Course description

Incarceration breaks family ties and has lasting effects on a family's emotional, economic, and psychological well-being. Data released by the Prison Policy Initiative (2019) indicate that incarceration rates in the United States are at an all-time high, with the U.S. leading the world’s incarceration rate.  On any given day, there are about 2.2 million individuals behind bars in the US. Despite the growing rate of incarceration, it is not often talked about in counseling and psychotherapy. Mental health professionals are likely to work with children and family members of incarcerated individuals, however, counselors and therapists often feel unprepared to have conversations about incarceration and to support their clients through this difficult experience. In this course, participants will explore the effects of incarceration on family members and communities, and examine their own biases towards incarceration. This course utilizes trauma-informed and social justice practices.

1 Hour CE. Recorded Video Format (non-interactive)

To preserve confidentiality, case examples contain fictionalized elements.

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Describe at least two incarceration trends in the United States.

  • Identify at least two effects of incarceration on family members.

  • Identify at least two ways mental health professionals can support family members of incarcerated individuals.

Course outline

1. Incarceration statistics

a. Numbers incarcerated

b. Ripple effects
c. Staying connected
d. Incarceration as a social justice issue

2. Incarceration as trauma

a. Points of crisis

b. Impacts of incarceration

3. Guidelines for practitioners

a. Assessment

b. Exploring impacts
c. Cognitive, affective, and behavioral effects
d. Making sense of what is happening
e. Resources

References

Instructor

Alice Mills Mai, LMHC

Alice Mills Mai, MA, LMHC, NCC is a New York-licensed Mental Health Counselor (#9097) and National Certified Counselor. She serves as Clinical and Practicum Supervisor for STEPS to End Family Violence. Her work focuses on issues of violence and criminalization in marginalized communities.

Additional Information

Format and Length:

Recorded video format (non-interactive). Total running time 67 minutes.

Topic Area:

Clinical Practice

Instructional Level:

Intermediate 

Completion Requirements:

To obtain your CE certificate, you must progress through all course segments, complete a satisfaction survey, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a course completion quiz. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within a reasonable number of attempts, and may be blocked from completing the course and receiving their certificate if unable to do so.

Completion Quiz and Course Evaluation:

After watching course videos, the course completion quiz will be available to complete, followed by the course evaluation.

Who Should Attend:

Psychologists, counselors, masters or doctoral level clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists.

Publication and Review Dates:

Course Published: April 29, 2021 

Financial Support Statement:

SimplePractice Learning pays course presenters for their teaching. There is no other financial support for this course.

Conflict of Interest Statement:

The presenter serves on the SimplePractice Learning Curriculum Committee. In accordance with our policy, she was recused from all committee discussion and decision-making related to this course. There is no outside commercial support for this course.

Refund Policy:

Click here to see our policies on attendance, refunds, grievances, and accessibility, and other frequently asked questions. Click here to contact us or submit a grievance.

Contact Information:

For any inquiries related to subject matter guidance, correction, grading, comments, or problem resolution please contact us.

System Requirements:

Please ensure your device meets our system requirements.

Continuing Education Approvals:

SimplePractice is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course provides 1 hour of continuing education (1 CE credit) for psychologists.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice, #1749, 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. Simple Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 07/06/2021 – 07/06/2024. Social workers participating in this course will receive 1 continuing education credit in the Clinical topic area.

SimplePractice is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LEPs (CAMFT CEPA provider #145276). SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 1 hour of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

SimplePractice is approved as a Rule/Statute Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Note that we do not automatically report CE completion to CE Broker at this time, so certificates of completion must be manually uploaded. Click here for more information.

SimplePractice LLC 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-0582. 

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0030.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0091.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0206.


This course is not part of our continuing education program approved through NAADAC. Click here to view our complete CE approval information, or check out our collection of NAADAC approved courses.