Webinars
Free to FSWA/NOFSW 2025/2026 members (includes 1.5 CE credits) / $50 registration fee for non-members (CE credit is not included for non-members)
​
Sexual Abuse in Detention Settings: Understanding the Crisis and Best Practices for Addressing It
Vanessa Sapien, MA
September 17, 2025 2:00-3:30 PM Eastern Time
Register Now
​
Workshop Objectives:
Through this training, participants will:
-
Develop an understanding of the incidence and dynamics of sexual abuse in prisons, jails and other detention settings.
-
Identify the steps prisons, jails and other detention facilities are required to take under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards to prevent, address and monitor sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
-
Call upon trauma-informed approaches for supporting incarcerated people who have experienced sexual abuse – whether it occurred during their current incarceration or at some other point(s) in their lives.
Description:
During this workshop, Just Detention International (JDI) will provide an overview of sexual abuse in corrections settings. Presenter Vanessa Sapien, JDI’s Mental Health Program Director, will detail the incidence and dynamics of sexual abuse behind bars, including who is at greatest risk of experiencing abuse, and the barriers that often deter survivors from seeking help. In this interactive session, participants will develop a grasp of the steps corrections officials are required to take to address this harm, and the importance of a positive institutional culture in ultimately rooting it out. Ultimately, Ms. Sapien will help participants identify ways to increase awareness of this crisis among their colleagues and to serve as a resource to system-involved people who may have been impacted by it.
Media
Vanessa Sapien, MA, is JDI’s Mental Health Program Director. As a member of JDI’s domestic programs team, she provides training and technical assistance for corrections staff, advocates, and service providers on how to keep prisoners safe from sexual violence. A mental health professional and trained domestic violence and rape crisis counselor, Vanessa has many years of experience helping survivors. She has received numerous awards for her clinical work, including a Presidential Service Award. Vanessa has also been recognized for her work in honoring diversity and social justice in mental health.
Forgotten in the Storm: Disaster Planning for Children in DCF and Incarcerated Individuals
Shuei Kozu, PhD, LICSW
January 21, 2026 2:00-3:30 PM Eastern Time
Register Now
Workshop Overview
Children in custody of child welfare systems and individuals who are incarcerated are among the most vulnerable during disasters, yet they often have little to no voice in disaster preparedness planning. These individuals are fully dependent on the state or federal institutions responsible for their safety. Without proactive and inclusive planning, they face heightened risks of trauma, exposure, and disconnection, on top of the complex histories many already carry prior to entering state custody.
Past natural disasters have revealed that many states were not adequately prepared to protect these populations. In the years since, policies and preparedness frameworks have been developed, but significant gaps in implementation remain. In moments of crisis, these gaps can translate into severe consequences for those under custodial care.
This workshop is designed to raise awareness among forensic social workers, encouraging them to examine the current level of disaster preparedness within their own institutions or client systems. Participants will explore the ethical and professional responsibility to advocate for planning that is trauma-informed, equitable, and actionable. Through discussion and case examples, the workshop will highlight practical steps social workers can take to help ensure the safety, dignity, and protection of those in state custody when disasters strike.
Learning Objectives:
-
Compare the structural and ethical responsibilities of the state in ensuring safety, continuity of care, and dignity for individuals in state custody during disasters—across both the child welfare and correctional systems.
-
Evaluate case examples and preparedness models for children in foster care and incarcerated individuals, identifying common systemic challenges (e.g., communication failures, staffing shortages, infrastructure gaps) and unique considerations for each group.
-
Develop cross-system strategies that promote inclusive, equitable, and coordinated disaster response planning—centering on accountability, trauma-informed practice, and clear communication protocols for all individuals in state care.
Shuei Kozu, PhD, LICSW joined the Department of Social Work at Southern Connecticut State University in 2019, bringing more than 20 years of experience as a clinical social worker, primarily in the health care field, working with children and families. Dr. Kozu imparts knowledge across bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, influencing future generations of social workers. Currently, Dr. Kozu serves as a Faculty Development Co-Director. As part of the Faculty Development, she is interested in faculty engagement, compassion, and empathy for each other, while promoting social emotional learning for students. Dr. Kozu has been conducting research studies to investigate the racially motivated offense against Asians and Asian Americans during the last few years. She has been successful in creating a disaster mental health certification program for graduate students, with the hope to incorporate study abroad program so that students can visit countries that are prone to have natural disasters and learn how people cope and show resilience. Dr. Kozu strives to make meaningful contributions to the field of social work and society at large.
Course completion requirements: To earn CE credit, social workers must log in at the scheduled time, attend the entire course and complete an online course evaluation. Certificates of completion will be emailed within 10 business days of course completion. Cancellations must be received 24 hours prior to the live webinar to receive a refund.
​
The National Organization of Forensic Social Work, provider # 1823, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. National Organization of Forensic Social Work maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 07/18/2023–07/18/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 continuing education credits.
​
System requirements:
• Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher, MacOS 9 or higher, Android 4.0 or higher
• Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 9.0 or higher, Google Chrome, Firefox 10.0 or higher
• Broadband Internet connection: Cable, High-speed DSL & any other medium that is internet accessible.
​