Course Summary

Practice Level: Intermediate

Important note about this learning material: This course is Part 3 of a three-part series designed for social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors on the topics of culture and the psychosocial implications of socioeconomic position. Parts 1 and 2 of this series are companion courses. Part 1 for social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors can be found here; Social workers can find Part 2 here and psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists can find Part 2 here. Although it is not necessary to read the companion courses with this course, the learner’s experience will be enriched by the information presented in Parts 1 and 2.

This content is similar to a different offering intended to meet California pre-licensure requirements for social workers, school psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors on the topic of culture and the psychosocial implications of socioeconomic position. If you are seeking the California required courses, Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here, and Part 3 is here. Due to content overlap, participants should take either the California requirements or this course, but not both.

This learning material is Part 3 of a three-part learning series. Part 1 introduces the reader to the concept of social determinants of health (SDH) and specifically examines some of the health outcomes related to particular SDH on population groups in the United States highlighting California in particular. Part 2 expands upon these concepts by demonstrating application of SDH knowledge within a variety of existing clinical frameworks, as well as integration into assessment and treatment interventions. This third and final module in the series focuses on integration of these elements into the development of policy and interventions on mezzo- and macro- levels and on a public health scale. Current research regarding frameworks that consider SDH and think “outside the box” of traditional frameworks is presented, including Health At Every Size (HAES) and Fat Acceptance approaches to health management, Housing First (HF) interventions for individuals with substance use disorders, safe injection/overdose prevention sites, alternatives to the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-5-TR) in mental healthcare, and prison abolition/restorative justice movements. Implications for the child welfare, immigration, education, health and health insurance systems in the U.S. are considered and explored, with current research and problem-solving possibilities presented. Additionally, compatibility with the use of SDH as a lens for understanding and developing interventions while considering codes of ethics and professional conduct from the NASW, APA, NBCC, and AAMFT is explored. Challenges found within penal codes and other legal standards and mechanisms are described and examined. This learning material culminates with vignettes that demonstrate the connection between clinical work and policy work using the lens of SDH.

Course Format

This course contains downloadable online lessons (PDF) and a practice test. When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.

Learning Objectives

  • Identify policies and policy aspects that incorporate social determinants of health.
  • Distinguish policies that support client autonomy within their individual context from those that do not.
  • Recognize characteristics of programs and program theories that support recognition of social determinants of health.
  • Describe research support for programs that consider social determinants of health in design and implementation
  • Identify aspects of professional codes of ethics that support engagement with social determinants of health.

Course Syllabus

Introduction

Current Equity Research

  • Housing First Programs
  • Health at Every Size and the Fat Acceptance Movement
  • Safe Injection Sites
  • Alternatives to DSM-5
  • Prison Abolition and Restorative Justice

Policy Implications

  • Child Welfare Policies
  • Immigration Policies
  • Education Policies
  • Healthcare Policies
  • Health Insurance Policies

Professional Codes of Ethics and Social Determinants of Health

  • Social Work Codes of Ethics
  • Psychology Codes of Ethics
  • National Board for Certified Counselor Code of Ethics
  • Marriage and Family Therapy Codes of Ethics
  • Legal Considerations in the US

Vignettes

Summary

Authors

Jessie Timmons, LCSW

Jessie Timmons, LCSW, is a seasoned therapist and teacher of social work, as well as a practiced advocate for cultural humility and inclusive advocacy. She is a former faculty member of Temple University’s School of Social Work and is a current board member, having served two years as the board president, for the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW). Her teaching and professional development have focused on ethical practice and in particular on making inclusiveness and affirmative advocacy an integral part of the ethical practice of social work and social work education.

Accreditation Approval Statements

CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/08/21-08/08/24. Social workers completing this course receive 4 cultural competence continuing education credits.

Courses have been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345 CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.

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