Course

26405 - A Beginner’s Guide to Learning or Teaching the DSM

3 credits

$69 Enroll

Full course description

Title: A Beginner’s Guide to Learning or Teaching the DSM 

Presented By: Justin Bennett, MSW, LCSW 

Program #: 26405

Date(s): August 21, 2025 

Time: 1:00 PM – 4:15 PM, Central Time 

Format: Live Interactive Webinar, Synchronous Distance Learning 

Location: Online 

CE Credit Awarded: 3 CE Credits 

Total Minutes of Educational Instruction: 180 Minutes 

Fee: $69; fee collected at registration includes attendance for the training and CE certificate issuance 

 

Agenda: 

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (60 minutes) 

  • History of the DSM 

  • Overview of the DSM 

 

2:00 PM – 2:10 PM – BREAK 

 

2:10 PM– 3:00 PM (50 minutes) 

  • Assessments, Interviews, Measures 

  • Goals when teaching the DSM 

 

3:00 PM – 3:10 PM - BREAK 

 

3:10 PM– 4:20 PM (70 minutes) 

  • Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders 

  • Vignette 

  • Clinical impressions 

 

Speaker Bio: Justin Bennett is a Missouri native and Licensed Clinical Social Worker who discovered his calling for public service over 15 years ago. While hospice ignited his passion for the field, he would go on to spend the majority of his career providing much needed state and federal funded mental health services. He is passionate about mental health care being free of barriers and stigma. While his practice has always involved direct care, he’s worked to change policies and procedures at departmental and state levels to improve access to care. He has taken an active role in advancing the social work profession through advocacy and in developing rules and regulations to improve practice. He also believes in educating and mentoring the next generation of social workers, and as such has taught at a local School of Social Work for over a decade. He has led a variety of professional speaking engagements to help other professionals grow their knowledge and to offer space for them to share their perspective. His commitment to the field of social work and those served has led him to his current role coordinating admissions for a federal agency’s substance abuse program, to serve as a member of a committee governing the practice of social work across the state, and to educate social work students on the ethics of diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. Most recently, he became the owner of Mindful Perspective LLC, where he will help people and organizations find balance through developing perspective in the many facets of their life and practice. 

 

Learning Objectives: 

1.  Discuss the history of the DSM 

2.  Describe benefits and criticisms of the DSM 

3.  Review Cross-Cutting Symptom Measures and Cultural Formulation Interview 

4.  Consider what beginners should be learning 

5.  Describe how to diagnose and create clinical impressions 

 

Description: Mental health professionals have a profound responsibility to diagnose individuals in a way that is ethical and honors lived experiences. This presentation will benefit learners with a wide range of experience related to using the DSM. The goal is for beginners and those who are supervising, teaching, or mentoring individuals new to the mental health field to have a starting point for their discussions. In this presentation you will learn about the history and evolution of the DSM. There will be an overview of benefits and criticisms of the DSM, which will also lead to what professionals should know as they begin to use the DSM. During this presentation you will learn about the cross-cutting measures and other tools to benefit the interviewing and diagnostic process. The presentation will close with a discussion on how to diagnose and create clinical impressions that will justify the diagnoses given. 

 

Target Audience: Social Workers, Counselors, and/or other Mental Health Professionals 

 

Accreditations: 

Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) 

The University of Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri Institute of Mental Health will be responsible for this program and will maintain a record of your continuing education credits earned. 

MIMH awards 3 clock hour(s) or 3.6 contact hour(s) (.36 CEUs) for this program, including 0 clock hour(s) towards ethics, 0 clock hour(s) towards suicide prevention, and 0 clock hour(s) towards cultural competency. 

 

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) 

MIMH is an NBCC - Approved Continuing Education Provider, No. 6339 (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC - approved clock hours for events (or programs) that meet NBCC requirements. Sessions (or programs) for which NBCC – approved clock hours will be awarded are identified in the program bulletin (or web site). The ACEP is solely responsible for all aspects for the program. 

3 clock hour(s) are offered to the participant for this program. 

 

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) ACE 

University of Missouri - St. Louis, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, Professional Training Center, provider number: 1880, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: September 5, 2024 – September 5, 2025. Social workers completing this course receive [3] [General] continuing education credits. 

 

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, Approved Education Provider 

This course has been approved by the University of Missouri - St. Louis, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, Professional Training Center, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for [3] CE(s). NAADAC Provider #312308, University of Missouri - St. Louis, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, Professional Training Center is responsible for all aspects of its programing. 

 

Accommodations Policy: Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact MIMH, Professional Training Center in writing at conferences@mimh.edu , as early as possible to request reasonable accommodations, such as ASL interpreters, alternate format materials, and map of accessible features. 

 

Grievance Policy for UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center:  

Complaints about Course Content, Speakers, Facilities, Nonreceipt of Certificates, Miscellaneous: 

UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center is committed to providing quality professional continuing education trainings. If you experience dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided, the course content, speakers, facilities used, certificates or nonreceipt of certificates, etc., please email conferences@mimh.edu to notify UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center of your grievance. UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center CE Director, Kelly Gregory (kelly.gregory@mimh.edu ) and Social Work Consultant, Megan Galmiche (megan.galmiche@mimh.edu ) will review the grievance and will provide a response within 10 business days of communication. All grievances and actions taken to resolve the grievance will be documented, kept confidential, and only used to improve future courses. 

Refund and/or Cancellation Requests:  

If you are unable to attend and/or exhibit, we ask that you notify us as soon as possible at conferences@mimh.edu . Cancellations received in writing 5 business days prior for online programs, and 30 business days prior for in-person programs prior to the date of the program will be refunded, less a processing fee. For registrants, you may send a substitute, but we ask that you notify us in writing of this change at conferences@mimh.edu . If you do not attend or send a substitute, you or your employer will be responsible for the registration fee and/or exhibit fee in full. 

 

Course Completion Requirements:  

  1. Attend course 

  1. After the course has completed you will receive an email to take the online evaluation 

  1. Submit the online course evaluation 

 

Deadline to Register: Registrations may be taken up until one hour before the start of the program to allow for time to receive instructions and login. 

 

System Requirements:  

  • An internet connection – broadband wired or wireless (4G/LTE or 5G) 

  • Speakers and a microphone – built-in, USB plug-in, or wireless Bluetooth. Participants’ audio and video functionality will initially be off during the webinar. Participants may choose to turn on their own video and/or audio, but are not required to. Participants may type questions in the Q&A or Chat functions in Zoom. The host or speaker will read each question/comment and respond to them during the training. 

  • A webcam is not required for participants. Participants may choose to turn on their own video and/or audio, but are not required to. The speaker and the host will have their webcam and audio functionality turned on throughout the webinar, so you may see the speaker, host, and slides.  

 

Certificate of Credit:  

  1. Certificate of credit will be sent via email immediately after the course evaluation has been submitted 

  1. Keep your email with certificate of credit and any pertinent course information (flyer, brochure, program, schedule, agenda, etc.) for your records 

  1. UMSL | MIMH, Professional Training Center will maintain a record of your attendance and certificate of credit for seven years after program start date 

 

Organization Responsible for Course: 

UMSL | Missouri Institute of Mental Health, Professional Training Center 

RCEW Building 

8225 Florissant Rd. 

St. Louis, MO 63121-2020 

Website: www.mimhtraining.com   

Contact Information: conferences@mimh.edu | 314-516-8419