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Shaping the Social Work Workforce in Health and Behavioral Health

National Conference on Child and Family Health and Behavioral Health 

Hosted by Arizona State University’s School of Social Work, this one-day conference will feature nationally recognized speakers from across the country, bringing together higher education educators, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to examine how the social work workforce is prepared, deployed, and sustained across health and behavioral health systems.

We will examine:

  • Social work workforce recruitment pathways, licensing, and training infrastructure
  • Social work workforce roles across different systems of care
  • Current working conditions, workforce stability, and policy directions for strengthening the health and behavioral health social work workforce

This is a ticketed event and capacity is limited.

Details:

Date/Time: April 10, 2026, 9AM to 4:45PM

Location: A.E. England Building, 424 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85004

Cost: $20*, metered parking

Five (5) continuing education units (CEUs) will be offered (included with registration fee).

*Breakfast and lunch included with registration fee.

 

Registration

Program

For more information:

Michelle Santana, MEd

Project Coordinator

[email protected]

Confirmed Speakers

 

Dr. Dawn Apgar, Director/Associate Professor
Seton Hall University

 

Dr. Genevieve Graaf, Associate Professor
University of Texas Arlington

 

Dr. Mo-Yee Lee, Director/Professor
Ohio State University

 

Zoe Reep, LMSW, PhD Student in Social Work
Arizona State University

 

Chris Sharp, M.S.W, M.P.A, Director and Clinical Assistant Professor
Arizona State University

 

Dr. Mimi Choy-Brown, Associate Professor
University of Minnesota

 

Dr. Cheryl Hyde, Professor
Temple Unviersity

 

Dr. Elizabeth (Liz) Lightfoot, Director and Distinguished Professor of Social Policy
Arizona State University

 

Dr. Abigail M Ross, Associate Professor
University of Pennsylvania

 

Dr. Jessica Toft, Associate Professor
University of Minnesota

 

Dr. Cynthia Franklin, Director/Professor
University of Texas at Austin

 

Dr. Bianca Harper, Clinical Associate Professor
Arizona State University

 

Dr. Brianna Lombardi, Director/Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 

Dr. Lisa De Saxe Zerden, Director/Professor
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill