Over the past several years the rates of suicide for Hispanic, Black, Asian and Pacific Islander youth have seen significant increases, while the rate of suicide amongst White youth has decreased. Additionally, the risk of suicide among 2SLGBTQIA+ youth is three times that of their heterosexual and cisgender peers. (Chu, J., O’Neill, S.E., Ng, J.F., Khoury, O. (2022). The Cultural Theory and Model of Suicide for Youth.)

Human trafficking is a crime that preys on vulnerabilities and although it cuts across age, ethnicity, race and socioeconomic status, Black girls have an increased vulnerability to sexual exploitation as a result of racism and systematic oppression.   Although Black women and girls make up 13% of the US population, they represent 40% of sex trafficking victims and account for 51% of prostitution arrests.  Black girls are oversexualized, dehumanized and often treated as criminals rather than being allowed to exist in environments which provide hope and healing.

Emerging practices such as psychedelic and animal-assisted therapies offer exciting possibilities and raise new ethical challenges. 

Join us for our Annual Fall Virtual Forum, a dynamic professional development experience designed to inform, inspire, and connect with social work professionals across practice areas. This year’s forum will bring together leading practitioners, scholars, and advocates to explore timely issues shaping the social work profession and the communities we serve.

Substance use exists on a spectrum, yet the field has historically relied on rigid categories and crisis-driven responses. This webinar equips social workers with practical, evidence-based skills for working effectively across the full range of substance use—from risky use to severe substance use disorders—using a continuum-based, person-centered framework.