NASW-MO 2026 Annual Conference

This presentation will examine the historical roots of the social work (SW) profession, which has sought community-based responses to the needs of the poor and other marginalized groups. The increased privatization and professionalization of the SW field have shifted the focus of the most educated members of our field toward individualized approaches to care for those who are insured, employed, and able to access mental health care. This professional shift intersects with a landscape in which unprecedented levels of mental health distress are being reported. This moment of historic need forces us to question the cost-effectiveness and utility of individually focused interventions as a realistic pathway out of this current mental health crisis. We will explore the confluence of challenges facing our nation at this time and ask tough questions about the SW profession’s readiness and role in facing these. Some of the challenges to be explored include: a toxic culture that isolates us from the natural supports needed for healthy development; a shrinking social safety net; a shortage of mental health providers; the demographic cliff (a declining number of college-aged young people); a growing sentiment that a college education is not a worthwhile investment, especially in pursuit of “low wage” professional areas of study. This session will ask critical questions about the role of the SW profession in addressing the needs of the next generation of societal problems.

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Join this dynamic and supportive workshop designed to help social work licensure supervisors feel confident, connected, and prepared in their role. Whether you're new to supervision or looking to refresh your approach, this session offers a welcoming space to build skills, share experiences, and strengthen your supervisory practice. Through interactive activities, practical examples, and guided reflection, you'll learn how to create meaningful supervisory relationships, offer supportive and constructive feedback, and navigate common real-world challenges with clarity and compassion.

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In this presentation, we will explore what Body-Based Interventions are and how they differ from top-down approaches. We will discuss the importance of using interventions that integrate the body into the healing process. The session will focus on five specific movements and breath practices that clinicians can use immediately with clients.

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In this dynamic and deeply personal keynote, Jennifer Bardot shares the real, unfiltered journey of what GRIT looks like in modern leadership — not as a polished success story, but as a daily practice of resilience, intention, and courage. This talk invites the audience to strip away the “Instagram version” of success and discover how owning your story — struggle and all — unlocks genuine influence, confidence, and growth.

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Join this dynamic and supportive workshop designed to help social work licensure supervisors feel confident, connected, and prepared in their role. Whether you're new to supervision or looking to refresh your approach, this session offers a welcoming space to build skills, share experiences, and strengthen your supervisory practice. Through interactive activities, practical examples, and guided reflection, you'll learn how to create meaningful supervisory relationships, offer supportive and constructive feedback, and navigate common real-world challenges with clarity and compassion.

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This session explores the correlation between traumatic experiences and the ability to use the literal voice, whether speaking, singing, setting boundaries, or accessing the power of a scream. Trauma can lead to silence through fawning and people-pleasing, or it can lead to strain and hypermasculinization of the voice as a form of defense. In both cases, the voice reflects survival strategies rather than authentic expression. Case stories will illustrate how these patterns emerge and are reinforced by patriarchy, cultural expectations, and systemic inequities.

A central part of healing is giving the voice safety and permission to say and feel what was once suppressed. Participants will be introduced to somatic techniques grounded in body, breath, and sound that support both softness and power in expression. Through a guided experience, participants will practice these skills, feeling firsthand how voice can be reclaimed as a tool for authenticity, resilience, and empowerment.
For human service professionals, understanding trauma’s imprint on the voice is essential. Voice is central to advocacy, storytelling, and connection; reclaiming it restores personal power and fosters collective change. Attendees will leave with practical insights and tools to integrate into their own lives and professional practice, supporting both individual healing and broader systemic impact.

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With the increase in political violence, fragile family ties, declining marriage and birth rates, and uncertain economic times, it can seem as though we are operating within an environment where it is nearly impossible to be productive or truly make a difference in someone's life. In this talk, we'll explore the ways in which perspective-taking, loving courageously, and micro-level changes can lead to work that is measured, purposeful, and impactful. 

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Join us for lunch and an informative session with the Winton Policy Group. We will discuss the key issues for the 2026 Missouri Legislative Session and the current political climate among legislators in the General Assembly. This event will provide a brief update on the most relevant proposed pieces of legislation for the first half of the session. We will also offer suggestions on how you can get involved and make a difference for our profession and the clients we serve.

