National Conference on Child and Family Health and Behavioral Health

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 4:30PM

Location: Concho Room at the Westward Ho, 618 N Central Ave #100, Phoenix, Arizona 85004

Cost: $20*, metered parking

Five and one half (5.5) continuing education units (CEUs) will be offered (included with registration fee).

*Breakfast and lunch included with registration fee.

Registration

For more information:

Michelle Santana, MEd

Project Coordinator

[email protected]

Agenda

9:00–9:10 a.m.: Welcome & opening remarks

9:10 –10:40 a.m.: Panel 1: Workforce Entry, Regulation, and Training Infrastructure

10:40–10:50 a.m.: Break

10:50–12:20 p.m.: Continuation of Panel 1 & Panel 2: Workforce Roles Across Systems of Care

12:20–1:20 p.m.: Lunch

1:20–2:50 p.m.: Continuation of Panel 2 & Panel 3: Workforce Conditions, Sustainability, and Policy

2:50–2:55 p.m.: Break

2:55–4:25 p.m.: Continuation of Panel 3: Workforce Conditions, Sustainability, and Policy

4:25–4:30 p.m.: Closing remarks

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

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. Jessica Toft, Associate Professor
Arizona State University