JES 1/07/2026 : Building and Sustaining a Community of Practice for School-Based Social Workers and Counselors

Presenter: Stacey Meadows, MSW, LCSW-C

Description:

This facilitated discussion group focuses on how school-based social workers and counselors can leverage the Community of Practice (CoP) model to enhance collaboration, share expertise, and improve outcomes for students. Participants will examine the theory behind CoPs, explore strategies for implementing them within school environments, and develop meaningful goals that align with the academic calendar and the realities of working with children in a school setting. The conversation will address ways to share best practices for supporting students’ mental health, managing complex cases, and integrating services with teachers, administrators, and families.

Learning Objectives

After participating in this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Analyze the theoretical framework and essential components of a Community of Practice in the context of school-based mental health services.

2. Design an implementation approach for launching or strengthening a Community of Practice among school social workers and counselors to support student well-being.

3. Formulate realistic, measurable goals for a school-year-aligned Community of Practice that address the needs of students, families, and school staff.

4. Critically evaluate a research article in each session that relates to Community of Practice theory and/or evidence-based school-based mental health interventions, and integrate key findings into practice.

1.0/Category 1 CEU's