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1 hour of Suicide Prevention

Weather, disasters, crop and/or livestock losses and high input prices are among the additional and unpredictable stressors that farmers/ranchers and their families experience. The duration and magnitude of these events in rural communities and the associated agricultural business sector and local businesses can be notable in its often negative impact. These farm/ranch stressors differ from non-farm family stressors. However, farm families experience parallel stressors seen in non-farm families. The compounded stressor impacts can include higher suicide and depression rates. Rural communities often lack adequate resources to address these issues. Additionally, aspects of rural culture – reluctance to seek help, safety considerations, and lack of cultural competence among service providers– can compound the ability to intervene effectively within these communities. Understanding rural culture is critical in establishing and maintaining therapeutic and supportive relationships. Understanding these differing rural aspects and ways to intervene and help is important for successful outcomes.

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In the fast-paced world of mental health, clinicians often find themselves caring deeply for others while quietly running on empty. Rocking and Rolling Through Self-Care is an energetic, practical, and uplifting session designed to help professionals reconnect with their resilience, protect their emotional bandwidth, and strengthen their long-term well-being.

This presentation explores realistic self-care strategies that go beyond the usual advice and instead focus on sustainable habits, emotional regulation skills, boundary-setting, and the neuroscience of stress. Participants will learn how to recognize early signs of burnout, manage countertransference more effectively, and cultivate a professional rhythm that supports both their clients and themselves.

Through interactive discussion, movement, and creative reflection, attendees will leave feeling recharged, grounded, and equipped with tools they can apply immediately in their personal and professional lives. Whether you're a new social worker or a seasoned clinician, this session invites you to rediscover the joy, passion, and purpose that brought you into this field—and to keep rocking and rolling for years to come.

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This interactive session will explore how social workers can combine the tools of grant writing and advocacy to drive meaningful change in mental health. Participants will begin by examining the importance of combining forces and defining clear advocacy statements that amplify community voices. We will then explore how to leverage grants and policy together for lasting impact, with a practical focus on the 5 R’s of Grant Writing and the essential components of a strong grant proposal.

Ethics will be woven throughout, with an ethical checklist provided to ensure that both funding and advocacy efforts remain aligned with professional standards. Participants will learn how to integrate grant writing and policy work into their practice, ensuring sustainability and impact for their organizations and clients. The session will conclude with a collection of resources to equip attendees with tools and strategies they can immediately apply in their professional settings.

Designed for social workers at all levels, this presentation emphasizes the dual power of the pen and the policy, offering practical skills and inspiration to influence funding streams, shape public policy, and ultimately strengthen mental health services in Missouri and beyond.

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1 hour of Suicide Prevention

Weather, disasters, crop and/or livestock losses and high input prices are among the additional and unpredictable stressors that farmers/ranchers and their families experience. The duration and magnitude of these events in rural communities and the associated agricultural business sector and local businesses can be notable in its often negative impact. These farm/ranch stressors differ from non-farm family stressors. However, farm families experience parallel stressors seen in non-farm families. The compounded stressor impacts can include higher suicide and depression rates. Rural communities often lack adequate resources to address these issues. Additionally, aspects of rural culture – reluctance to seek help, safety considerations, and lack of cultural competence among service providers– can compound the ability to intervene effectively within these communities. Understanding rural culture is critical in establishing and maintaining therapeutic and supportive relationships. Understanding these differing rural aspects and ways to intervene and help is important for successful outcomes.

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Since the Committee’s last presentation at the NASW-MO Chapter Conference, there have been regulations and law changes that impact you as a licensee in the state of Missouri.  This presentation will give an overview of the various changes made, as well as insight into forthcoming changes.  In addition, information will be shared relating to the Social Work Compact, remember Missouri was the 1^st state to pass legislation (way to go SHOW-ME state)!  Of course, there will also be information shared as it relates to professional conduct, record keeping, confidentiality, and the like. Time will be allowed for questions and answers.

