Social Work Global Conference Report 2020

9 th Annual Social Work in the Global Environment Conference Social Determinants of Health: Local - Global Challenges for Vulnerable Populations NOVEMBER 6, 2020 - 8:00 A.M. - 4 P.M. - VIRTUAL CONFERENCE NEWSLETTER In an effort to provide an expansion on the understanding of how global events are connected to local issues, Kutztown University has been hosting annually the Global Environment Conference since 2011. The aim of the Social Work in the Global Environment Conference is to contribute to the local - global perspectives in social work, utilizing the strategy: thinking globally and acting locally. The theme for the 2020 conference was “ Social Determinants of Health: Local - Global Challenges for Vulnerable Populations. ” The conference focused on issues relating to three sub - themes: environmental impacts and issues, regional and national conflicts, and challenges to health systems/delivery that affect the health and well - being of vulnerable populations. The conference included panel discussions and presentations from both invited speakers and peer - reviewed proposal submissions from across the globe including the Netherlands, Ghana, Canada, as well as speakers from various areas in the United States. Presentation topics included climate change, food production and zoonotic disease; migrant health and chronic diseases; addressing food insecurity; the global impact of for - profit detention; mental health; telehealth; the vulnerability of persons with disabilities; naming and confronting racism; social justice conversations; the dilemma of migration; and domestic violence. The conference also included a Pre - Conference Virtual Self - Care Day or- ganized by the Kutztown University student group, Social Workers and Advocates of Kutztown, which focused on self - care for change makers.