Chicago Social Work Conference

Keynote Presentation:

Breast Augmentation, Reconstruction, & ExPlant Patients:
The Overlooked Psychosocial Needs

Amanda Savage Brown, Ph.D, Human Genetics, MSW, LCSW
Founder, Busting Free Health Coaching
Author: Busting Free
ABC Nightline News; 3/23

Breast implants were previously marketed as medical devices that women could safely keep for life. The FDA now cautions that breast implants are not lifetime devices.

This increased awareness of the temporary and problem-prone nature of breast implants affects the psychosocial well-being of the millions of women who opted for breast implants to augment, restore, and reconstruct this highly sexually objectified part of their bodies.

Women with breast implants now live under the mental shadow of more surgeries and surgical risks; this can be particularly problematic for women who endured rigorous breast cancer treatments, develop surgical anxiety, or experience declining health. While living with breast implants, women may develop a sense of self-acceptance dependent upon temporary devices that are costly to maintain. Moreover, because breast implants reinforce socially inherited thinking about women, breasts, and belonging, women may downplay, deny, or tolerate problematic breast implants until the development of an urgent change catalyst. These overlooked psychosocial concerns may contribute to breast-implant-related morbidity and mortality. Therefore, women with breast implants need strategies to increase their psychological flexibility so they can bring their whole selves forward when navigating the powerful thoughts, feelings, and beliefs while living with breast implants, considering their removal, or recovering from explant.

Learning Objectives:

• Help social workers know to consider breast implants as part of a complete biopsychosocial hx and assessment of patients who identify as women
• Identify strategies to increase the psychological flexibility and coping skills of women before, during, and after breast implant removal
• Understand the psychosocial, psychological, and women’s health issues associated with breast augmentation, reconstruction, and explant
• Understand how women’s well-being is affected by the intersection of the FDA’s 2021 and 2022 breast implant safety alerts and society’s sexual objectification of breasts

Treating Domestic Violence Offenders:
“The Healing 2 Healthy” Therapeutic Model

Charles Frazier, DSW, MSW, LCSW

H2 treatment process applies a strength-based methodology using a proprietary 5-S model helping clients leverage areas of personal capability to extract key issues, examine gaps, educate themselves, and enhance their effectiveness throughout custom modules. The model builds ownership and accountability into the modules, so clients emerge with practical plans that intrinsically motivate and whose positive impact is sustainable. By the end of treatment, the client should be able to acknowledge his past behaviors, recognize healthy conflict resolution options, and exercise those healthier choices. The goal is for the client to foster healthy relationships in the future and to avoid Crossing The Line.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand why traditional DV Offenders interventions have not worked
• To explore how masculinity contributes to the violence in our communities
• To provide insights on how trauma and domestic violence are interrelated
• Define components of the “Healing 2 Healthy” innovative DV Offender Group Intervention (H2) focusing on treatment rather than psychoeducation

“Aging in Place” You’re Not Alone:
Finding the Right Choices for In-Home Solutions

Linda Kunicki, CMP
BrightStar Care of Chicago

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the concept of helping clients “Age in Place”
• Identify the systematic planning process for “Aging in Place”
• Identify the continuum of resources available to assist clients plan for “Aging in Place”
• Define the power and value of having a “trusted” case manager or social worker that is a professional client / family advocate who brings to life the “You Are Not Alone” philosophy and model
• Identify the spoken and unspoken fears of clients confronted with who struggle with “home care” planning

Adolescent Substance Use Disorder:
Best Practices in Residential Treatment 

Edward Driver, LCSW

This presentation defines best practices in adolescent substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in residential settings.

Learning Objectives:

• Admission Process & Criteria for Admission
• Residential Treatment Center VS  Partial Hospitalization Programs
• Treatment Planning
• The role of the Treatment Team
• SUD Programming
• Strengths & Weaknesses of a Point System
• Strengths & Weaknesses of a Rewards Incentive Program
• Strengths & Weaknesses of Behavioral Contracts as a Consequence for Maladaptive Behaviors
• Benefits of a Security Band System
• Integrating Academics into Adolescent SUD Residential
• The use of Psychotropics in Adolescent SUD Residential