Opioid Impacted Family Support Specialist Certificate
Enhance and expand your knowledge, skills, and expertise to help fight the opioid and substance use crisis our country is facing.
Using your God-given gifts to help those in need
Through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Concordia is providing education and training to professionals in Wisconsin and Michigan to treat individuals suffering from opioid abuse/addictions.
This program can be completed in 9 months
- Healthcare social worker
- Community health
- Mental health counselor
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Through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Concordia is providing education and training to professionals in Wisconsin and Michigan to treat individuals suffering from opioid abuse/addictions free of charge to the students. 100% of the tuition and a stipend will be given to those who are accepted into this certificate program.
Wisconsin and Michigan have significant populations experiencing substance use disorders (SUD), as there is a disconnection in treating these individuals in a meaningful manner that will help to move them toward discontinued use or overcoming their addictions. To address the needs, Concordia is providing education to those who express an interest in positively impacting the lives of individual’s suffering from the effects of opioid use disorder (OUD).
This program will enhance and expand paraprofessionals knowledge, skills, and expertise. It aims to increase the number of Care Coordinators and other behavioral health-related paraprofessionals who work on interprofessional teams to provide services to children whose parents are impacted by opioid use disorders (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD), and their family members in guardianship roles.
There's a special focus on demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the specific concerns for children, adolescents, and transitional aged youth in high need and high demand areas who are at risk for mental health disorders and SUDs.
Those who participate will:
- Demonstrate increased knowledge and capacity to help individuals and families with opioid use disorders (OUD) or substance use disorders (SUD)
- Receive full tuition for the online certificate program including modules, and coverage for the 3-credit, 8-week online course “Drugs, Society and Human Behavior” and a $5,000 living stipend
- Have the flexibility to work through self-paced online learning modules after the completion of the academic course (above). Followed by 48 hours of experiential learning opportunities at designated partner sites
- Complete a pre and post-test to demonstrate knowledge gained
Recommended for you (based on programs you’ve viewed)
- Online
Application Process
Submit the online non-degree application at: cuaa.edu/apply
Once this application above is complete, an admissions representative will reach out to help collect the following:
- One page essay describing why you would like to enroll in the program
- Two letters of recommendation
- A professional resume
- Face-to-face interview via Zoom
Sara E. Casali
DSW, MSW, CSW
Associate Professor
Office: Health Services 101 T
Phone: (262) 243-2189
Bio
Professor Sara Casali is an Associate Professor, Director of Field Education, and MSW Field Coordinator for the Department of Social Work. She has over 25 years of direct social work experience and almost twenty years experience working in child welfare. Dr. Casali completed her Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) from the University of St. Thomas. Her teaching and research interests include Intersectionality, Field Seminar, child welfare, and custody and placement studies for family courts. Dr. Casali is married with twin sons and enjoys cooking, gardening, practicing yoga, and golf.
Education
- DSW - Social Work, University of St. Thomas (2022)
- BA - Social Work, Marquette University (1997)
- Social Work, University Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2001)
Contributions
- Casali, S. (2022). MSW Field Syllabi Analysis: The Crossroads of Intersectionality and Social Work Field Education. In Amy Skeen (Ed.), (Fall 2022 ed.,vol. 12.2,pp. 18). Boston, MA: Field Educator. https://fieldeduc...
Presentations
- Casali, S. (2022). Intersectionality and MSW Field Education and Seminar Syllabi: Opportunities for Improvement. Poster. Leading Critical Conversations: Human Rights are Global Rights. Anaheim, CA.
- Casali, S. (2021). Intersectionality: What does it mean for social work education and educators? . Poster. "Leading Critical Conversations: Racial, Economic, & Environmental Justice". Orlando, FL.
- Casali, S. (2021). Intersectionality: How did we get here and what does it mean to social work.. Oral Presentation. Baccalaureate Program Director (BPD) Annual Meeting – Virtual 2021.. Virtual.
- Casali, S. (2021). African-American women in academia: Intersectionality of race and gender. . Oral Presentation. SW Helper – Anti-Racism Virtual Summit 2021. Virtual.
Research Interests
- Intersectionality
- Child Custody Studies in Family Court
Teaching Interests
- Intersectionality
- Field Seminar