On October 21, 2022, the NH Coalition to End Homelessness will host a training on Cultural Appropriate Practices When Working With People Who Are Experiencing Homelessness.

This full day training will provide a learning opportunity from recent New Hampshire research to understand the experiences of Black, Indigenous, People of Color who have experienced homelessness. With this foundation, and the understanding that there is a significant racial and ethnic disparity in New Hampshire’s homelessness, this training will also provide an opportunity for providers to understand the importance of ensuring cultural appropriateness in their service provision. Awareness to providers unconscious bias, and the stigmas experienced across cultures, will improve readiness and responsiveness when working with Black, Indigenous, People of Color who are experiencing homelessness. The training will also help attendees identify provider and agency next steps to ensure continued cultural appropriateness practice in their work setting.
​​

EVENT DETAILS
What: Cultural Appropriate Practices When Working With People Who Are Experiencing Homelessness
When: Friday, October 21, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Holiday Inn, Concord, NH
Registration is Required.
Cost: $100
This program has been approved for 6 Category A Continuing Education Credits by the National Association of Social Workers NH Chapter. 

ABOUT THE TRAINERS

Gretchen Bean, MSW is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Social Work Department at the University of New Hampshire and serves as the Undergraduate Program Director. Ms. Bean has long been interested in issues pertaining to housing insecurity.  In 2007, she conducted qualitative interviews with vulnerable populations of teens and young women for the Girls Speak Up project, many of whom experienced housing insecurity.  In 2010, Ms. Bean worked with the local coalition on housing to conduct a review of best practices in addressing homelessness.  Since 2014, Ms. Bean has been teaching a course on housing and homelessness at UNH each fall. In her free time, Ms. Bean enjoys walking in the woods, spending time along the coast, and watching movies with her family.

Dr. Sherri Simmons-Horton is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Simmons-Horton has over 25 years of practice experience in the child welfare system, with a focus on addressing racial disparities present for Black children, youth, and families. Her practice experience ranges from case management to supervision and consulting with private child-placing agencies in Texas. Dr. Simmons-Horton’s research focuses on youth involved in the juvenile justice and foster care systems (dual-status youth), systemic race inequities in the child welfare system, and resilience of Black youth and families. Dr. Simmons-Horton is an advisory board member with the Black Administrators in Child Welfare, and a staunch child, family, and youth advocate, with a strong interest in practice and policy strategies to dismantle racial inequities oppressive practices in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. 

Lynn Clowes, MA has a background in crossing cultures. She has trained others on Cultural Effectiveness for 25 years, conducting and facilitating workshops and forums for health, mental health, and human service providers as well as educators and business employees that serve culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse populations. Beyond workshops, Clowes and her associates provide long and short-term consulting with agencies on organizational culture, culturally competent policies and procedures, and managing workplace diversity among employees or between providers and clients. For five years Clowes taught English to adult refugees. She spent nine years conducting cultural orientation workshops for newly arriving refugees, through Ascentria Care Alliance. Clowes speaks French, Spanish, Finnish, and English, hopes to learn Abenaki language, and has served as an interpreter in Central America Solidarity work. Clowes draws on over thirty years of experience in cultural exchange and international development to inform her work. Clowes worked as Director of Training at the Mississippi Consortium for International Development at Jackson State University. She received a BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania and a MA in International and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. She is passionate about educating and learning about the issues of race, culture, and justice.

Dr. Dottie R. Morris is currently the Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity at Keene State College. As the Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity, Dr. Morris is a member of the Keene State College President’s Cabinet. Her main role is to collaborate with the President and Vice Presidents as the institution establishes strategies and practices to co-create an environment deeply rooted in the principles of equity, diversity, and social justice. Dr. Morris received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Washington State University, MA in Counseling Psychology from Texas Southern University and BA in Psychology from Dillard University. 

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Morris has worked with undergraduate and graduate students as counselor, teacher, academic advisor, and advisor of student groups. She has demonstrated continuous dedication and devotion to diversity, equity, multiculturalism, and social justice over the past two decades. Prior to her current position at Keene State, she served as the Associate Dean for Student Learning at World Learning School for International Training Institute (SIT), the Director of Student Affairs for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Antioch University New England, and staff psychologist at the Colorado State University Counseling Center and the Coordinator of the Employee Assistance Program.

She has been appointed to a variety of state and local committees and commissions. Some of the committees and commissions include NH Governor’s Council on Equity and Inclusion, NH Governor’s COVID 19 Equity Response team, Co-chair of the City of Keene’s Racial Justice and Safety committee and member of the Keene Human Rights Committee. She is also a member of several boards such as NH ACLU (Board Chair), Leadership NH, and Kopkind Nonprofit Educational Foundation. She is the recipient of several awards including, the 2019 Martin Luther King Award, New Hampshire YWCA Hero for Justice, the Counselor for Social Justice Ohana Award, and Outstanding Woman of New Hampshire award. She is a proud native of Louisiana.

Kind Regards,
The NHCEH Team