Description

Upon completion of this conference, participants will be able to:

1. Identify gaps in social work education related to preparation for rural practice.
2. Describe how Ecological Systems Theory can be applied to rural social work education and curriculum design.
3. Explain key components of a course and curriculum guidelines intended to prepare students for rural practice.
4. Discuss implications for social work education programs, field education, and workforce development in rural contexts.

 

Presenter Bio:

Amber Nicole Whitten, LMSW, is a Doctoral Candidate in Social Work at the University of Kentucky, with anticipated graduation in May 2026. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Whitten currently serves as a School-Based Behavioral Health Liaison at Carey Counseling Center, where she provides mental health services to middle school students, supports educators through training and consultation, and implements school-wide climate enhancement initiatives. She also teaches as an adjunct instructor in the Social Work Program at the University of Tennessee at Martin, focusing on human diversity, oppression, and social welfare policy.

Her professional background includes extensive leadership and administrative experience as a former Director of Operations at a Child Advocacy Center, as well as earlier clinical social work practice in healthcare settings. Across roles, her work has emphasized workforce readiness, ethical practice, and service delivery in under-resourced communities.

Whitten’s research interests center on social work education, rural mental health access, telehealth-informed pedagogy, and professional identity formation. Her capstone project focuses on developing rural-focused curriculum guidelines and course models that integrate Ecological Systems Theory and telehealth competencies to better prepare social workers for rural practice contexts.

 

Delivery Method: Live Interactive Training via Zoom Video Conferencing

Credit Hours: 1.0 (ACE)

Target Audience: This conference is intended for social workers and students.

Accreditation: University of Kentucky College of Social Work, Provider # 1377, 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: 9/29/25-9/29/28. Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 15 general continuing education credits.

Claiming CE Credit: Instructions for claiming CE credit will be disseminated at the beginning of each session.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding CE credit or to report a grievance, please contact Christina Krantz at Christina.Krantz@uky.edu. For technical assistance, please contact lmshelp@uky.edu.

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these presentations are those of the individual presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the University of Kentucky or the College of Social Work. The inclusion of any topics, perspectives, or discussions is intended for academic engagement and does not constitute endorsement by the institution.