Grand Valley State University works hard to bring our social workers the continuing education clock hours that are required by the state of Michigan. Our goal is to offer quality courses that are meaningful and applicable to professional social workers. We also provide small, personal, and intellectual environments to optimize your learning experience.

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Scheduled Programs

The below programs have been approved for Michigan social work continuing education clock hours through the School of Social Work of Grand Valley State University. Payment is due upon enrollment.

Click on title for additional information and to register. 

ONGOING! - IDENTIFYING VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING - a one hour online course that meets the human trafficking requirement for license renewal and includes 1.0 approved Michigan social work continuing education credit. - View Flyer

2019 Programs:

FEB 8 - BUILDING AND MANAGING HIGH-PERFORMING TEAMS: BUT FIRST, KNOW YOUR DYSFUNCTIONS! - View Flyer

FEB 27 - PAIN AND PAIN MANAGEMENT - View Flyer - Meets the pain management requirement for license renewal. This course is currently full, and no wait list is available at this time. Sorry for any inconvenience.

MAR 1  - WORKING WITH MEDICALLY FRAGILE FOSTER CHILDREN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS - View DHHS Catalog page - This course is free to all DHHS and their private contracted agencies employees. See list of eligible agencies.

MAR 15 - SOCIAL WORK ETHICS IN A TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD - View Flyer - Meets the ethics requirement for license renewal. This course is currently full, and no wait list is available at this time. Sorry for any inconvenience.

MAR 22 - HUMAN TRAFFICKING: MODERN DAY SLAVERY - (Repeat course from Mar 2018) - View Flyer - Meets the human trafficking requirement for licensing. This course is currently full, however a wait list is available.

APR 12 - UTILIZING THE POWER OF PLAY THERAPY TO TREAT CHILD CLIENTS WITH ANXIETY DISORDERS - View Flyer

APR 19 - ADVOCATING FOR RECOVERY: SUPPORTING FAMILIES WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS - This course is free to all DHHS and their private contracted agencies employees. See list of eligible agencies. This course is currently full, and no wait list is available at this time. Sorry for any inconvenience. Rescheduled from February 1 due to weather cancellation.

APR 26 - EFFECTS OF PARENTAL MENTAL HEALTH ON CHILD GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT - View DHHS Catalog page - This course is free to all DHHS and their private contracted agencies employees. See list of eligible agencies.

MAY 3 - SAVE THE DATE! 2019 Ara Cary Child Welfare Conference

MAY 17 - TRANS* ALLYSHIP IN CLINICAL SERVICES: FUNDAMENTALS FOR MICRO PRACTICE - View Flyer

JUN 13 - MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION: TOOLS FOR SELF-CARE - View DHHS Catalog page - This course is free to all DHHS and their private contracted agencies employees. See list of eligible agencies.

JUN 14 - SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS WITH ADOLESCENTS - View Flyer

Most recent social work programs:

SEP 28 - Final Journey: Psychosocial Aspects of Terminal Illness and the Dying Process 

OCT 5 - Medical Marijuana

OCT 12 - Real Talk about Grief: Understanding the Helper's Role

OCT 19 - Fostering Resiliency in Work and Life: Developing Personal Strength to Deal with Emotional Pain

OCT 26 - Breaking Down the Barriers: Communicating and Working with Attorneys Inside and Outside of the Courtroom to Promote Best Interests of the Children and Achieve Better Permanency Outcomes

NOV 9 - Emotional Intelligence (EI) in the Workplace

NOV 16 - Immigration Basics: Understanding the Essentials of Immigration Law to Better Serve Your Clients

NOV 30 - Effective Pre-Adoption and Post-Adoption Services to Prevent Disruptions and Dissolutions

DEC 7 - Ethics and the Impaired Professional: What's a Social Worker to Do?

DEC 14 - Understanding Teen Grief

JAN 18 - Just Fix My Kid! Engaging Parents in the Therapeutic Process Using Art, Sculpting and Games

Registration Deadline: Three days prior to each training by 5:00 p.m.

Wait List Policy: Our social work programs, excluding the DHHS programs, may fill up due to interest in the content. If the course becomes full, we will have a limited wait list. Those who get on a wait list for a course, you will be notified as soon as possible if a seat becomes available and payment must be made upon enrollment. When the typical registration period ends two days prior to the begin date, all those on the list will be notified we can no longer accept people into the class.

Cancellation Policy: Should your plans change, you may transfer your registration to another person or class at any time. Cancellations must be received in writing (via fax, mail or email) 48 hours prior to class start time. Cancellations received before the deadline will receive a full refund. Cancellations received after the deadline and/or no-shows are not eligible for refunds.

If you have questions, please call our office at (616) 331-7180 or e-mail us at socialworkce@gvsu.edu

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY:  If Grand Valley State University closes on a program day due to the weather, the class will also be cancelled. If we are open, but you feel that the weather conditions make it unsafe to attend, we will give you a refund for the class. To check to see if the University is closed, please go to WZZM or WOOD TV either online or on television to see their school closings and cancellations. You may also call the university directly to see if we are open: 616-331-2020.

Special Accommodations: Please contact our office for information regarding special needs accommodations. We will work with you to insure your needs are met. (616) 331-7180 or email socialworkce@gvsu.edu  You may also update or add your need when registering for a course or in your account at any time.