Simmons University’s School of Social Work announces the re-release of two online, asynchronous trainings on interpersonal violence, each redesigned to improve usability and overall experience.
These trainings are free to access, and an invaluable resource on domestic violence and sexual violence for social workers, mental health counselors, healthcare providers, first responders, and many other professionals. These trainings have a national reach — with participants representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia — and offer the option to purchase CEUs at a competitive rate.
Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Kristie Thomas has overseen the development and stewardship of these critical resources, and Digital Learning and Curriculum Specialist Alexis Edwin undertook the recent interface redesign of both domestic and sexual violence trainings.
Firmly rooted in research and practice wisdom, the Domestic Violence Training provides a deep dive into the topic of domestic violence, including best practices for safe, sensitive, and effective assistance to survivors, children, and people who cause harm.
The Simmons MA Chapter 260 Training on Sexual and Domestic Violence, initially launched in 2020, is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to fulfill the state’s Chapter 260 mandate for social workers and other healthcare providers. This training expands the scope of the original Domestic Violence Training to include other victimized populations and content areas. Of the 1,661 people who have successfully completed this training since it was launched, over 30% self-identified as graduate students; nearly 20% as social workers, therapists, or nonprofit human service workers; and over 15% as healthcare workers.
The Simmons School of Social Work has a long history of providing cutting-edge training on domestic and sexual violence to students, social workers, other professionals, and the larger community. This commitment has grown stronger over time, as evidenced by the resources invested in redesigning the user interface of these online trainings. Simmons will continue to use the power of education to improve services for people affected by these pernicious social problems.