance use disorders at community mental health centers, substance use disorder treatment programs, hospitals and emergency rooms; providing diagnostic assessments, individual & group therapy and crisis intervention. In 2016 she founded her consulting practice CHOICES, providing clinical supervision and CEU trainings for providers and workshops for people in recovery, focused on trauma informed behavioral health care. In Fall 2021, CHOICES in Healing & Recovery was approved as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and has expanded services to provide trauma informed peer support groups & facilitator trainings. Eryca currently lives in NE, DC with her tortie cat, and enjoys drumming, swimming and spending time with family.

Register Now - $65 for 3 CEUs

Time: Feb. 16, 3:00–5:00 p.m. CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details:

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT rapidly advance, social work practitioners are increasingly encountering new opportunities—and new challenges—within clinical and administrative practice. This training provides a focused, practice-oriented exploration of how AI can support tasks such as documentation, treatment planning, assessment, and workflow management. Participants will analyze real-world examples of AI-generated case notes, summaries, and diagnostic suggestions while discussing how these tools may enhance or complicate clinical decision-making.

The session emphasizes the ethical and professional considerations that arise when integrating AI into therapeutic environments, including confidentiality, accuracy, bias, cultural competence, and the limits of algorithm-driven insight. Participants will compare AI outputs with human judgment, evaluate risks and benefits, and consider organizational stances on AI use in behavioral health.

Through reflective discussion and practical guidance, this training equips practitioners to make informed, responsible decisions about when—and whether—to use AI in direct practice. The session supports clinicians in navigating emerging technologies while protecting client welfare, professional integrity, and ethical standards.

Learning Outcomes

1. Examine the practical applications of AI and ChatGPT in clinical practice and case management. Participants will be able to identify how AI can support documentation, assessment, treatment planning, and workflow efficiency in direct practice.

2. Analyze ethical considerations and professional risks associated with using AI in therapeutic and administrative settings. Participants will be able to evaluate concerns related to confidentiality, accuracy, bias, data protection, and professional boundaries when integrating AI tools.

3. Assess the potential and limitations of AI in clinical decision-making, diagnostic processes, and client outcomes. Participants will be able to compare AI-supported outputs with human judgment and articulate when and how AI should—and should not—be used in practice.

Speaker

Leena Said, MSW — Minor Safety Specialist, Pinterest.

Speaker Bio: Leena Said is a dedicated social work and child safety professional with over eight years of experience supporting refugees, trafficking survivors, and at-risk youth. Currently a Minor Safety Specialist at Pinterest and formerly a Child Safety Specialist at TikTok, she partners with policy teams, law enforcement, and organizations such as NCMEC to investigate, report, and remove harmful content from online platforms. Her earlier work includes supporting unaccompanied refugee minors as a Social Worker with Lutheran Social Service, conducting crisis interventions with Catholic Charities, and advocating for trafficking survivors through the Polaris Project. Leena has deescalated suicide and violence-related crises, reported hundreds of trafficking cases, and independently managed heavy caseloads with compassion and skill. She holds an MSW from the University of Southern California and a B.S. in Psychology from Philadelphia University.

Register Now - $50 for 2 CEUs

Date & Time: March 25, 1:00–4:00 p.m. CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details: Understanding, Addressing, and Mitigating Bias is a three-hour continuing education session designed to strengthen ethical and reflective practice among social workers. Participants will explore how cognitive, social, and structural biases shape decision-making, client engagement, and organizational processes. The first hour examines foundational concepts and types of bias that influence perception and behavior. The second hour applies theory through realistic case scenarios, promoting awareness of how bias surfaces in assessment and intervention. The final hour focuses on actionable strategies for mitigating bias, including structured decision-making, accountability frameworks, and perspective-taking. Grounded in the NASW Code of Ethics, this session emphasizes self-reflection, professional responsibility, and the pursuit of equitable outcomes. Through guided analysis and applied learning, attendees will leave with tools to recognize, address, and reduce bias in their professional roles while advancing social work’s commitment to dignity, justice, and integrity.

Speaker

​Anthony P. Natale, Ph.D., MSW— Director, Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies and Professor of Social Work

Speaker Bio: Anthony P. Natale, Ph.D., MSW, is the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies Director and an Associate Professor at the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work. He teaches various social work courses and has received accolades, including induction into the Social Work Hall of Fame for Teaching Excellence in 2015 and the University of Oklahoma Regents Award for Superior Teaching in 2019.

Dr. Natale's research focuses on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Belonging (IDEA-B) in higher education, HIV/AIDS health disparities among minoritized populations, trauma-informed interventions in social work practice, and social work with LGBTQQIPA2+ individuals. Before his current role, he held administrative positions such as Social Work Graduate Coordinator, Assistant Director of the School of Social Work, and Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence at the University of Oklahoma Graduate College.

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Date & Time: January 26, 2026 | 11AM - 12:30PM CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details: Generational trauma doesn’t just live in memory; it lives in the body, the community, and the systems that shape everyday life. In this session, Dr. Lisa Byers traces the lasting effects of colonization, forced migration, and cultural disruption, connecting history to the present realities of health and well-being in Native communities. Participants will explore key policy eras, examine a real-world case study, and consider pathways toward healing that honor both traditional knowledge and modern practice.

You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how trauma is carried forward, and how social workers can help interrupt that cycle through awareness, connection, and culturally grounded care.

This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886970186-5119) for 1.5 continuing education contact hours

Speaker

Lisa Byers, PhD, MSW (Cherokee, Bird Clan) — Associate Professor of Social Work & Affiliate Faculty with Native American Studies, The University of Oklahoma.

