28th Annual Linda Gammage Social Work Conference – A Success!!
by Diane Bartlett, LCSW (she/her)—St. Luke’s Hemophilia Center, Boise, ID

Sixty-seven member HTC social workers from across the country gathered in Oklahoma City for the 28th Annual Linda Gammage Social Work Conference in February. This year’s conference focused on providing education and clinical skills for Solution Focused Brief Practice and Safety, Well Being and Ethical Decision Making in our personal and professional lives. Attendees found the sessions to be engaging, practical and helpful information for their practice. In addition, meaningful reflection and conversations were had by attendees against the sobering backdrop of the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995.

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The conference opened with a full-day training on Solution Focused Brief Practice (SFBP) led by Teri Pichot, LCSW, LAC, MAC, founder of Denver Center for Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. Using a solution-focused mindset, attendees learned techniques to use in the HTC setting to focus on what people want to achieve rather than on the problem(s) with which they are struggling. 

Day two featured Emily Bartlett, LICSW, whose clinical work focuses on behavioral health, crisis management and trauma. Working as a co-response clinician in the Boston area, she partners with law enforcement to provide immediate, on-scene crisis intervention during 911 calls. Emily provided concrete solutions for assessing crisis/high-risk situations using situational, cultural, and self-awareness frameworks. Reviewing the ethical framework of social work practice and advocacy during the current climate was value-added.

The Linda Gammage Social Work Planning Committee and conference attendees extend a heartfelt thank you to CSL Behring for its continued support since the conference’s inception in 1997. The event remains a meaningful and impactful cornerstone for HTC social workers and their clinical practice.

As we look forward to next year’s conference, the planning committee is excited to announce our newest member: Molly Lippold-Meinholz, MSW, CAPSW (she/her), a social worker and Program Manager at University of Wisconsin Health’s Comprehensive Program for Bleeding Disorders.