greater washington society
for clinical social work

 What are the criteria for submitting a proposal?

In order to submit a proposal, the presenter must be a licensed clinical social worker and a member of GWSCSW. A member may pair with a non-member or non- social worker to present. Proposals must be relevant to the field of social work and clinical social work practice and have specific goals, objectives and agenda (see template for specifics). Proposals must comply with guidelines of the Boards of Social Work Education. Priority will be given to Ethics requirements (HIV, Cultural Competence, etc.), to best practices for clinical social work, and to topics with wide appeal. In evaluating proposals, the CE Committee expect presenters to demonstrate expertise in the proposed topic. The CE Committee has the discretion to make decisions to approve proposals based on the needs of GWSCSW, which may vary from year to year. These may include issues such as the cost of venue, budgetary constraints, CE topics of interest, calendar conflicts or committees’ conflicts. Generally it is the policy not to repeat presenters or topics in consecutive calendar years, except for Ethics courses or highly popular topics.

 When are proposals due?

We accept proposals on a rolling basis and work with the presenter to determine the best time for scheduling the workshop based on what is already on the calendar and other considerations for the Society and the presenter.

 When do I hear that my proposal has been accepted?

Upon receiving the proposal, the committee has up to 60 days to review it. During summer months, this may take slightly longer. Committee meetings are typically held monthly from November–May and then bi-monthly from May–November. If you haven’t heard from a committee member after one month, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 Will I have an opportunity to modify my proposal if it is not initially accepted?

Yes. For many proposals we offer feedback and an opportunity for re-submittal.

 If my proposal is not accepted this year, might it be next year?

Yes. We may decide not to teach a course based on scheduling or other concerns related to the course’s content or if there has been a similar course taught in recent years. We would let you know if we are holding off on the presentation until a future date.

 How long does a presentation need to be?

Brown bag events are typically 1-2 hours.  Continuing education events typically run 3 hours; however, they may be as many as 6 or even 12 hours over two days.

 How much will I get paid for the presentation?

Presenters are paid for continuing education events at the rate of $100 per CE hour, provided that seven people pay for the course. If there are two or more presenters the rate is $150.00 per CE hour (which will be split between the two presenters - $75.00 each/CE hour).  Presenters are paid a few weeks after the completed evaluations and sign-in sheets are returned to the office.  

 How many people need to register to have a course be run?

In order for the Society to break even in offering courses, we need to have at least 7 registrants pay. This means that if we have less than that, 2 weeks prior to the presentation date, we will contact the presenter about the situation, work on additional advertising, depending on how close to 7 we have, and then cancel a class if there are less than 7 at least 1 week beforehand. Occasionally, there have been presenters that are willing to take a reduction in fee (less than $100.00) so that they can present. We will do everything we can to be in touch with the presenter to work through this type of situation.

 Can I still teach the course if less than three people sign up?

Yes, you can still teach the course, but you will not be paid.

 Who determines what dates and times the courses are taught?

This is a joint effort between you and the Committee. We ask that you provide at least two possible dates and times and we will work to accommodate your needs with those of the overall schedule. There are times when we cannot accommodate your request but would work with you to see if other dates are possible.

 Can I still teach the course if less than three people sign up?

Yes, you can still teach the course, but you will not be paid.

 Who is responsible for obtaining space for the course?

This is also a joint effort. Many courses are provided in peoples’ offices, assuming they can accommodate 7 people. However, we are currently looking at finding spaces that can be used on a more regular basis to help presenters. If you would like a different space than one you can provide, the Committee may be able to offer you use of a different office or provide you with a list of places you can rent from.

 Will someone mentor me through the presentation process?

Yes. This is one of the primary functions of the committee. Committee members will be available to guide you through the mechanics of presenting, and help you anticipate issues and concerns.

 Do I need to show slides or use other audio-visual media?

This is not a requirement. If you would like to use technology or media that you may not be familiar with, we can find people who can assist you with this. We may be able to find presentation locations that will have equipment available.

 When do I get copies of the evaluations and certificates to hand out?

You will not receive participant handouts for either evaluations or certificates.  At the completion of the workshop participants will receive an email with a link to the online evaluation form -- as soon as the participant submits the evaluation he/she will be provided a link to access their certificate.  Participants will then be able to save or print their certificate on their local computer.  

 Does GWSCSW copy materials I need for the presentation?

The materials you use as handouts for your presentation are your responsibility to copy and have ready. It is not in our budget to pay for these materials. However, you will be provided with the email addresses of your participants prior to your presentation and we encourage you to send your handouts, bibliographies, etc., electronically in advance of the presentation. If there are a lot of registrants and a lot of material that you need to give out, we can certainly discuss this issue to see how we might help. Please contact the committee to discuss this issue. We do not want presenting to be a burden, financially, on presenter.

 Will I get continuing education credit for teaching my course?

Yes. You will receive Category 2 credits for each hour that you present.