University of Iowa School of Social Work faculty member Sharaine Webster has been asked to present in April at the Governor’s Conference on Substance Use. The conference is held annually with the goal of expanding knowledge for behavioral health professionals as well as educating supporting disciplines on behavioral health literacy.

Webster, a clinical assistant professor in the School of Social Work in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been asked to present on ethics and updates on the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria adult version.

She will give two presentations, the first one being on the basics of ethics and how to navigate ethical dilemmas, from addressing them to reporting to the proper organizations. Her second presentation will be on the updates ASAM has made since the previous edition of its journal was released, to help guide individuals through basic concept changes, and prepare the state for logistical changes before the next volumes of the journal are released in a few months.

Webster has been a substance use disorder counselor since 2011, soon after graduating with her bachelor's in social work. Since then, her career and passions have grown. She later realized she wanted to pursue mental health counseling, and began learning how to help other clients and professionals navigate the world of addictions. After her years of experience in the field, she has been known to regularly lead training for the Iowa Board of Certification, which led her to be invited to the Governor’s Conference.  

“I realized that counseling and teaching have a special place in my heart. And as a result, I continue to practice and stay balanced with education and research to be able to train others,” said Webster. 

To prepare for the conference, she has been refining her presentation as well as adapting it to be completely online as the conference will be virtual.

Webster hopes the conference provides a similar outcome to the trainings she leads—that every attendee learns something new. Additionally, she hopes that those listening to her presentations can take what they learn and apply it to their own work in the future.