Zuniga to speak at conference

Published 10:53 am Tuesday, March 4, 2008

‘Working with Latino Families’ to be Institute Topic

Dalton State College School of Social Work will host a Cultural Competence Institute on Working with Latino Families March 13-14. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Maria Zuñiga, a nationally prominent speaker on the subject, according to Dr. David Boyle, dean of Dalton State’s School of Social Work.

The two-day institute is open to social workers across the region, Boyle said, and will feature speakers from Dalton State and the community in addition to Zuñiga, who he described as a pioneer in the area of Latino social work issues.

“After working in child welfare and mental health in California, Dr. Zuñiga became one of the first academics to conduct research on the subject of social work with Latino clients,” he said. “She is widely published in professional journals, books and textbooks and is a highly-sought trainer in the areas of cultural competence and social work with Latinos.

“In 2007, Dr. Zuñiga, professor emeritus of San Diego State University, was honored at the 53rd annual program meeting of the Council of Social Work Education with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her pioneering work with Latino clients,” Boyle said, adding that she has been a vocal advocate of Dalton State’s baccalaureate social work program which she considers to be a national model.

Among the topics to be covered at the two day institute are “The Basics of Cultural Competence for Working with Latino Families,” “Working Across Common Barriers to Services for Latino Families,” “The Rewards of a Career in Public Child Welfare,” “A Vision for Social Work: The Social Work Reinvestment Initiative,” “Why Cultural Competence Matters for Work with the Latino Population,” and “Cultural Competence and Healthcare for Latino Clients.”

Aside from Zuñiga and Boyle, other Institute speakers include Drs. Jane Wimmer and Robin Cleeland and Ms.Tammy Rice-Rodriquez from Dalton State’s School of Social Work as well as América Gruner from the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership Health Promotora Program.

Those wanting more information about the Institute, or wishing to register should visit the college website at www.daltonstate.edu/cce and click on Social Work Institute or call Dalton State’s Center for Continuing Education at 706-272-4454.