31st Annual JSU Social Work Conference Will Be March 9

03/07/2012

The BSW Program at JSU will sponsor The 31st Annual JSU Social Work Conference on March 9 from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. on the 11th floor of the Houston Cole Library. This year’s theme is “Social Worker Matters.”

The first Plenary Session will feature Dr. Mark Fagan and Dr. Rebecca Turner of Jacksonville State University as well as Ms. Patricia Randich-Dumas, President of the Alabama Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The second Plenary Session will feature Ms. Zelia Baugh, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health where she will discuss the current state of mental health services in Alabama and the impact of the proposed budget cut by the Alabama Legislature. Conference.

Breakout Sessions will include such topics as: Community Conversation: Barriers and Opportunities by Ms. Kristina Scott, Executive Director of the Alabama Poverty Project; Tobacco Prevention Program by Ms. Jessica Breazeale of Family Links and Ms. Corretta Grant of the Alabama Department of Public Health; Medical Marijuana by Mr. Koven Brown, Alabama House of Representatives, District 40; Sexual Assault Prevention and Response by Ms. Trace Fleming-Smith of Second Chance; Serial Killers: An Update by Dr. Eddie Blackwelder of Criminology Research; Sexual Assault Prevention Training Program Evaluation by Dr. Tina Deshotels of the JSU Sociology Program; Mental Illness and Response to Disasters by Ms. Leighann Murdock of CED Mental Health Center; and Identification and Treatment of PTSD within a Residential Treatment Setting by Ms. Sally R. Lawes of Bradford Health Services.

There will be an exhibit hall with information about social service agencies within the region and CEUs for Social Workers.

Dr. Mark Fagan, Dr. Maureen Newton, Ms. Robyn Snider, Dr. Nancy Francisco Stewart, Ms. Dee Barclift, Ms. Kim Womack, Mr. Jonathan Adams, Ms. Gail Childs, and Ms. Lisa Pugliese are helping to plan and administer this conference.