“Back to Normal?” Effects of Pandemic Ableism on Colleagues & Clients – Karen E. Latus, LMSW

PM Breakouts – 60 minutes

Presenter Pronouns: she/ella

OVERVIEW
Most of us would be thrilled to never encounter the words “Covid,” “pandemic,” or “unprecedented” ever again. However, as much as our exhaustion can make “getting back to normal” seem like a relief, we have an ethical responsibility to consider how reverting to pre-pandemic practices may harm vulnerable colleagues and clients. Colleagues may be experiencing significant reductions in career opportunities and peer support, and clients may be losing access to services altogether. Meanwhile, years of comments implying disabled bodies are expendable have taken a toll. What can we, as a justice-minded social work community, do to ensure that we are practicing our values?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
As a result of attending this presentation, participants will:

1. Identify ways that pushes for “back to normal” create systemic, exclusionary barriers for colleagues and clients with chronic health concerns or similar disabilities;

2. Attend to community wellbeing by recognizing the socioemotional impacts of pandemic-related ableism, including within our own profession and related health professions; and

3. Advocate for policies and practices along the macro-micro spectrum that better reflect social work values.

TARGET AUDIENCE
Social workers in all areas can benefit from this presentation, as it will consider issues along the macro-micro spectrum, from intra-professional considerations to direct practice.

Karen Latus headshot

PRESENTER
Karen E. Latus is a licensed master social worker (LMSW) whose areas of focus are school social work, immigration, trauma, and anti-racism education. She spent nearly two decades in secondary education, teaching Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL), and by integrating classroom instruction and school social work, she designed a bilingual intervention program for undocumented and unaccompanied minors that the American Council for School Social Work recognized as a model of best practice. Karen was named one of 9 finalists for the State of Tennessee’s Teacher of the Year award in 2018, and honored with the 2019 Community Impact Award by the Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare. In addition to being the board president of Serving Immigrants (a Tennessee-based nonprofit that provides pro bono mental health evaluations for asylum seekers), she currently serves as an adjunct professor and field instructor for the University of Tennessee College of Social Work, an adjunct professor for East

Tennessee State University’s social work program and a SAMHSA-funded consultant for the University of Maryland School of Social Work.