Speaker Bio: Ꭱ Ꮒ Ꭹ Dr. Lisa Byers, ᏣᎳᎩ, ᏥᏍᏆ ᏧᏂᏴᏫ (Cherokee, Bird Clan) is an Associate Professor of Social Work and Affiliate Faculty with Native American Studies at the University of Oklahoma. She enjoys service learning in North Tulsa, the area that was her home. Dr. Byers coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Social Work with American Indians that she created. Her favorite courses to teach are the certificate courses because they provide a safe space for students—and herself—to be authentic in higher education. She affirms Indigenous orientations to wellness and utilizes Indigenous Feminist Standpoint Theory, Natural Democracy Ethos, and Relational Worldview Intentional Resilience to support healing for ancestors, children, future generations, and herself through research on empathy and relational health.

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$30 per session (1.5 CEUs) · Bundle all 4 for $100. You’ll select your session(s) on the registration page.

Date & Time: January 27, 2026 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Details: Immigration policy is complex and its ripple effects reach across communities, workplaces, and service systems. In this session, Gabriela Ramirez-Perez guides participants through the evolution of national immigration policy, then focuses on Oklahoma’s recent legislative and enforcement landscape. You’ll get up-to-date data on immigrant populations, understand how state policy is changing, and consider concrete practice implications for social work in settings such as schools, non-profits, and community programs.

Speaker

Gabriela Ramirez-Perez —Immigration Policy Analyst, Oklahoma Policy Institute.

Speaker Bio: Gabriela joined OK Policy as an Immigration Policy Analyst in August 2021. Raised in Oklahoma City, she graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and later a Masters in Public Administration. During college, Gabriela had internships at the Council on American-Islamic Relations Oklahoma and the Office of former Congresswoman Kendra Horn. Gabriela believes that Oklahoma can be a state that welcomes and celebrates all immigrants, regardless of citizenship status. In her free time, she enjoys doing arts and crafts, learning new languages, and spending time with friends. 

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$30 per session (1.5 CEUs) · Bundle all 4 for $100. You’ll select your session(s) on the registration page.

Date & Time: January 28, 2026 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM CT

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Description: How are children and families really doing in Oklahoma today? Drawing from the latest KIDS COUNT data, this session with Jill Mencke offers a clear-eyed view of key indicators of child well-being—economic stability, education, health, and family environments. Participants will explore how wages that lag behind costs of living, disparities in access to healthcare and education, and the ongoing effects of trauma and instability shape outcomes for Oklahoma’s children. By connecting statewide trends to real community experiences, the session highlights actionable insights and policy-oriented solutions for professionals dedicated to improving family and child outcomes.

This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886970186-2576) for 1.5 continuing education contact hours

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Interpret Data on Child Well-Being: Analyze KIDS COUNT indicators related to economic stability, education, health, and family environments to understand Oklahoma’s current standing and contributing factors.
• Connect Systemic Challenges to Outcomes: Examine how issues such as wage inequities, limited healthcare access, and high Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) scores intersect to affect long-term child and family well-being across communities.
• Identify Actionable Strategies for Change: Explore evidence-based and policy-informed solutions that professionals and organizations can advocate for to promote economic security, educational opportunity, and healthier environments for children and families

Speaker

Jill Mencke — Youth Policy Analyst, Oklahoma Policy Institute

Speaker Bio: Jill Mencke joined OK Policy as the Youth Policy Analyst in September 2022. Jill earned her B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Oklahoma. After graduation, she worked as a family preservation specialist, providing intervention services to families experiencing issues in the home. She saw the impact intervention programs and support services can have and is dedicated to creating more avenues for prevention and support for Oklahoma families and their youth. Jill researches and monitors the status of youth incarceration in Oklahoma, and advocates for policy with the Justice for Oklahoma Youth (JOY) Coalition, which supports investments for youth that protect them from entering the justice system, and works to center lived experience in reform. In her free time, Jill enjoys attending local concerts, hosting movie nights, and teaching her cats to be nice to each other. 

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$30 per session (1.5 CEUs) · Bundle all 4 for $100. You’ll select your session(s) on the registration page.

Date & Time: January 29, 2026 | 11:30 AM - 1 PM CT*

Location: Virtual (Zoom)

Session Description: Latina immigrants remain among the least likely groups to receive preventive health services, an imbalance rooted in access, cost, and trust. Drawing from The Lucha Study, Dr. Venera Bekteshi explores how culturally humble research and community partnerships can bridge these gaps in care. 

Participants will learn about the CIAS Framework (a five-step approach emphasizing collaboration, respectful engagement, and practical implementation) and discover how its application revealed both barriers and motivators influencing women’s health behaviors. The session concludes with a forward-looking strategy for building responsive, community-based interventions that expand access and strengthen outcomes. 

This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886970186-1458) for 1.5 continuing education contact hours

Speaker

Venera Bekteshi, PhD — Associate Professor, Zarrow School of Social Work, The University of Oklahoma

Speaker Bio: Venera Bekteshi, PhD, MSW, MPA, MA, is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work. Her work focuses on the health and mental health needs of immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, adolescents, and breast cancer prevention, with additional projects examining issues such as sex trafficking in Eastern Europe. She has held faculty posts in the U.S. and U.K., completed postdoctoral training at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine–Siteman Cancer Center, and previously worked in nonprofit and international organizations, including the United Nations Human Development Reports Office. Her research has received competitive funding from federal agencies and foundations, and she has been honored for both her academic contributions and community leadership.

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$30 per session (1.5 CEUs) · Bundle all 4 for $100. You’ll select your session(s) on the registration page.