Description

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

1. Critically analyze gaps in social work education that limit students’ preparedness to practice with minority populations in healthcare settings, with particular attention to health inequities, structural racism, and culturally responsive clinical decision-making.
2. Evaluate and integrate health equity principles, anti-racist pedagogy, and CSWE EPAS to inform the intentional design of social work curricula that promote equitable, ethical, and culturally responsive healthcare practice.
3. Apply evidence-informed strategies, including experiential learning and structured reflective practice, to strengthen social work education and training and improve student readiness for effective, equity-centered practice in healthcare environments.

Presenter Bio

Justice K. McKnight, MSW, LSW, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice and a Master of Social Work degree. She is currently a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) candidate at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. Ms. McKnight is a licensed social worker with professional experience in healthcare and clinical settings, where she provides individual therapy and supports minority and at-risk populations as they navigate complex systems of care. Her practice emphasizes advocacy, care coordination, and addressing structural inequities that contribute to disparate health and mental health outcomes.

Ms. McKnight’s professional background spans healthcare, social work, and clinical practice with individuals and families experiencing trauma, grief, and significant life stressors. Her work with marginalized and underserved communities has shaped a strong commitment to equity-centered, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed approaches to care.

Her doctoral research focuses on social work education and healthcare equity. Ms. McKnight’s capstone project examines the extent to which anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks are meaningfully embedded within social work curricula and whether such training translates into practitioner preparedness to address healthcare disparities in practice. Through this work, she seeks to strengthen equity-centered, healthcare-informed social work education and enhance practitioner readiness to serve underserved populations.

Ms. McKnight’s academic interests include healthcare disparities, anti-racist pedagogy, clinical training and competency development, and systems-level accountability in social work practice. Her professional goals include advancing equity-focused education, clinical leadership, and the translation of research into practical tools and training that promote culturally responsive and accountable social work practice.

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.