Voting As Social Work Practice: Engaging Clients & Students in the Process | NASW-NYS Continuing Education
50% OFF NASW-NYS LIVE WEBINAR!
Presenter(s): Jessica J. Mitchell, LMSW, MA
NASW-NYS Members: $12.50
NASW Other Chapter Members: $25
Non-Members: $31.25
This workshop is approved for 2.5 continuing education credit hour(s) for licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, and licensed psychologists.
Workshop Description
The United States has historically prevented a wide range of communities from participating in the political process. Voter disenfranchisement leads to a lack of representation in government for underrepresented groups and consequently less resources for these communities. Voter engagement and participation historically decreases during nonpresidential election years. Social workers have a moral and ethical responsibility to engage fellow social workers, students, clients and their communities in the political process. Studies have shown that the more a community participates in elections, the more services and other forms of direct support from government officials they receive. This CEU course will highlight the historical oppression, discuss the current state of voting rights in the United States, teach social workers how to engage others in voting, and outline how it aligns with the ethical values of the profession.
Learning Objectives
After the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Develop an understanding of the historical voter disenfranchisement of minority groups and women
- Describe how historical voter disenfranchisement relates to social work education and ethical values
- Create voter engagement plans
- Engage students, clients and communities in the voting process
This workshop is approved for 2.5 continuing education credit hour(s).
NASW-NYS is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (Provider ID #0014), licensed mental health counselors (Provider ID #MHC-0053), licensed marriage and family therapists (Provider ID #MFT-0037) and licensed psychologists (Provider ID #PSY-0088).
Jessica J. Mitchell, LMSW, MA, is a social worker, political professional, and lecturer at the School of Social Welfare at Stony Brook University. She is currently a Ph.D. student at the University at Albany. After graduating from college Ms. Mitchell worked as a caseworker and supervisor in foster care at SCO Family of Services for three years. During that time, she worked with families dealing with hunger, homelessness, joblessness, and oftentimes, the criminal justice system. She saw how the policies and programs put in place by the government were costly and doing little to help the families she was working with. During this time Ms. Mitchell returned to school to study social work at Stony Brook University. While there she interned in the district office of (then) Congressman Steve Israel. Upon graduating she accepted a position on Congressman Israel’s re-election campaign. Ms. Mitchell has worked on political campaigns in New York and in New Jersey and in government offices on Long Island. Ms. Mitchell teaches courses in social policy, political campaigns, and legislative advocacy. Additionally, she serves as a field instructor for social work students that intern in legislative placements.