Awareness to Action: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse

Recorded Webinar
Instructor: Jenny Coleman, M.A., LMHC 
CEs: 1.5 
Level: Intermediate
Target Audience: Social workers and other social service providers.
Course Delivery Method and Format: Recorded webinar, self study. All courses are hosted on SmithOnline. Login information will be emailed immediately after registration to the email address entered during registration.
System Requirements: Attendees will need access to a computer with internet and the capability to play recorded videos.

Date of original webinar: October 16, 2019

Typically, courses about sexual abuse focus on intervention, treatment and healing. This course, however, will take a primary prevention perspective. Primary prevention means before harm has occurred. Stop It Now! has been a leader for over 20 years in recognizing and treating child sexual abuse as a public health issue. The organization believes that by increasing awareness—providing accurate information and building confidence and preparation to respond to opportunities that could increase a child’s vulnerability to sexual abuse—sexual abuse can be prevented. This workshop will introduce Stop It Now!’s model of prevention and resources for adults and families to learn about prevention, and after a brief review of the scope of sexual abuse, participants will be introduced to key steps in prevention. Myths that act as barriers to prevention steps will be discussed, and skills to both identify warning signs in individuals and to follow up on those concerns will be reviewed. We will also discuss Stop It Now!’s belief that adults need to be accountable and responsible to keep children safe, including reaching out to adults who are themselves at risk to abuse or who are abusing.

Registration Fee and Deadline:

$35 (one time registration fee of $5) | Ongoing

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify key steps of primary sexual prevention.
  2. Describe how safety planning and healthy sexuality education acts as preventive measures against sexual abuse.
  3. Explain how myths about sexual abuse act as barriers.
  4. Discuss benefits of including adults who are at-risk to abuse or who are abusing in prevention service planning.

Instructor Biography: 

Jenny Coleman, M.A., LMHC has been working on behalf of children well-being for over 30 years. In 2011, she joined Stop It Now! as their Helpline Director and now serves as Now!’s Director. Stop It Now! prevents the sexual abuse of children by mobilizing adults, families and communities to take actions that protect children before they are harmed. Now! provides support, information and resources to keep children safe and create healthier communities. Since 1992, Stop it Now! has identified, refined and shared effective ways for individuals, families and communities to act to prevent child sexual abuse before children are harmed, and to get help for everyone involved. Stop it Now! provides Help Services through a confidential national prevention Helpline (1.888.PREVENT), email and chat services, an interactive Online Help Center, an advice column called “Ask Now!,” prevention education, Technical Assistance and Training (Circles of Safety) and Prevention Advocacy. Jenny presents to audiences across the globe at training schools, colleges and community based programs. She is a member of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA), serving on their prevention committee and is a member of the National Association to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse.

Completion Requirements for Recorded Webinars and Online Courses.

To receive a CE certificate, you must complete the entirety of the recorded webinar or recorded video presentation. Partial credit will not be awarded to those who attend only a portion of the class. For recorded webinars and online courses, participants must complete an evaluation and a post test, noting the length of time to complete the course. Participants must earn a minimum score of 80 percent on the post test in order to earn CEs. Retesting is allowed up to five (5) times. If a passing score is not achieved, CEs will not be awarded. Links to the evaluation and post test are available in SmithOnline. Participants must also complete an attestation of completion for each fully completed course. A copy of the attestation is available in SmithOnline. It is attendee’s responsibility to contact their state licensing board/certification boards to determine eligibility to meet continuing education requirements.

How Will a CE Certificate Be Awarded?

Upon completing the course evaluation, successfully passing the post test and submitting the attestation, participants will be emailed their online certificate​ within 30 days of course completion​. ​Participants should save and/or print ​the certificate upon receipt for ​their records. Receiving the CE certificate is contingent on submitting attestion, completion of the evaluation and passing the post test.

Continuing Education Credits and Approvals for This Course

Continuing Education (CE) credits offered vary by course. This course only offers the CE credits listed below.  It is the attendees' responsibility to contact their licensing board to determine eligibility to meet continuing education requirements.

ACE

Smith College School for Social Work, #1755, 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:11/19/2021-11/19/2024 . Social workers completing this course receive up to 1.5 general continuing education credits.

CSWE

Smith College School for Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and is therefore authorized to provide CEs as a postsecondary institution accredited by CSWE in many states. Courses offered through the School’s Program of Professional Education are awarded continuing education credits in accordance with Continuing Education Regulation 258, CMR, 31.00 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

NY State

Smith College School for Social Work is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0169.

Not Approved for Counselors (LMHC/LPC)

Smith College School for Social Work has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7110. This program does NOT qualify for NBCC ACEP approval.