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Fall 2025 Ethics Workshops
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Webinar

F25-506 Self-Care: Our Ethical Responsibility to Our Clients

Total Credits: 3 including 3 Ethic CEs

Bundle(s):
Fall 2025 Ethics Workshops
Categories:
500 Ethics |  700 Professional Growth & Development
Instructor:
Gisele Ferretto, MSW, LCSW-C
Course Levels:
Intermediate
Duration:
3 Hours 15 Minutes
Target Audience:
Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists
Dates
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Description

The most current revision to the NASW Code of Ethics (2021) states that “Professional self-care is paramount for competent and ethical social work practice. Professional demands, challenging workplace climates, and exposure to trauma warrant that social workers maintain personal and professional health, safety, and integrity.”  This workshop unpacks this principle by identifying the ethical issues related to self-care and invites participants to explore strategies and deepen their self-care practices to enhance best client outcomes.   

 

This workshop is in accordance with and compliance with the NASW Standards with a focus on service, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, competence, and social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, to colleagues, in practice settings, as professionals, to the social work profession, to the broader society.   

This workshop is in compliance with the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners’ COMAR 10.42.03.06.A(5) and with the District of Columbia Board of Social Work 17-70-7008.4.   This workshop meets the Ethics CE license renewal requirements for Maryland and the District of Columbia.   

Maryland: This is a Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners' approved workshop on Self-Care and Prevention of Indirect Trauma.  

Instructor

Gisele Ferretto, MSW, LCSW-C Related Seminars and Products

University of Maryland School of Social Work

Gisele Ferretto, MSW, LCSW-C, has over thirty-five years of social work experience in both clinical and macro practice areas. Her areas of expertise include: policy, professional ethics, supervision and leadership, confidentiality, social work and field practicum education, child welfare practice, and curriculum development. Ms. Ferretto provides consultation and training for private and public agencies in her areas of expertise. She has served on various committees and boards at the local, state, and national level, developing policy and program initiatives.     

Currently, Ms. Ferretto is on the faculty at the University of Maryland School of Social Work (SSW) and serves as the director of public policy and manager of training for the Office of Practicum Education. During her tenure at the SSW, she has held positions in the Office of Practicum Education, Office of External Affairs, Child Welfare Fellowship Program, Child Welfare Academy, Family Connections Baltimore, and Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS). Prior to her time at the SSW, she served as an administrator at the Maryland Department of Human Services in the following programs: Child Protective Services, Office of Equal Opportunity, and the Office of Staff Development and Training. Ms. Ferretto began her social work career as a child protective services worker at the Baltimore City Department of Social Services.  

Agenda & Learning Objectives

AGENDA:

9:00 am to 10:30 am  

  • Exploration of the Ethical Issues and concepts concerning Self-Care   

  • Integrity, Empathy, and Self-Determination  

  • NASW Code of Ethics and COMAR 10.42.03 Code of Ethics  

  • Activity: Exploring Purpose  

  •  Identification of Potential Impact on Individual Client Services   

  • Life Stress Scale  

  

10:30 am – 10:45 am BREAK  

  

10:45 am – 12:15pm   

  • Exploration of the Terms Associated with Trauma, the Ethical Context, and Responses:   

    • Primary Traumatic Stress, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction, Vicarious Trauma, and Burnout   

  • Assessment: Signs and Symptoms of Vicarious Trauma   

  • Social Worker Strategies for Ethical Practice:   

    • Identification of Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion Fatigue, Development of Strategies for Self-Care, Development of Support System, and Development of a Self-Care Plan   

  • Ethical Responses at the Agency Level:  

    • Agency Level Strategies   

    • Social Work Practice Strategies Related to Safety     

  

12:15 pm Adjournment   

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Identify & define the ethical issues which impact social work intervention and the social worker, including primary traumatic stress, secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout.    

  • Explore strategies for ethical practice including the balance of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue.    

  • Identify the causes and signs of stress and obstacles for recovery.    

  • Develop an individualized ethical plan including assessment, identification of supports, as well as an agency assessment to support overall well-being and effective client outcomes.    

