Wednesday, March, 4, 2026
12:00PM - 1:00PM (EST)

Delivery: Live Virtual Interactive

Continuing Education: 1hr CE

Registration
$25.00 - Non ABCSW Members
Free for ABCSW Members!

REGISTER HERE!

Speaker: Dr. Tara D. Wallace, EdD, LSCSW, CTF-CBT/PSB, RYT, CSLC

Session Description:
Clinical social workers are trained to view individuals within their environments, yet many systems that shape health and well-being operate far beyond the individual level. Structural competency expands traditional cultural competence by equipping clinicians to recognize, analyze, and respond to structural factors that produce inequities in health outcomes.
This presentation examines the intersection of clinical practice and the social determinants of health, exploring how systemic forces such as housing instability, economic inequality, racism, environmental injustice, and policy decisions manifest as clinical concerns in practice.
Participants will learn how to apply a structural lens to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning while maintaining therapeutic alliance and ethical integrity. Through case examples and discussion, participants will identify strategies for integrating structural competency into supervision, advocacy, and interprofessional collaboration. The session will conclude with practical tools to help clinical social workers address upstream causes of distress and support community-level healing within their scope of practice.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify ways social determinants of health impact client presentation, treatment outcomes, and ethical decision-making.
2. Define and differentiate structural competency from cultural competence and cultural humility within the context of clinical social work practice.
3. Apply a structural competency framework to a clinical case scenario.

Speaker Information

Dr. Tara D. Wallace, EdD, LSCSW, CTF-CBT/PSB, RYT, CSLC

Dr. Tara D. Wallace is a skilled advocate, clinician, and educator with over a decade of experience in providing trauma-responsive care. She is best known for her ability to effectively collaborate and lead with compassion and integrity. Dr. Wallace’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to empowering individuals, enhancing their emotional well-being, and facilitating their healing through culturally responsive therapeutic approaches. As a licensed clinical social worker and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapist, Dr. Wallace brings a unique blend of certifications and expertise in maternal mental health, naturopathy, art therapy, trauma-responsive yoga, and spiritual life coaching to her practice.
Dr. Wallace is also the CEO and founder of Lighthouse Therapeutic Community Outreach Foundation (TCOF) in Topeka, KS where she leads efforts to address the (W)holistic Wellness™ needs in marginalized and low-access communities. Presently, under the direction of Dr. Wallace, Lighthouse TCOF is conducting a study to understand the multi-generational impact of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 from a physiological and mental health perspective. Understanding these effects helps the community advocate for more equitable systems moving forward as the state begins to repair the original highway system structures.

Continuing Education
ABCSW, #1854, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit.  ACE provider approval period: 8/23/2024 – 8/23/2027.   Social workers completing this course receive up to 1 continuing education credit/hour.

Continuing Education Certificate Requirements
Registered event attendees must fully attend the chosen session to be eligible for Continuing Education Credits/Hours. Session evaluations include attendance attestation statements and must be completed within the same day as the attended session to be considered valid. To receive a Continuing Education Certificate, you must complete the attestation statement the session attended located in the session evaluation survey. The link to complete the overall conference survey will be emailed to all attendees after closing remarks. Continuing Education Certificates will be electronically sent by the third Friday of the Speaker Series Session month, via the email provided in your overall conference evaluation.

Photography Notice
Please note that photographs and screen captures may be taken during the event.  By registering, you are giving your consent for these images to be used by ABCSW in digital and print publications.  Please contact [email protected] directly should you have any concerns.

Refunds & Grievances
All refund requests must be submitted to [email protected] by Monday, March 2, 2026 to be eligible for a full refund (less $5.00 admin fee)
All grievances can be sent to [email protected] at anytime.