Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (ESPEC)

A New Training Program for Palliative Care Social Workers | Currently Recruiting Trainers

The MJHS Institute for Innovation in Palliative (MJHS Institute) is pleased to announce the launch of a new training program, Educating Social Workers in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (ESPEC). This innovative program was designed by social workers for social workers, to meet the needs of front-line social workers in hospitals, home care, long-term care, and other health care settings for training in primary palliative care. 

ESPEC was created by the MJHS Institute in partnership with SWHPN and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). It is led by Project Director Myra Glajchen, DSW, MSW, BSW, ACSW, APHSW-C, Director of Education and Training at the MJHS Institute, and Project Co-Director Shirley Otis-Green, MSW, MA, ACSW, LCSW, OSW-CE, FNAP, FAOSW. An Advisory Board comprised of national leaders in social work education and health social work has lent its expertise to the project. 

The four-part ESPEC curriculum provides interactive online coursework, live virtual instructor-led training, monthly mentorship, and leadership training.

  • Part I: Interactive online ESPEC training, which provides 8 hours of CEUs, is hosted on NASW’s Social Work Online CE Institute and is available at socialworkers.org/espec. Using the eight domains of palliative care as a framework, the online training includes instructional videos, clinical encounters highlighting the role of the social worker, and best social work practices. Training includes interactive exercises, reflective questions, and resources for self-directed learning.
  • Part II: Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT), provided in real-time on an interactive platform, is available to social workers who complete the 8-hour online course. Part II offers 2.5 hours of CEU. The training uses clinical scenarios and facilitated group discussion to improve competency in biopsychosocial-spiritual assessment, the family meeting, advance care planning, and interprofessional communication. This training will provide an opportunity for social workers to observe, rehearse, and discuss best social work practices, with guidance from senior ESPEC trainers who are leaders in the field of palliative social work.
  • Part III: For those who complete the online and VILT courses, ESPEC will offer optional monthly mentorship sessions focused on the implementation of new practice skills and challenges facing front-line social workers.
  • Part IV: To develop new leaders and expand the availability of palliative social work, ESPEC will provide Leadership Training in collaboration with SWHPN. This training will provide 4.0 hours of social work CEUs and is available to social workers who have completed ESPEC Parts I and II. Leadership Training offers live virtual or in-person training and is designed to improve competence, confidence, and visibility in the health social work role. Sessions include Define Your Brand: Become a Social Work Influencer; Refine Your Message: Become an Effective Social Work Advocate; Expand Your Communication Skills: Become an Effective Team Player; and Build Your Professional Development Plan: Become a Social Work Leader. For more information including how to register for the Leadership Training, including information about the Pre-Conference Session at the 2022 SWHPN General Assembly, click here.

Benefits of Becoming an ESPEC Trainer

  • Receive best practice training for integrating key palliative care principles into clinical social work.
  • Receive training materials (Trainer’s Manual, checklists, articles, teaching slides).
  • Receive training to become a more effective social work influencer, advocate, team player, and leader.
  • Receive a Certificate of Completion plus an ESPEC Trainer Certificate.

Eligibility for Leadership Training

You may also apply for consideration as an ESPEC Advanced Trainer. This will require a separate application with a view to developing a pool of more advanced ESPEC Trainers and Leaders.

Eligibility for consideration as an ESPEC Advanced Trainer: 

  • Completion of ESPEC training as described above
  • Commitment to teach Virtual Instructor-Led Training sessions after training
  • Commitment to present Leadership Webinars after training.

We are grateful to the following ESPEC funders for providing support for ESPEC Trainer scholarships: The New York Community Trust, the United States Cancer Pain Relief Committee, The Y.C. Ho/Helen & Michael Chiang Foundation, and the Hearst Foundations.

Those selected as Trainers will be provided with a choice of dates for the VILT, Mentorship, and Leadership course components. 

SWHPN Members can receive 10% off ESPEC registration with code 10ESPEC22.

To register for ESPEC: click here.

To register for the SWHPN ESPEC Leadership Pre-Conference Training on April 24 at the SWHPN General Assembly: click here.

(Please note, you must complete ESPEC Parts I and II on March 31, 2022 to participate in the Pre-Con Training on April 24, 2022. Go here to register for the March 31 ESPEC Training).

To download a copy of the full ESPEC Training Calendar for 2022, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ESPEC?

ESPEC is a new training program designed to help social workers integrate the NCP Domains of Palliative Care into social work practice, strengthen their practice skills, and develop a professional development plan to increase their visibility and leadership.

Registration for ESPEC is available at socialworkers.org/espec. The program provides up to 14.5 social work CE hours for completion of all training components.

The foundation of ESPEC is an online training course that provides 8 hours of CE. This is followed by a 2.5-hour Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT), a live online session designed to ​increase your competence and confidence in four main practice skills. You can register for specific dates that you are interested in when you sign up on the NASW website. Shirley Otis-Green will be offering ongoing monthly Mentorship to aid participants in applying ESPEC skills in their work settings. Your registration also includes 4 hours of Leadership Training, which will be offered both virtually and (when possible) in person. These will be offered on specific dates.

What are the additional responsibilities of the leaders?

  • You agree to complete the entire program - all four parts of the curriculum.
  • You agree to present a portion of the ESPEC curriculum in your institution or setting using the course material we provide.

What additional opportunities are available through ESPEC?

  • You may also apply for consideration as an ESPEC Advanced Trainer.
  • This will require a separate application with a view to developing a pool of more advanced ESPEC Trainers and Leaders.
  • You will be invited to join a community of practice to share resources and provide ongoing support for best practices in palliative social work 

Eligibility for consideration as an ESPEC Advanced Trainer: 

  • Completion of all four parts of the curriculum as described above
  • Commitment to teaching Virtual Instructor-Led Training sessions after training
  • Commitment to present Leadership Webinars after training.

What if I have further questions about ESPEC?