Ethics Symposium

Name: Ethics Symposium
Start: 2026-04-09T07:00:00-04:00
Location: Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort

Schedule

Thu, 09 Apr, 2026 at 07:00 am

UTC-04:00

Location

Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort | Ocean City, MD

NASW-MD Chapter's 2026 Ocean City Ethics Symposium (IN-PERSON)
Thursday, April 9, 2026
CEUs:
6 Ethics
Course Number:
MD20260409
Date:
April 9, 2026
7:00 AM - 8:00 PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort
9100 Coastal Highway
North Ocean City, Maryland 21842
Discounts on Hotel Rooms are available! Call 1-800-476-9253
Breakfast & Lunch are included

Program Agenda
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM Registration & Continental Breakfast NASW-MD Chapter
8:30 AM – 8:45 AM Welcome Remarks & Announcements Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW
8:45 AM –12:00 PM Morning Workshop (including 15-minute break)
Part I: The Ethics of Innovation: Artificial Intelligence, Documentation Integrity, and Safeguarding Client Privacy
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Networking Lunch (Buffet or Plated) NASW-MD Chapter Staff and Ethics Committee
1:00 PM – 4:15 PM Afternoon Workshop (includes 15-minute break)
Part II: The Ethics of Innovation: Artificial Intelligence, Documentation Integrity, and Safeguarding Client Privacy Presented by: Dawn M. Hobdy, MSW, and Andrea Murray, LICSW
4:15 PM – 4:30 PM Closing Remarks & Raffle Basket Announcements Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Break
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM Optional event: Business Card Swap Happy Hour/Reception NASW Ethics Committee
Presenters: Dawn M. Hobdy, MSW and Andrea Murray, LICSW
About the Presenters:
Dawn M. Hobdy, MSW, is the former Vice President of Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion at the National Association of Social Workers and has over 25 years of experience in developing ethics content and conducting training. A renowned presenter, she has spoken at more than 250 national and international conferences, recognized for her compassion, expertise, and engaging style. Ms. Hobdy has served as Ethics Commissioner for the International Federation of Social Workers and as co-chair of the CSWE Ethics Track. She has contributed to various task forces, including the ASWB International Technology Task Force and the NASW Code of Ethics Revisions Task Force. She has led significant efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in social work, advocating for improved representation across different demographics in membership and leadership. Recently, she founded SWSS LLC, a consulting firm supporting social workers. Ms. Hobdy teaches Gerontology and Human Behavior at Howard University and Ethics at the National Catholic School of Social Service. She holds a diversity and inclusion certification from Cornell University, an MSW from Howard University, and a BS in Communications from Syracuse University.
Andrea Murray, MSW, LICSW, is director of the NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review. She has served in various roles in the office, overseeing the Association's ethics programming and the professional review process. Andrea holds an MSW degree from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto. She is also a certified project manager and mediator. Andrea initiated her social work career in the District of Columbia’s child welfare system. As manager of the District’s first post-adoption support unit, she built a program that served over 1300 adoptive families. In her role as Manager, Systems Improvement Methodology at Casey Family Programs, Andrea provided technical assistance and consultation on a wide array of issues to child welfare agencies and associated systems nationwide. Today, Andrea produces a wide array of NASW ethics resources, including the NASW’s Ethics Table Talks, the Ethics 8 tip sheet series, and NASW’s 2022 online ethics course, Understanding the NASW Code of Ethics.
Synopsis (for parts I and II): As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in healthcare and human services, social workers must grapple with both its potential and its pitfalls. This 6-hour, beginner-level workshop explores how AI tools are entering practice—from clinical documentation to assessment support—and the ethical questions that accompany them. Together, participants will learn strategies to ensure compliance with professional values and the NASW Code and COMAR while protecting client privacy, maintaining accurate records, and addressing bias in machine-generated content. Participants will also consider how technology reshapes power dynamics, informed consent, and professional accountability in practice.
Learning Objectives: By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Demonstrate basic knowledge of AI and its use in social work
Apply relevant sections of the NASW Code of Ethics to evaluate appropriate use of emerging technologies in social work practice.
Identify and analyze ethical risks related to the use of AI in assessments, communications, documentation, and other critical areas of social work practice.
Develop strategies to safeguard client confidentiality and uphold informed consent when using digital or AI-driven tools.
Critically assess issues of bias, accuracy, and equity in AI-generated content andtheir implications for ethical social work practice.
CEUs: 6 Ethics CEUs
Please Note: Ethics evaluation and CEUs will be provided on-site at the end of the event via QR Code.
Please Note: This workshop fulfills the 3-hour requirement by the Maryland BSWE for license renewal.
Please Note: This workshop fulfills the 6 hour ethics requirement by the DC Board of Social work for License R