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This interactive session will explore how social workers can combine the tools of grant writing and advocacy to drive meaningful change in mental health. Participants will begin by examining the importance of combining forces and defining clear advocacy statements that amplify community voices. We will then explore how to leverage grants and policy together for lasting impact, with a practical focus on the 5 R’s of Grant Writing and the essential components of a strong grant proposal.

Ethics will be woven throughout, with an ethical checklist provided to ensure that both funding and advocacy efforts remain aligned with professional standards. Participants will learn how to integrate grant writing and policy work into their practice, ensuring sustainability and impact for their organizations and clients. The session will conclude with a collection of resources to equip attendees with tools and strategies they can immediately apply in their professional settings.

Designed for social workers at all levels, this presentation emphasizes the dual power of the pen and the policy, offering practical skills and inspiration to influence funding streams, shape public policy, and ultimately strengthen mental health services in Missouri and beyond.

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Filmed over five years, this powerful documentary exposes the mental health crisis facing the United States. Viewers go into psychiatric emergency rooms, jails with psychiatric patients, and homeless camps. The director, who is also a psychiatrist, brings his personal experience into the film, as well. His late sister had schizophrenia. The film features experts, activists, individuals with mental illness, and family members of those struggling with mental illness. The film has been screened by organizations like the American Psychiatric Association, the Vera Institute of Justice, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and others. The 2019 book BEDLAM: An Intimate Journey in America’s Mental Health Crisis expands on the film’s ideas and provides concrete solutions.

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Being a social worker can be demanding with increasing job responsibilities, challenging clients, and changing political landscapes. This can leave social workers struggling with increased levels of stress, which can result in negative attitudes and a complaining culture that decreases job satisfaction, performance, and efficacy. While venting about difficult circumstances is a human need, there is a fine line between cathartic expression and habit-forming complaining that can negatively impact neural pathways, physical well-being, and mental health for both the complainant and the listener. The culture of complaining is robbing employees of joy in the workplace, and those in social services are not immune. Furthermore, those who struggle with excessive complaining are off-putting to others, experience personal consequences, and are more likely to struggle with ethical social work practices.

Gratitude has been correlated to a host of positive outcomes, specifically physical well-being, mental health, resilience, and healthy relationships with others. Additionally, adopting an attitude of gratitude has been shown to reduce stress, complaining, cynicism, bitterness, resentment, and burnout, as well as increase job satisfaction. Practicing gratitude rewires the brain and establishes new, healthier neuropathways that can help achieve personal goals and reminds social workers of our discipline's values.

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is a purposeful approach to difficult and negative situations where meaningfulness is sought from past and present struggles and serves as a platform for personal growth. Research indicates that those who engage in a PTG mindset are more optimistic, have an increased sense of self-efficacy, and take responsibility for their happiness and mood. Additionally, self-care provides for a mental reset, which can significantly reduce stress and regenerate a sense of self-efficacy. Unfortunately, research indicates that people commonly engage in non-productive behaviors that are incorrectly labeled as self-care. Quality self-care is part of ethical social work, as it helps to ensure the right mindset for professional practice. Intentionally adopting an attitude of gratitude, engaging in a posttraumatic growth mindset, and participating in effective and genuine self-care can create positive benefits to social workers’ personal wellbeing, while also increasing ethical social work practice.

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“It Takes a Tribe: Community, Collaboration, Connection” is an interactive, practice-focused workshop designed specifically for social workers and community-serving professionals committed to strengthening the well-being of individuals, families, and neighborhoods. Grounded in core social work values, this session equips participants with essential frameworks for community organization and development, integrating critical areas such as suicide prevention, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ethical decision-making. 

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Working with children and families in this era looks a lot less like serving the traditional two-parent, nuclear household that many of us were exposed to. Today, family can include single-parent households, chosen families, blended families, polyamorous families, or multigenerational households, and many other structures outside of the norm. This requires an open-minded, ethical, and inclusive approach for social workers who engage in work with children and families.

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Being a social worker is a challenging job, however, we often make it harder with complaining and focusing on the negatives, which can significantly impact our service provision. Thankfully, adopting an attitude of gratitude, posttraumatic growth, and engaging in quality self-care can significantly increase job satisfaction, enhance personal and professional relationships, and help ensure ethical social work practice. 

