Description

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

1. Recognize moral injury as a distinct and significant contributor to suicidality among female veterans, beyond traditional PTSD-focused explanations.
2. Explain how perceived entrapment and symptom avoidance intensify suicide risk following morally injurious experiences.
3. Identify practice implications for social work and military behavioral health, including gender-responsive and morally attuned assessment and intervention strategies.

Presenter Bio

Nikkie Alan Rice is a Doctoral Candidate in Social Work whose scholarly and professional work centers on veteran mental health and trauma-informed practice. She holds an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice, an Associate of Science in Paralegal Studies, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, and a Master of Social Work, reflecting a multidisciplinary foundation that informs both clinical leadership and applied research.

Ms. Rice currently serves as the Director of the Lubbock Vet Center, a division of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where she provides executive and clinical oversight of
readjustment counseling and mental health services. The Vet Center’s mission emphasizes care for combat veterans and their families, with a focus on community-based, trauma-informed, and veteran-centered approaches to care.

Her academic and professional interests align closely with research conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs that examines the complex mental health challenges veterans experience following military service. Her work emphasizes trauma-related outcomes, including the prevalence and impact of military sexual trauma and other service-related traumatic experiences. This focus reflects a broader commitment to advancing evidence-informed, ethically grounded, and responsive interventions for veterans navigating post-service adjustment and psychological distress.

Through her doctoral scholarship and leadership role, Ms. Rice integrates research, practice, and policy to support improved clinical outcomes and system-level responsiveness for veteran 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.