Building on the important conversations from our first series, these sessions continue to address the ongoing impacts of executive orders and federal policies on social work practice. Additional topics and new presenters have been included and returning presenters have updated their content to reflect the latest developments. These evolving policy shifts continue to reshape the landscape of social work practice and raise complex ethical questions in the profession’s pursuit of advocacy, equity, and justice.
Continuing to be offered as virtual lunchtime sessions, this series provides timely perspectives, actionable insights, and a space for reflection and dialogue as we navigate these critical issues together.
Open to all students, alumni, and community partners.
Previous Sessions:
Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Supporting Individuals Experiencing Infertility and Pregnancy Loss
September 9, 2025
12:00-1:30pm CST
1.5 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
$20 for CEs, $10 for no CEs
One in every six couples’ experiences infertility, and one in every four pregnancies ends in pregnancy loss. For an experience that impacts such a large percentage of the human population, it is rare for social work education to focus on the impacts of infertility and pregnancy loss on the individuals, families, and communities experiencing them. Even more concerning is this lack of focus given the prevalence of mental health challenges in these populations, as high percentages of those experiencing infertility and pregnancy loss experience anxiety, depression, prolonged grief, and even post-traumatic stress disorder. It is imperative that social workers develop the capacity to understand those experiencing infertility and pregnancy loss and to be able to meet their unique mental health and holistic health needs. This presentation, led by a longtime social worker with professional and personal experience in these areas, will aid participants in learning basic information about infertility and pregnancy loss, in identifying mental health symptoms that can arise for those going through these issues, and in developing skills and strategies to better support individuals who are facing some of the most difficult and life-changing experiences of their lives.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will learn basic information about infertility and pregnancy loss, including common causes, common medical tests and treatments for each including in vitro fertilization (IVF), and common barriers to receiving care.
- Participants will be able to identify specific mental health symptoms that can arise in clients experiencing infertility and/or pregnancy loss, including those of anxiety, depression, grief, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Participants will develop skills and strategies for supporting clients experiencing infertility and/or pregnancy loss, including things that are helpful—and not helpful—to say and do, helpful interventions, and supportive resources to offer.
Speaker:
Molly McLay
Molly M. McLay, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who has worked as a mental health educator, researcher, and advocate on issues such as gender-based violence, LGBTQIA support, anxiety, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and sexual health from her current home base of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, for the last 15 years. In early 2024, she opened Molly McLay Counseling & Consultation Services, PLLC, an organization that provides psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and medical advocacy virtually to individuals across the state. She has spent time working toward a PhD in social work at Washington University in St. Louis, and she has previously worked at a group therapy practice, the University of Illinois Women’s Resources Center, and a federally qualified health center with at-risk pregnant and parenting women. She has also been a member of the Champaign County Mental Health Board for the last 3 years and became president of the board in June 2024. Molly has also spent the last 3 years undergoing treatments for infertility and pregnancy loss, and she is the mother of a stillborn daughter conceived via IVF. She is committed to strengthening mental health supports for those who have experienced any kind of reproductive health challenges and believes all birthing people deserve decision-making autonomy over their healthcare.
Preparing and Responding to Immigration Enforcement: How Social Workers/Allies Can Support Members of the Immigrant Community *Updated*
September 12, 2025
12:00-1:00pm CST
1.0 CE for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
$15 for CEs, $10 for no CEs
This presentation will familiarize participants with up-to-the minute legislation and policy changes as well as the historical context of immigration enforcement. Participants will be offered concrete advocacy and clinical strategies for allyship to support members of the immigrant community. Specific attention will be paid to understanding the impact of these policies on members of the immigrant community and identifying ways social workers can offer support at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to describe the policies and legislation that form the foundation of current immigration enforcement activities in the U.S.
- Participants will identify strategies to support members of the immigrant community in the realms of direct practice, and culturally responsive allyship and advocacy work.
- Participants will describe the social and psychological effects of current immigration enforcement activities in the U.S., for immigrants in general and for those without status in particular.
Speaker:
Stephanie Carnes
Dr. Stephanie Carnes, PhD, LCSW, LL.M, is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Sacred Heart University, as well as a bilingual clinician, advocate, and researcher. She has spent the better part of the past 15 years engaged in clinical practice and advocacy work with Central American immigrant youth, first at a federally funded shelter program and subsequently as a school social worker in a public high school in New York’s Westchester County. She has conducted extensive research on identity development, social inclusion, and well-being in Spanish-speaking immigrant youth. In addition to a doctorate in social welfare and an MSW degree, Stephanie also holds an LL.M Masters of International Human Rights Law.
Navigating Immigration Challenges: Key Legal Considerations for Supporting Immigrant and Mixed-Status Families
September 22, 2025
12:00-1:00pm CST
1.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
$15 for CEs, $10 for no CEs
This session will explore key legal considerations within today’s shifting federal landscape around immigration. Topics will include what happens when a client’s visa status is revoked, how to support immigrant and mixed-status families in developing guardianship plans for minors, and guidance related to power of attorney. This session is not intended to be a legal consultation but designed to create awareness and provide foundational knowledge to support those navigating legal uncertainties and preparing for unexpected changes.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify key legal challenges immigrant and mixed-status families may face under the current federal immigration landscape, including visa revocation and related implication
- Explain the processes and importance of establishing guardianship plans and power of attorney to support family stability during periods of legal uncertainty
- Apply foundational knowledge to connect families with appropriate resources, legal supports, and community services that can assist them in navigating immigration-related challenges
Speaker:
Roaa Al-Heeti
Roaa Al-Heeti is a partner at the Champaign, Illinois, law firm of Maatuka Al-Heeti Emkes LLC. She concentrates her practice in the areas of immigration, real estate, estate planning and probate litigation. The breadth of her practice has allowed her to work with many different clients in many different situations, from tax appeals to complicated real estate transactions to drafting customized legal documents. Her clients include a range of people and organizations, from international corporations to local businesses to families looking to buy a home and obtain a will.
Roaa is a 2007 graduate of the University of Illinois’ College of Law. She is also earned her B.S. in 2004 and M.S. in 2007 from the University of Illinois’ College of Media. She was an adjunct professor at the College of Law for the summer of 2018. She began her career in her hometown of Champaign and continues to practice there.