Cultural Humility and Building Stronger Connections Across Backgrounds: Applying the Family-as-Host Model for Responsive and Respectful Engagement

*This event is open to the public* This is a live interactive webinar. Registered participants will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to join the session. Presenter: Dr. Mirian Ofonedu, PhD, LCSW-C, is the director of training at the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute. She is an associate professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Graduate School and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Department of Mental Health. She is also a faculty affiliate of the Johns Hopkins Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities and an adjunct professor at the UMB School of Social Work. Dr. Ofonedu is a psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker and a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA). Her work spans across two decades. CEU: 3.0 Continuing Education Credit Hours Session Description For individuals, families, and communities to fully engage in services, education, and research efforts, they must first feel understood, respected, and acknowledged. Professionals who take deliberate steps to understand different life experiences and communication styles—while offering thoughtful information, resources, and support—can create stronger pathways for engagement and better outcomes. This interactive workshop introduces the “Family-as-Host” model, a framework that helps providers center humility and mutual respect when working with individuals and families whose backgrounds may differ from their own. Participants will gain practical skills to improve engagement, build meaningful relationships, and strengthen the impact of their work across a variety of service settings. This seminar is intended to meet most professional licensing board requirements of enhancing competency in working effectively with individuals, families, and communities from various backgrounds and life experiences. It also meets other Social Work Practice content as required by the Maryland Bo