Description

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

1. Define health literacy and explain how low health literacy contributes to health disparities among underserved African American women, drawing on Empowerment Theory to frame patient self-advocacy, shared decision-making, and healthcare navigation.
2. Identify servant leadership behaviors (e.g., listening, empathy, stewardship, and commitment to growth) that strengthen provider communication, trust-building, and patient engagement in healthcare settings.
3. Apply at least two evidence-informed strategies (e.g., teach-back, plain language communication, and culturally responsive care coordination) to enhance health literacy and improve patient-centered outcomes within clinical or community-based practice.

 

Presenter Bio

Shanna Davidson, MSW, LCSW, is a University of Kentucky social work doctoral candidate with over 20 years of clinical practice experience serving diverse and underserved populations. A Louisville, Kentucky native, she earned both her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees from Spalding University.

She currently serves as a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) Care Coordinator Supervisor at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas. In this role, she oversees the coordination of care for some of the most vulnerable veterans, including those with complex medical, psychiatric, and psychosocial needs. Ms. Davidson is a United States Navy Veteran with nearly 20 years of federal service, bringing a deep understanding of military culture and veteran-centered care to her leadership role. She is an active member of the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) and is committed to advancing health equity and social justice. Her professional background includes behavioral health leadership, care coordination, and systems-level practice in medical and community-based settings.

Her research interests focus on health literacy, empowerment, and leadership in healthcare. Her doctoral capstone project, Empowering African American Women Through Health Literacy: A Servant Leadership Approach to Reducing Health Disparities, examines how healthcare providers can apply servant leadership principles to enhance patient engagement, reduce health disparities, and foster self-advocacy among underserved African American women.

Ms. Davidson’s scholarly interests include leadership development, health equity, community engagement, and policy-informed practice. She is dedicated to bridging research and practice to enhance outcomes for historically marginalized populations.

 

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.