Continuing Education

Migrant Youth Mental Health (Pt. 3)

Advocacy and Empowerment Strategies for Clinicians

Mental HEalth Education

About The Course

Course Title: Advocacy Matters! Migrant Youth Mental Health

Learning Method: Record asynchronous distance (non-interactive). This course includes a recorded video and access to the presented resources.

Amount of CE Credit Offered: 1 credit (general). ASWB ACE and NBCC.

Fees: This course can be purchased individually for $25 or as part of an annual unlimited continuing education subscription available for $99/year.

Posttest: Following the course, the participant will take a 10 question posttest. A score of 70% correct is required to pass and obtain a certificate. If you do not pass the posttest, it can be re-taken after fully reviewing the materials again.

Certificate of Completion: In order to receive a certificate of completion, you must indicate that you’ve watched the entire video portion of the course, earn a passing grade on the test, and complete the requested course evaluation.

Description of the Course:

Why is understanding this topic important?

1. Mental Health Vulnerability:

Migrant youth are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues due to traumatic pre-migration experiences, family separation, and social exclusion. Addressing these vulnerabilities is crucial for their overall well-being and development.

2. Empowerment through Advocacy:

Clinicians equipped with advocacy skills can empower migrant youth to navigate systemic barriers, ensuring they receive necessary support and resources. Advocacy helps promote their rights and integration into new communities.

3. Policy Impact:

Understanding and influencing relevant policies and legislation can lead to systemic changes that benefit migrant youth. Effective advocacy can result in better protection, services, and outcomes for this marginalized group.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the emotional, psychological, and structural challenges faced by migrant youth, including pre-migration stressors, family separation, social exclusion, and barriers to resources.
Identify healthy coping mechanisms, the importance of social support networks, and foster critical thinking and a clear sense of purpose to help migrant youth navigate their challenges.
Build awareness for federal and state efforts to protect migrant children, including key legislative acts and how to support them, as well as the role of social workers in advocating for humane treatment and policy reforms.

Target Audience:

Masters and Clinical level licensees pursuing continuing education and mental health professionals.

Content Level:

Both beginning and intermediate-level content are included in this course.

Instructor Bio(s):

Bonnie Solis, MSSW, Mental Health Clinician

Bonnie Solis, MSSW earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in 2018 and 2019. Currently serving as the Social Media & Content Manager for Agents of Change since January 2023, she is dedicated to facilitating social work professionals’ success.

Simultaneously, her role as a Clinician in Texas, underscores her commitment to mental health assessments and counseling intervention services. Her responsibilities include monitoring clients’ well-being, providing personalized counseling, conducting psycho-educational sessions, and leading therapeutic group sessions.

She built her foundation of experience, previously serving as an Advocate Supervisor at CASA of Hidalgo County, overseeing children, supervising advocates, and mentoring interns.

Prior internships, such as at Behavioral Health Solutions and The Children’s Center, allowed her to hone her skills in substance abuse services, foster care, and support group facilitation. Her commitment to the community extends beyond professional roles, evidenced by her involvement as the Marketing Chair for the NASW Texas State Conference for two years and her current role as the Nomination and Leadership Identification Committee Representative for NASW Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley. She was also recognized as the Social Work Student of the Year in 2019 by The National Association of Social Workers, Lower Rio Grande Valley Branch, Bonnie is dedicated to making a positive impact through her work and community engagement.

Meagan Mitchell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been providing individualized and group instruction for over 8 years.

Meagan Mitchell, LICSW, is currently a Child and Adolescent Therapist and owner of Brain Space Wellness. She is working towards her Play Therapy credential. Meagan is also the founder of Agents of Change Social Work Test Prep – a learning platform and community designed for social workers preparing for their licensing exams.

She loves combining her passion for learning and sharing her knowledge with the social work community. Meagan has a strong interest in tech & and innovation, specifically exploring the intersection of technology with social work practices. She is also passionate about multicultural supervision & and ethics; ensuring diverse voices are heard, understood, and supported in supervision and consultation.

Lastly, Meagan is currently a DSW student at SUNY Buffalo.

Course Outline:

1) Introduction and Background

Introduction of Bonnie Solis
Brief overview of the series and today’s focus on advocacy and policy for migrant youth mental health.

2) Challenges Faced by Migrant Youth

Emotional and Psychological Strain: Discussion on family separation, pre-migration stressors, and social exclusion.
Structural Barriers: Barriers such as legal challenges, unstable housing, healthcare, education, and language barriers.

3) Building Resilience

Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Importance of developing strategies to manage stress and emotions.
Social Support Networks: Enhancing communication skills and confidence to build supportive relationships.
Critical Thinking and Purpose: Encouraging problem-solving skills and finding a sense of purpose through interests and activities.

4) Advocacy and Policy

Federal and State Efforts: Overview of key policies such as Keeping Families Together Act and Stop Cruelty to Migrant Children Act.
Clinician’s Role in
Advocacy: How clinicians can advocate for trauma-informed services and support legal rights of migrant youth.
Practical Advocacy: Bonnie’s experience with advocacy work and practical steps clinicians can take to support policy changes.

5) Conclusion

Recap of the importance of advocacy, resilience-building, and understanding structural challenges.
Encouraging participants to stay informed, get involved in advocacy, and utilize the provided resources.

Course Creation Date: 7/29/24

Requesting Accessibility Accommodations:

Please email [email protected] to request accessibility accommodations.

System Requirements:

The most recent version of Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge browser
Javascript enabled
PDF plugin
Graphic and audio output capability
Broadband internet connection with a minimum speed of 5Mbps (recommended)
TLS 1.2 supported by your web browser

Refund Policy: In general, refunds will not be provided. However, if you do have any concerns or grievances, please contact us at the email address below. Registrants who do not complete their course(s) will not receive a refund. Registrants who purchased the course but did not achieve a passing grade will not receive a refund. The Agents of Change Grievance Policy can be viewed here.

Cancellation Policy: If an Agents of Change Continuing Education course is canceled, a full refund will be provided to all participants.

Please email [email protected] with any questions about the course.

Agents of Change is Approved by ACE

Agents of Change, #1919, 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: 7/26/2023 – 7/26/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credit.

Agents of Change is Approved by NBCC

Agents of Change has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7620. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Agents of Change is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

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Your Continuing Education Includes

Audio + Visual Content

We design our continuing education to support all learning styles. Each topic includes engaging videos and visual slides. With your purchase, you also get access to on-the-go audio resources.

High Quality Materials

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PEER + Email Support

With your purchase, you'll be invited to the Agents of Change community, a supporting skill building environment. You'll also have access to the Agents of Change team for any questions!