The program offers a comprehensive foundation in veterinary social work topics focusing on the knowledge and skills needed to integrate animals into social work practice in ethically sound ways and in keeping with the values of the social work profession.

The vision of VSW-CP is to produce professional social workers knowledgeable in the practice and skills necessary to help people through human animals relationships in a variety of settings and through a variety of micro and macro practice methods.

Admission Requirements:

• Applicants must have graduated from a CSWE accredited Social Work program with their Master of Social Work.
• Applicants must be registered with the health-related boards in their state of residence.
• If you are a licensed BSW, an MSW without a state registration or license, or a mental health professional that is not a social worker, click here for our waiving admission requirement policy.

Certificate Overview:

• Modules: Online, self-paced, year-round availability, NASW CE approved
  • Compassion Fatigue and Conflict Management
  • Animal Related Grief and Bereavement
  • Animal Assisted Interventions
  • The Link Between Human and Animal Violence
• Supervision Sessions: Online video conference
  • 2 sessions per area of veterinary social work
  • Each session is two hours
  • Hosted once a year, dates TBD
• Keystone Project: Proposals can be submitted after completion of related modules.
  • Participants must complete a keystone project that requires at least 250 hours of service learning. This piece of the certificate requires participants to take their new knowledge and turn it into action. The keystone component is flexible and is designed to help participants develop relationships and begin the process of making their goals come into being. This project is complete at a location of the certificate participants choosing.
• Workshops: 3 workshops
  • Animal Assisted Interventions Workshop
    • NASW CE approved
    • Hosted once a year, dates TBD
    • Via Zoom video conference
  • Veterinary Social Work Intensive
    • NASW CE approved
    • Hosted once a year, dates TBD
    • Via Zoom video conference
  • 3-day International Veterinary Social Work Summit--this must be paid separately. 
    • October, biennially (2022, 2024, 2026)
    • Location TBD

Certificate participants can purchase each certificate requirement as they move through the program or they can pay in advance. Participants have 5-6 years to complete all of the requirements.

This price includes the 4 required online modules, 8 supervision sessions, the AAI workshop, and the Intensive. at a 10% discount.  Registration for the Summit must be paid separately.  
When you are ready to sign up for the live-online events, reach out to Bethanie Poe on the Slack channel, and she will give you a coupon code to use to enroll.