DSW Candidate – Renessa Banks, 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM
$0.00
Virtual Showcase of DSW Scholars 2025 Event!
Beyond the Birds and Bees: The Impact of Integrating Justice-Informed Sexual Health Education into Social Work Curricula
DSW Candidate – Renessa Banks, mA, MSW, LISW-S
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
1:00 PM – 2:15 PM Eastern Time Zone
Credit Hours: 1.0 (ACE)
Description
Beyond the Birds and Bees: The Impact of Integrating Justice-Informed Sexual Health Education into Social Work Curricula
Social workers across various specialties conduct psychosocial assessments to better understand the needs of the populations they serve. Despite the emphasis on holistic care in practice, sexual health is often absent from these assessments. This gap in service compromises patient care, perpetuates stigma related to sex and intimacy, and fails to serve marginalized populations adequately. The lack of sexual health content in social work education leaves practitioners underprepared to address clients’ sexual health needs with competence and confidence. This research aims to address these deficits by developing a trauma-informed and justice-oriented framework for integrating sexual health education into social work curricula and highlights the necessity and benefits of integrating sexual health into social work practice and justice-informed sexual health education into curricula.
To address the gap in social work education, the Trauma-Informed Critical Approach to Sexual Health Education (TICA-SHE) was developed by analyzing existing literature and theoretical models. The TICA-SHE combines elements of trauma-informed care and critical theories to identify essential course development and content creation areas, emphasizing justice-informed and culturally responsive approaches. The TICA-SHE offers guidelines for developing sex-positive course content to be facilitated in a safe and supportive environment. Additionally, specific measures are proposed, providing educators with concrete examples of course content for inclusion in social work curricula. Incorporating this content into curricula can empower practitioners, promote the deconstruction of systemic biases, reduce stigma, and improve client outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this conference, participants will be able to:
- Explain the Role of Sexual Health in Holistic Social Work Practice Participants will articulate the importance of addressing sexual health as a critical component of overall health within holistic, client-centered social work practice.
- Examine the Trauma-Informed Critical Approach to Sexual Health Education Participants will demonstrate an understanding of the principles and best practices of the Trauma-Informed Critical Approach to Sexual Health Education, including its application in social work curricula.
- Identify Key Components of a Justice-Informed Sexual Health Course Participants will describe the essential elements of a justice-informed sexual health course in social work education and justify their inclusion using best practices and current research.
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: 9/29/22-9/29/25. 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.