 

Bibliography & References

BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

POPVOX Foundation: https://www.popvox.org/ https://www.popvox.org/blog/what-congress-can-learn-from-social-woabout-workplace-safety  

International Critical Incident Foundation: www.icisf.org   

National Traumatic Stress Network http://www.nctsn.org/resources/topics/secondary-traumatic-stress  

Professional Quality of Life Measure https://proqol.org  

Burnett H. J., & Wahl K (2015). The compassion fatigue and resilience connection: A survey of resilience, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction among trauma responders. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience, 17, 318–326. Doi: 10.4172/1522-4821.1000165  

Miller JJ, Grise-Owens E, Owens L, Shalash N, Bode M. (2019). Self-Care Practices of Self-Identified Social Workers: Findings from a National Study. Soc Work. 65(1):55-63. doi:10.1093/sw/swz046. PMID: 31836892  

Course Completion & CE Information

Category I Maryland BSWE Requirement

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs. This workshop qualifies for 3 Category I Continuing Education Units for Ethics. The Office of Continuing Professional Education is also authorized by the Maryland Board of Psychologists and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors to sponsor Category A continuing professional education. 

 

ASWB Information 

University of Maryland School of Social Work Office of Continuing Professional Education, #1611, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 2/11/2024-2/11/2027.  

To receive ACE credit, full attendance is required; no partial credits will be given for partial attendance. 

 

Certificate Access

To access the evaluation and certificate, click on the orange certificate button in your CPE account. Once you complete the evaluation, access to the certificate will be available.  

Live Interactive Webinars (Cat I) and Live Webinars (Cat II) - Allow up to 30 minutes post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

In Person Trainings - Please allow five (5) business days post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

 

Please refer to the tab "Live Interactive Webinar Policies & FAQs" for UMSSW Office of CPE policies regarding all live interactive webinar related matters. Contact our office at cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu for more information.  

Evaluation

Participants will have access to the evaluation after attendance has been verified. Evaluations will be available for one (1) week after the workshop has ended.  

After one (1) week, participants will no longer have access to the evaluation and will have to contact CPE about reactivation.

Target Audience

Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists

We welcome anyone interested in the topic!

 

Live Interactive Webinar Platforms

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR PLATFORMS

The Office of Continuing Professional Education hosts Live Interactive Webinars through Zoom. This platform offers a high quality and user-friendly webinar platform for our registrants.

System Requirements:

  • Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher; MacOS 9 or higher; Android 4.0 or higher.
  • Internet Browser: Google Chrome; Firefox 10.0 or higher.

Our system is not compatible with the Safari web browser.

  • Broadband Internet Connection: Cable, High-speed DSL and any other medium that is internet accessible.

**Please have your device charging at all times to ensure that your device does not lose power during the webinar.

Course Interaction Requirements:

To participate in Live Interactive Webinars, you MUST have a device that allows you to view the presentation on screen and hear the instructor at all times. We do not allow participants to call-in from their phones or mobile devices and solely listen to the presentation. Participation in Live Interactive Webinars is mandatory.

Our webinar policies can be found on our website by clicking here.

Webinar Policies & FAQs

Click The Link to View The Webinar Policies & FAQs

https://umbsswcpe.ce21.com/Page/live-interactive-webinar-procedures-policies-4129

 

 

Code of Conduct

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. This policy is to ensure that the training environment for social work professionals remains respectful, productive, and conducive to learning. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning process, disrupts the training experience for others, or undermines the integrity of the program will not be tolerated.

 

Expectations for Participant Engagement:

In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics and the University of Maryland Baltimore Code of Conduct, participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, which includes respecting confidentiality, maintaining a collaborative and respectful tone, and contributing positively to the group dynamic. Disclosures made during the training (e.g., case studies or personal reflections) must be handled with care and in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

All participants in the training program are expected to:

  • Engage actively in the learning process and show respect for the opinions and contributions of others.
  • Demonstrate professionalism in both attitude and behavior, maintaining respect for instructors, peers, and the training environment.
  • Maintain open communication by expressing concerns or disagreements constructively and respectfully.
  • Follow the guidelines and expectations provided by instructors and facilitators.
  • Support a collaborative learning environment where all participants feel valued and safe to contribute.

 

Instructors and CPE staff reserve the right to dismiss participants who do not adhere to ethical/professional principles and standards. If removed, CEs will be adjusted to reflect the time attended, unless otherwise specified. 

ADA Accommodations

If you are requesting ADA accommodations, please contact our office via email at least two weeks prior to the workshop date. Requests after that date may not be fulfilled.  

Our email address is cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu.  

Late Fees and Refunds

The base price is $70, which includes CE credit.  

Late Fee: On 11/28/25, a non-refundable late fee of $20 is added to the base price. Late fees cannot be refunded or applied to account credit.  

Cancellations: **ALL cancellations will be subjected to a $35.00 administration fee.**  To be eligible for a refund or CPE account credit, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the workshop. 

For more information, please read the general policies on our website.  

 

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