44th Annual Jax State Social Work Conference – Jacksonville, AL

Ignite Your Passion for Social Work: Join Us at the 44th Annual Jax State Social Work Conference!

Save the Date: Friday, March 7, 2025
Location: Merrill Hall, Jacksonville State University

***IF YOU NEED TO PAY BY INVOICE/CHECK, PLEASE CONTACT HICKS@JSU.EDU***

Get ready for a day of connection and inspiration at this year’s Jax State Social Work Conference, themed “Joining Forces: Innovative Approaches to Social Work Care Coordination.” This conference will highlight the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge strategies to revolutionize care in social work practice.

Why You Can’t Miss This:

Engage with social work students, alumni, and practitioners from across Alabama and beyond.

Discover innovative solutions and actionable insights to strengthen rural social work practices.

Learn from dynamic, industry-leading speakers offering workshops on professional development, ethics, medical social work, and child welfare.

Earn 5.5 CEs to boost your professional credentials and possibly 3 CEs towards the supervision credential renewal.

What You’ll Experience:

1. Contemporary knowledge and practical tools to supercharge your social work practice.
2. Opportunities to expand your social capital and form powerful collaborations with professionals across the state.
3. Morning refreshments and a delicious boxed lunch with pre-registration.

Pro Tip: Pre-register by February 26, 2025 to secure your spot AND your lunch—registrations after this date will not include a guaranteed meal.

***PLEASE NOTE: If you need to pay by invoice, please contact hicks@jsu.edu***

Join the movement as we unite forces to elevate social work practice and empower communities to thrive. This is your chance to be part of something bigger, something that matters. Don’t wait—mark your calendar and claim your seat today! We can’t wait to see YOU at the 44th Annual Jax State Social Work Conference!

Conference Schedule of Events

7:30 am – 8:30 am – REGISTRATION, REFRESHMENTS, EXHIBITS

8:30 am – 9:00 am – WELCOME and RECOGNITIONS

9:00 am – 10:15 am – PLENARY SESSION 1: Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC)

10:15 am – 10:30 am: BREAK

10:30 am – 11:45 am: PLENARY SESSION 2: NASW Alabama Chapter

11:45 am – 12:25 pm: BREAK FOR LUNCH

11:55am – 12:25pm: MSW Informational Session (Dr. Taylor Ellis, MSW Program Coordinator)

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm: BREAKOUT SESSIONS 1

Supervision Track: Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners – Auditorium

Child Welfare Track: Closing the Gap on Aging Out (Lee Marshall, MSW, TS: Kids to Love Foundation)- Classroom B02

Medical Track: Fostering Long Term Recovery Through The Four Dimensions (Curt Lindsley, BA, FBSS: Alabama Alliance for Recovery Residences) – Classroom B15

Ethics Track: How Can I Help You? Ethical Challenges & Implications in Social Work Practice (Jennifer Nelson, LICSW-S: Kintsugi Counseling & Consulting, LLC) – Classroom 109

Professional Development Track: Professional Development – bringing the helping model into the growth of leaders (Julie Wells, DSW, MSW, LICSW: Auburn University)-Classroom 115

1:30 pm – 1:40 pm: TRANSITION BREAK

1:45 pm – 2:45 pm: BREAKOUT SESSIONS 2

Ethics Track: Building Inclusive and Ethical Workplaces: HR Strategies to Support Social Workers in Effective Care Coordination (Gilbert, Danielle MBA, PHR, SHRM-CP: Childsavers) – Auditorium

Child Welfare Track: Supporting Young Minds: Suicide Prevention Strategies for Children and Adolescents (Madison Thomas, MSW: Mountain View) – Classroom B02

Medical Track: Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Benefits and Challenges Across the Life Span (Francesca E. Guida-Hall, LICSW-S, PIP & Renee Bellew, LICSW-S, PIP: Jacksonville State University/Guide Counseling Services, LLC) -Classroom B15

Ethics Track: Potential Exploitive Nature of Sugaring Relationships: A Coordinated Response with a Multidisciplinary Approach (Adrian Carpenter, BSW: Circle of Care Center for Families) – Classroom 109

Professional Development Track: Compassion Fatigue and the Importance of Work-Life Balance: A Solution-Focused Approach (Timothy Rolfe, LICSW PIP: U.S. Army/Private Practice) – Classroom 115

Supervision Track: Ethics of Supervision (Dr. Kimber Wickersham: Jacksonville State University) – Brewer Hall Classroom 328

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm: BREAK, EXHIBITS, SILENT AUCTION

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm: BREAKOUT SESSIONS 3

Professional Development Track: Understanding the Impacts of Vicarious Trauma on Individuals and Agencies (OVC TTAC) – Auditorium

Child Welfare Track: Fostering Innovative Approaches to Fighting Online Sexual Exploitation of our Youth (Pamela Stack , B.S.Ed., M.A. Ed. & Jessica Smith, MPA: HopeUNITED, United Way of East Central Alabama) – Classroom B02

Medical Track: Bridging Healing and Care: The Impact of Trauma-Informed Social Work on Patient Medical Engagement (Brandy Harm, LICSW: Fresenius Medical Care North America/University of Kentucky College of Social Work DSW student) – Classroom B15

Other Track: Decision Fatigue in the Gray Areas of Life (Dr. Jody Long, LICSW & Katlyn Robertson, BSW Student: Jacksonville State University) – Classroom 109

Professional Development Track: Unfiltered Confidence: Breaking Free from Imposter Syndrome (Melanie Brunner, LICSW-S: Represent Wellness, LLC) – Classroom 115

Supervision Track: The Spirit of Motivational Interviewing with Social Work Supervisees (Dr. Dominique Maywald: Jacksonville State University) – Brewer Hall Classroom 328