The Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare hosted more than 140 school social workers from Nassau and Suffolk counties for the third Long Island School Social Work Conference on Tuesday, June 2.
Organized by Clinical Associate Professor Robin DeLuca-Acconi, PhD, LCSW, and held in partnership with the New York State School Social Workers’ Association (NYSSSWA) at Stony Brook’s Charles B. Wang Center, the annual event provided a unique opportunity for social workers at Long Island schools – public and private – to convene, network, and learn.
This year’s theme was Collective and Community Care Systems for Schools, featuring workshops and presentations that centered around collective trauma and community healing.
Kevin Tan, PhD, MSW, delivered the keynote speech, titled “Advancing the Profession: The Role of School Social Work in Today’s Context.” Dr. Tan is an associate professor and the associate dean for engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work.
Two workshop sessions bookended a panel discussion on supporting immigrant students. Workshops focused on grant writing and securing funds, supporting foster students, creating community, and more were designed in response to requests from school social workers who attended last year’s conference.
The SSW welcomed organizations to table at the event, including Herstory Writers Network, the Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN), and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). NYSUT and Stony Brook Children’s Hospital’s CARE Initiative were contributing sponsors.
