This full-day continuing education seminar will be available in a hybrid format, with the option to attend either in person at the School of Social Work or virtually via Zoom Webinar. Participants may choose to attend one or both sessions.
The morning session, Cultivating Cultural Humility, satisfies the three-hour cultural competency requirement for licensure (LCSW, LSW, LCPC, LPC) in the state of Illinois. The afternoon session, Legal and Ethical Considerations in Key Areas for Social Workers and Mental Health Professionals, fulfills the three-hour ethics requirement for the same licensure categories. Registration will begin at 8:30am. Light refreshments will be available before the morning session and a light lunch will be included before the afternoon session. The in-person option is closed.
Cultivating Cultural Humility
November 7, 2025
9:00am-12:000pm CST
3.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
$50 for CEs, $25 for no CEs
This session is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of cultural humility as a lifelong, reflective practice essential for inclusive and equitable professional engagement. Through interactive discussions, identity mapping, and reflective exercises, the workshop explores the complexities of culture, race, ethnicity, ability, and sexual orientation.
Learning Objectives:
- Apply culturally responsive practices in educational and professional settings
- Engage in reflective practice to improve cultural awareness and responsiveness
- Model humility by acknowledging limitations and fostering open dialogue
- Promote inclusive environments through language access, trauma-informed pedagogy, and diverse curricula
Speaker:
Giesela Grumbach, PhD, LCSW, PEL
Giesela Grumbach received her Master’s degree in Social Work from Loyola University of Chicago and her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Grumbach also holds a two-year postgraduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy from the Family Institute at Northwestern University.
Dr. Grumbach believes that research informs practice as practice informs research; it is a reciprocal relationship. Her work experience shapes her interests in many ways. Prior to her career in academia, she worked in medical and mental health settings, schools, and as a private practitioner/mitigation specialist. These varied experiences provide her with a breadth of knowledge that, in turn, informs her teaching and leadership at GSU.
Dr. Grumbach began working for GSU as an adjunct in 2000 and sat on the social work advisory board, then became a full-time lecturer in 2011, the Director of Field Education in 2013, Assistant Professor in 2015, Associate Professor in 2021, and now the Chair of the Social Work Department as of December 2023.
Legal and Ethical Considerations in Key Areas for Social Workers and Mental Health Professionals
November 7, 2025
1:00-4:00pm CST
3.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
$50 for CEs, $25 for no CEs
This interactive session will examine an assortment of topics related to social workers and other mental health professionals’ work with clients, primarily in Illinois. Using the NASW Code of Ethics as a foundation, we will discuss ethical practice in the context of ever-changing laws.
We will look at current laws that address vulnerable client groups and social work practice, knowing that these laws are changing daily. Among the topics we will look at are artificial intelligence in therapeutic practice, mental health screenings for children, social work licensing, forced institutionalization and issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ population.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will examine the legal and ethical issues regarding maintaining/disclosing client information
- Participants will learn about updates in the law that affect their practice with clients
- Participants will understand about new laws that affect their licensure status
Speaker:
Sandra Kopels, JD, MSW
Sandra Kopels is a Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She received undergraduate, JD and MSW degrees from UIUC and is a licensed attorney and licensed social worker.
Prior to joining the UIUC faculty, she was the Director of the Legal Advocacy Service of the State of Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission. Kopels’ research and teaching focuses on legal and ethical issues as they affect social work clients and practitioners. She has received repeated recognition from the UIUC for her excellent teaching and is in demand as a conference presenter. She has authored dozens of journal articles and book chapters and has lectured extensively on subjects related to the confidentiality and disclosure of client information. Professor Kopels just ended her 10 year service as the Editor of the School Social Work Journal and is a reviewer for numerous social work journals. Professor Kopels is a member of the Illinois Chapter of NASW and has served as a member of the State of Illinois Child Welfare Employee Licensure Board. Kopels has served as a Trustee, Vice-Chair and Chair of the NASW Legal Defense Fund and is presently is Chair of its Social Work and the Courts section. She coauthored Social Work Records (Waveland Press, Inc., 2008) with Jill Doner Kagle.
ALL REGISTRATION OPTIONS:
If you are registering virtually for BOTH EVENTS, you will have to add one event to your cart, pay for it, and then return to this page to find the second listing below and pay for it separately. We apologize for the inconvenience our current registration options may cause.
CULTURAL COMPTENCE VIRTUAL REGISTRATION:
If you do NOT need CEUs and are planning to attend virtually, register via the link below:
If you DO need CEUs and are planning to attend virtually, register via the link below:
ETHICS VIRTUAL REGISTRATION:
If you do NOT need CEUs and are planning to attend virtually, register via the link below:
If you DO need CEUs and are planning to attend virtually, register via the link below:
If you register for this event and need to change your attendance selection, or for any other questions, please contact Amy Frederick at aeweber2@illinois.edu