Description

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

1. Describe how leadership practices influence racial and ethnic disparities in VA behavioral health services, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) veterans.
2.  Explain how Critical Race Theory and Transformational Leadership can be applied together to examine power, accountability, and organizational culture within VA behavioral health systems.
3. Identify leadership behaviors and administrative practices that support culturally responsive care, trust-building, and sustained engagement for BIPOC veterans.

Presenter Bio

Jonathon E. Henry, MSSA, LISW-S, CCM, is a Doctor of Social Work candidate with extensive experience in clinical practice, supervision, and healthcare leadership. He currently serves as a Supervisory Social Worker at the Cleveland VA Medical Center, where he provides administrative oversight, workforce development, and leadership within veteran behavioral health services.

Mr. Henry holds a Master of Science in Social Administration (MSSA) and is independently licensed as a Social Worker with Supervision Designation (LISW-S). He is also a Certified Case Manager (CCM). He is a U.S. Coast Guard minority veteran and a native of East Cleveland, Ohio. His lived experience informs his commitment to equity-centered leadership and culturally responsive systems of care.

Mr. Henry’s scholarly and professional interests center on racial and ethnic disparities in veteran mental health services, with particular attention to Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). His doctoral Capstone Project examines how equity-centered leadership practices influence access, engagement, and retention in behavioral health care within the Veterans Health Administration. Drawing on Critical Race Theory and Transformational Leadership, his work emphasizes leadership accountability, organizational culture, and systems- level change as means to reduce inequities.

Mr. Henry’s professional interests include administrative leadership, culturally responsive supervision, workforce development, and translating research into practice. His work aims to strengthen veteran mental health systems by embedding equity into everyday leadership practice and organizational decision-making.

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.