Statewide Networking Events
Join us to connect with social workers in your region! FREE AND OPEN TO ALL SOCIAL WORKERS AND STUDENTS.
Monthly Educational Meetings
1st Tuesday of every month from 5:00–6:00 p.m. (1 CEU) via Zoom
Free and open to all social workers in this region!
Click on a date below to pre-register. If you can't click on a date, registration for that meeting has not been opened yet.
January 3: Center for Life Transitions
Speaker: Roxann Storms MSW, LICSW, Executive Director, Center for Life Transitions
Center for Life Transitions is a newer non-profit grief center dedicated to offering hope and healing during times of loss or major life changes. We'll share how our programming serves our mission to be community-based and collaborative. We'll also highlight ways that all social workers can become more informed about various aspects of grief, natural and normal reactions to loss, and ways to support those we work with and those in our lives.
February 7: Suicide Prevention
Speaker: Stephanie Christoffels, Associate Pastor, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Chaplain, MN ARNG
March 3: Social Work Month – Annual Update
Speaker: Dr. Karen Goodenough, Executive Director, NASW-MN
April 4: Being an Active Ally: Knowing Your Role in Community Inclusion (POSTPONED WITH NEW DATE COMING END OF APRIL)
Speaker: Natalie Ringsmuth, Executive Director, Unite Cloud
Natalie grew up in Central Minnesota and received her Music Education degree from Concordia College in Moorhead. She taught middle school choir in Georgia and worked in the church sector for over a decade. In 2015, she founded Unite Cloud, a non-profit working to reduce racial, religious, and cultural tensions in Central MN. She is also a trainer with the CARE (Community Anti-Racism Education) Team at SCSU (St Cloud State University), a member of the St. Cloud Area School Board, and was appointed to the MN Governor's Task Force on Equity and Inclusion. Natalie loves to spend time with her 3 children, making music and playing games.
May 2: Boundaries and Ethics in Social Work Practice (Two Hours, Ethics)**
Speaker: Sarah Meisinger MSW, LICSW, Director of Field Education, Department of Social Work, St. Cloud State University
Drawing on 25+ years of direct practice experience, Sarah will explore the importance of intentional boundary conversations in social work practice. Time will be spent reflecting on key foundational concepts that inform boundary development and expression, including the social worker’s role and practice setting, the client’s perspective, access to and use of professional supervision and support, and the social worker’s ongoing self-awareness practice.
Sarah is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and the Director of Field Education in the Department of Social Work at St. Cloud State University. She is the author of Stories of Pain, Trauma, and Survival: A Social Worker’s Experiences and Insights from the Field (NASW Press, 2009) and Exploring Boundaries in Social Work Practice: The Space In Between (Cognella Academic Publishing, 2021). Sarah proudly serves on NASW-MN’s board as the Central Minnesota Regional Representative.
**Paid event; 2 CEUs
June 6 – Center for Victims of Torture
Speaker: Amal Hassan, Community Development and Education CoordinatorCenter for Victims of Torture
July: No Continuing Education Scheduled
August 1 – Trends in Social Work Education
Speaker: Dr. Sara DeVos, St. Cloud State University
Dr. Sara DeVos is the Chair in the Department of Social Work at St. Cloud State University (SCSU). She is also currently serving as the MSW Program Director. Dr. DeVos is a licensed independent clinical social worker with extensive direct practice experience in the mental health field. The focus of our August continuing education workshop will include discussion about current trends in social work education, including online and hybrid learning environments, and a review of advanced generalist social work education. Dr. DeVos will highlight SCSU’s program history and current offerings.
Sept 5 – Centracare Addition Services
Speaker: Craig Martin MSW, LICSW, Centracare Addition Services
Oct 3 – Co-Responder Program
Speaker: Tad Hoeschen, St. Cloud Police Department
This presentation will cover the intricacies of a collaborative mental health approach to working with those in crisis between law enforcement and mental health services. The St Cloud Police Department/ Central MN Mental Health Center Co-Responder program allows a trained mental health professional to imbed within the police department and go on scene with police officers during calls for service that involve acute mental health crisis. This learning session will cover the details of the mental health co-responder program along with the numerous community collaborations that assist this program in being a huge success within the community of St. Cloud.
Nov 7 – The Role of Social Work in Caregiver Support: Serving Those Who Serve
Speaker: Jess Behrends MSW, LICSW, VA Healthcare System
Jess Behrends, LICSW, is the Caregiver Support Program Manager at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. She is a licensed independent clinical social worker whose experience includes both direct practice with caregivers and Veterans, as well as clinical program development. Ms. Behrends’s workshop will address the role of social work in developing and delivering innovative services to family caregivers. Ms. Behrends will also provide an overview of services provided by the VA’s Caregiver Support Program and how VA is working to empower caregivers as part of a Veteran’s healthcare team.
Dec 5 – NAMI - Minnesota
Speaker: Sue Abderholden, MPH, Executive Director, NAMI Minnesota