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This 3-hour ethics training explores the real-world application of Kentucky’s Code of Ethical Conduct (201 KAR 23:080) for social workers. Moving beyond textbook scenarios, this course examines how everyday decisions, digital habits, and unclear boundaries can gradually lead to ethical violations. Participants will gain a clear understanding of state regulations, reflect on their own ethical blind spots, and review actual disciplinary cases to learn how to recognize red flags before they escalate. Designed for modern clinicians navigating complex systems, this course offers clarity, context, and practical tools to uphold integrity in today’s evolving practice landscape.

Continuing Education

This program provides 3 hours of Social Work Ethics continuing education units to Kentucky social workers, pursuant to the Kentucky Code of Ethical Conduct in 201 KAR 23:080.

Kentucky Board of Social Work Ethics Approval number KBSW-20250136

Learning Objectives

  1. Identify and interpret the core ethical standards and Kentucky-specific regulations (201 KAR 23:080, KRS codes) that govern clinical practice, documentation, boundaries, and dual relationships, etc.
  2. Analyze ethical dilemmas using a progressive lens that traces how seemingly minor decisions can evolve into regulatory violations or harm, drawing from real disciplinary case examples.
  3. Apply an “ethical checkpoint” model to assess risk levels and implement decision-making off-ramps before a situation escalates into an ethical breach.
  4. Evaluate the impact of modern challenges such as social media, digital communication, and therapist burnout on ethical decision-making and boundary management.
  5. Demonstrate skills in ethical reasoning by working through complex, ambiguous “gray area” scenarios using a structured decision-making framework.
  6. Reflect on personal and systemic factors that contribute to ethical blind spots and develop strategies for self-awareness, supervision, and documentation that support ethical resilience.
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Juniper Owens

LCSW, CPT, LMT, IMHP
Co-Founder, Director, and Podcast Host
Juniper earned bachelor's and master's degrees in social work from the University of Louisville and is a licensed clinical social worker in Kentucky. Juniper holds certifications in various therapeutic approaches, including EMDR, grief therapy, and Crisis and Suicide First Response.

Juniper co-founded Bridge Counseling and Wellness, a leading integrative mental health center in Louisville. She has also taught at the Kent School of Social Work, teaching Human Behavior and the Social Environment, and currently focuses on educational facilitation at the Academy. She is the creator and one of the hosts of the Conscious Mental Health Podcast, where she provides educational content in the field of mental health, focusing on the person-in-enviornment perspective. Her clinical expertise includes a range of therapeutic approaches, particularly in the treatment of anxiety and crisis work.
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Laurel Sims-Stewart

M.Ed., LPCC, ATR, IMHP
Therapist, Podcast Host, and Content Developer
Laurel is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with a background in art therapy. She is the recipient of the 2019 Bridge to Light award for Child Counseling and Support. In her work with the Academy, Laurel assists in content production, development, and training.

Laurel specializes in the treatment of trauma, anxiety, mood disorders, and life stage transitions. Throughout her time in practice, she has always gravitated toward an integrative, insight-based approach. She utilizes cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness and meditation, psychoeducation, and expressive techniques. She encourages all of her clients to take an active role in writing the narrative of their life by including elements of mind, body, and spirit throughout. 
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