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“It Takes a Tribe: Community, Collaboration, Connection” is an interactive, practice-focused workshop designed specifically for social workers and community-serving professionals committed to strengthening the well-being of individuals, families, and neighborhoods. Grounded in core social work values, this session equips participants with essential frameworks for community organization and development, integrating critical areas such as suicide prevention, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and ethical decision-making. 

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Join an adoptive Mother and her son for a candid conversation about their journey. This session moves beyond theory to offer real-world perspectives on identity, communication, and navigating the complexities of adoption from both sides of the parent-child relationship. Attendees will gain practical strategies for fostering connection and resilience.

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Self-care in social work is often treated as an individual responsibility, focused on coping skills while ignoring the systems that cause burnout in the first place. This workshop offers a different approach. It will not include an individual self-care plan. Instead, it reframes self-care as a shared, ethical responsibility rooted in advocacy and social work values.

Participants will explore how burnout often comes from value conflicts, heavy demands, and system-level barriers rather than personal failings. The session focuses on providing practical strategies for social workers to advocate for organizational and policy-level change as preventive self-care, without overextending themselves.

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Lethal means are objects that may be used by individuals experiencing a suicidal crisis. They include things like guns, medications, alcohol, opioids, other substances, ropes, cords, or sharp objects. If an individual is in crisis or is having suicidal thoughts, these items can become deadly if easily accessible. Increasing the time and distance between a person in suicidal crisis and their access to lethal means can reduce suicide risk and save lives. This session will provide an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Keep It Secure program which promotes awareness about the simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. Attendees will also learn and practice skills for Lethal Means Safety Counseling (LMSC), a patient-centered approach to promoting safety behaviors by aligning evidence-based recommendations with patients’ preferences and values.

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The senior population is growing at a faster rate than ever before. By 2030, all Baby Boomers will be at least 65 years old. Our mental health care system isn’t ready to care for them. From access and convenience to quality and equity, our seniors deserve better.

This presentation will introduce participants to a new model of service delivery for people living with dementia and their family caregivers, aligned with the Center for Medicare & Medicaid's GUIDE Program (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience). For the first time, Medicare is addressing caregivers in their available services. We are Transforming Healthcare for a Better Tomorrow!

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Social Work in Policing is a growing field, and there are still parts that social workers have only started to sprout change. Social Workers are becoming more integrated into the world of Criminal Justice, and while the social work field is vast, the criminal justice system also expands far past just policing. Through programs such as Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) the partnership between police and social workers has flourished. However, there are new programs that take it a step further, such as Jail CIT, 911 diversion, court liaisons, co-responders, and jail navigators. Learn the benefits of how social work and criminal justice systems work together, where these partnerships may lead in the future, as well as debunking common myths about their partnership.

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Lethal means are objects that may be used by individuals experiencing a suicidal crisis. They include things like guns, medications, alcohol, opioids, other substances, ropes, cords, or sharp objects. If an individual is in crisis or is having suicidal thoughts, these items can become deadly if easily accessible. Increasing the time and distance between a person in suicidal crisis and their access to lethal means can reduce suicide risk and save lives. This session will provide an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Keep It Secure program which promotes awareness about the simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. Attendees will also learn and practice skills for Lethal Means Safety Counseling (LMSC), a patient-centered approach to promoting safety behaviors by aligning evidence-based recommendations with patients’ preferences and values.

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Social unrest. Anti-diversity movements. Grant cancellations. Program closures. The profession needs skilled leaders and innovators, now more than ever, to solve complex problems of social work practice. The DSW degree is re-emerging in prominence, preparing scholarly practitioners to advance and transform the field by translating evidence-based research findings into real-world practice improvements. Are you interested in learning how DSWs can contribute to your organization? Are you curious about furthering your education and pursuing a doctoral degree to become an advanced social work practitioner? This session will introduce the “new” DSW degree, its importance to the profession, and the exciting roles for scholarly practitioners in social work. Four recent DSW graduates, along with their doctoral chair, will discuss the educational preparation of DSWs, their contributions to advanced social work practice, their individual capstone projects, and the positive impacts doctoral studies have had on their careers.

