Continuing education for social workers has become a priority of the National Association of Social Workers, as well as the Council on Social Work Education which accredits schools of social work. Most states that license social workers now require continuing education for licensure renewal; Pennsylvania's LSW requires 30 hours of social work continuing education for biennial renewal. Both the University of Pittsburgh and its School of Social Work have made continuing education a strategic priority.
The mission of the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Continuing Education Program is to promote and develop a lifelong learning continuum within the social work community of Western Pennsylvania
in recognition of the ongoing professional educational needs of postmaster's and post baccalaureate students of social work;
in support of professional social work licensure requirements to advance the profession and ensure practice competence;
in collaboration with the many allied professionals who share human service efforts;
in response to communities and populations with unique cultural and/or chronic social service concerns;
in consideration of the issues and policies that shape and change social welfare in our society and our communities;
in appreciation of the unique heritage, knowledge, skills, and values that underscore social work practice;
in advancement of the organizational development needs of human service agencies;
in exploration of emerging technologies to enhance educational reach and scope.
Continuing education programs are developed with active involvement of the social work educational and practice community through a central advisory committee and cluster of working groups in key areas of social work practice, including:
Clinical Practice
Child Development and Child Care
Family Practice/Therapy
Employee Assistance Programs
Community Building
Human Services Administration/Supervision
Gerontology
Children and Youth
Other areas of programming can be added as the need arises.
Programs include a range of full/halfday workshops, minicourses, institutes, seminars, lectures, conferences/symposiums, and other formats to accommodate the diverse needs of social work practitioners and other helping professionals. Programs are offered in two yearly sessions: Fall and Winter/Spring. A newsletter/program schedule, Social Work Connections, is published in advance of each of these sessions.
Each fall the School of Social Work conducts its Annual Conference for Alumni and Friends, and this social work gathering is becoming a popular continuing education event in the region. In addition, the Continuing Education Program works collaboratively within its University and social service networks to cosponsor a range of local, regional, state, and national conferences, training programs, and workshops to ensure quality learning opportunities for social workers. Continuing education not only uses the resources of the School of Social Work faculty, but draws on local and regional practitioners with strong expertise, as well as featuring many national and international presenters on timely and emerging issues and skills.
In addition to the Postgraduate Certificate Programs offered through the Continuing Education Program and noted elsewhere in this Bulletin, the CE Program offers, supports, or is developing a number of training series and certificate programs, including:
Mentoring and Leadership Certificate Program in Child Development and Child Care
Advanced Clinical Practice Training Program Series
Social Services Administration Training Program Series
Community Builders Program
Substance Abuse Treatment
Institute of Peer Education (advanced clinical practice)
MSW Career Exploration/Foundation Courses (at distance sites Johnstown, New Castle, et al)
Intergenerational Specialty Certificate Training Program (through Generations Together)
Human Services Executive Academy (in collaboration with Graduate School of Public and International Affairs' Nonprofit Management Program)
and others as may be advanced from the social work community.
Building a quality and diverse program of continuing education and connecting the social work community to knowledge and skills of the growing social work profession are priorities for the School of Social Work. For more information about Continuing Education programs or to provide input on potential programs and/or presenters, please contact:
Tracy M. Soska, LSW, Continuing Education Director
School of Social Work
2025 Cathedral of Learning
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
(412) 6243711 or
tsssw@vms.cis.pitt.edu
