The Social Work And Health Equity Speaker Series highlights innovative public health social work practice and leadership in various sectors. The series encourages interaction between current social work students and alumni working in areas that impact health; discussions center on the role of social work practice in improving public health and addressing issues of health equity. Events featured to date have included the following

November 2022

 

June 2022

  • Medicaid 101 Webinar
    The Catalyst Center at the Center for Innovation in Social Work and Health hosted a webinar on June 14, 2022, that presented foundational knowledge about Medicaid for Title V staff and their allies. Catalyst Center staff will explain the basics of Medicaid including the eligibility pathways to Medicaid coverage for kids and a benefit unique to Medicaid called EPSDT that is crucial for access to care for CYSHCN. 

 

May 2021

 

April 2022

 

December 2021

 

August 2021

  • The Expanded Child Tax Credit: Implications for Families Raising CYSHCN
    On August 24 at 2pm ET, the Catalyst Center, the National Technical Assistance Center for Health Care Financing and Coverage for CYSHCN, hosted this webinar explaining the expanded CTC and the role that Title V and Family Leader organizations might play in assisting families in accessing this support. 

 

March 2021

  • COVID-19, Black Communities, and Health Justice
    This panel explores the role that social work, health care, public health, community organizations, and policy can play in advancing health equity. Hosted by the Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health at Boston University School of Social Work.

 

December 2020

  •  Housing, Homelessness, and COVID-19 in Massachusetts
    This panel of housing and homelessness experts address the intersection of housing, racial justice, and health, and discuss ways to address inequities, including opportunities for health and human service organizations, policy, and activism. Hosted by the Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health at Boston University’s School of Social Work.

 

November 2020

  •  Taking Action for Health Equity: A Post-Election Analysis
    In this post-election discussion, Rebekah Gewirtz, Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers – MA Chapter, and Carlene Pavlos, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, will discuss their organizations’ priorities, policy agendas, and strategies, and provide analysis on how practitioners and leaders in social work and public health can identify opportunities and work toward positive change during the next administration. Hosted by the Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health at Boston University’s School of Social Work.

 

November 2019

  • Sharing Outcomes from the Dissemination of Evidence Informed Interventions Initative
    This webinar, hosted on November 21st 2019, described outcomes and lessons learned to implementing and achieving the HIV Care Continuum from the HRSA SPNS Dissemination of Evidence Informed Interventions (DEII) initiative. In this webinar, you will learn about the background of each intervention, its implementation, and the initiative’s goal of creating replicable Care and Treatment Interventions (CATIs).

 

September 2019

  •  Lessons from Implementing a CHW Program in HIV Care
    In this webinar, participants will hear the lessons learned and best practices for implementing a CHW program in HIV care, beginning with the roles and skills that CHWs need to be effective in their work.

 

May 2019

 

May 2018

  • 2018-04-12 Preventing the School To Prison Pipeline
    This recorded panel presentation featured an innovative, interprofessional partnership between lawyers from Massachusetts Advocates for Children and Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI) team members from Dimock Community Service Agency/Justice Resource Institute. Panelists will highlight systems-level approaches to combat the school-to-prison pipeline, including a discussion of current MA laws related to school discipline, safe and supportive schools, and pending legislation related to the use of student arrests in schools.

 

April 2018

  • Intersectionality and Health Conference: Breaking Down Barriers to Quality Care
    Multiple speakers participated in this student-led day-long conference focused on the challenges people with multiple marginalized, intersecting identities face at the individual and systems level when accessing medical, mental health, and social services.
    Intersectionality event description
  •  Panel: Preventing the School-to-Prison Pipeline
    A panel of speakers from Dimock Community Service Agency at Justice Resource Institute and Massachusetts Advocates for Children, with moderation by Astraea Augsberger, BUSSW
    Pipeline event description and recording

 

October 2017

  • Visiting: Public Health Social Work on Rosebud Sioux Tribe Reservation
    Madeline Ray (’18)

 

March 2017

  • Integrating Social Justice into Practice: A Liberation Health Framework
    Serena Smith Patten (’14, SPH ‘15), Early Intervention Public Health Social Worker
    Dawn Belkin Martinez, BUSSW
    Chloe Frankel, Boston Liberation Health

 

February 2017

  • Racial Justice, Health Equity, and the Role of Government: Lessons from the City of Boston
    Janine Anzalota (’04, SPH ‘06), Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Housing & Equity
    Ilyitch Nahiely Tábora, Chief of Staff, Mayor’s Office of Health & Human Services
    Rita Nieves, Deputy Director. Boston Public Health Commission
    Panelists discuss racial health inequities in Boston on Daily Free Press website
  • Changing What Counts as Health Care: Social Work’s Role
    Jennifer Valenzuela (’00, SPH’01), Principal of Program, Health Leads
    School of Social Work addresses health needs outside of medical care on Daily Free Press website

 

December 2016

  •  Intersection of race, sexual and gender identity, and its impact on health in the LGBTQ community
    Tfawa Haynes, Psychotherapist, Fenway Health

 


 

Project Impact

As of Sept. 2017, we have engaged over 600 practitioners and BUSSW community members through this speaker series.

PROJECT NEWS

Project Team Members

  • Madi Wachman
  • Assistant Director, CISWH Programs and Projects