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The current political climate of life in America is more interesting than many of us living have experienced. On a daily basis, we’re experiencing policy changes in our government that are presenting as a game of Whack-A-Mole as to the questions of, “what’s next?” and “who will be impacted?” Therefore, as social workers, we’re faced with the difficult dilemma of funneling personal interests, employment responsibilities, and our commitment to social justice. We will begin this session with a review our ethical responsibilities to policy and advocacy. Then, we will take a deep dive into the current immigration climate and close with a participant small group discussion. 

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This session describes a Missouri-based academic-community partnership with behavioral health and housing service providers to develop a social skills training program to support social functioning among formerly unhoused adults with serious mental illness (SMI). Social skills training is an evidence-based strategy for improving social functioning and community integration. In combination with socioeconomic factors and structural dynamics, difficulties in social functioning can contribute to the risk of housing instability among people with SMI. In this presentation, we share our approach to tailoring social skills training to better serve people with SMI who have current or recent experience of being unhoused.

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This session explores innovative approaches to ending Veteran homelessness through permanent supportive housing. Attendees will learn how collaborative partnerships—between housing developers, service providers, and community organizations—can create stable, long-term homes for Veterans. Best practices will highlight strategies for effective service integration, housing retention, and community impact, demonstrating how coordinated efforts transform lives and honor those who have served.

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The current political climate of life in America is more interesting than many of us living have experienced. Daily, we’re experiencing policy changes in our government that are presenting as a game of Whack-A-Mole as to the questions of “what’s next?” and “who will be impacted?” Therefore, as social workers, we’re faced with the difficult dilemma of balancing personal interests, employment responsibilities, and our commitment to social justice. We will begin this session with a review of our ethical responsibilities to policy and advocacy. Then, we will take a deep dive into the current immigration climate and close with a participant small group discussion.

The presentation will begin with highlights of the applicable portions of the Code of Ethics related to advocacy. Then, we will discuss advocacy and what that can look like to those of us in a variety of capacities. The bulk of the presentation will be a highlight of current immigration policies. This portion will be developed next Spring, to ensure timely and most current applicable information is shared. The presentation will close with a guided group discussion regarding highlights discussed in the presentation and what we can be doing, right here as social workers in the Midwest.

This is an extremely applicable presentation for practice, as it combines ethics, policy, and social justice-related components.

Learning Objectives:

1. 
   Analyze the NASW Code of Ethics sections specifically pertaining to policy, advocacy, and social justice.
2. Evaluate the impact of conflicting values and beliefs on the development and implementation of social welfare policy.
3. Analyze the implications of globalization and immigration on U.S. social welfare policies.

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Borderline Personality disorder is a complex condition that can make everything about a patient’s life feel unstable — their emotions, sense of self, and relationships. Individuals with BPD are more likely to have complex medical and psychiatric conditions like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, mood and anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, and substance use disorders. Challenges such as interpersonal hypersensitivity, mood lability, and difficulties with self-regulation further compromise care continuity and overall healthcare outcomes. While BPD is a serious illness, it is also highly treatable.

This session aims to equip social workers with enhanced knowledge and practical strategies for effectively supporting patients with borderline personality disorder within multidisciplinary settings.

During the workshop, we will discuss key characteristics of patients with borderline personality disorders and how to apply trauma-informed care principles within the treatment framework, and ways to disclose a diagnosis to the patient. We will use large group discussions and role plays to model an interaction between the provider and patient when telling them about this diagnosis. Using audience-response software, we will be able to include those who are attending the session virtually to ensure interactions within the larger group.

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This session addresses the pervasive and often hidden issue of sex trafficking, which affects millions worldwide, including communities across the United States and specifically in Missouri. Aimed at social workers, the presentation is designed to build knowledge, foster empathy, and provide practical tools for identifying, preventing, and responding to sex trafficking. Participants will learn how to apply strengths-based strategies that emphasize collaboration and empowerment. The session promotes trauma-informed practices, encouraging professionals to recognize survivors’ active roles in their own recovery and advocacy. Ultimately, attendees will leave equipped to be agents of change within their communities, contributing to more effective support and intervention for those impacted by sex trafficking.

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