The 509 Public Sector
Training Program
The courses in our Training Program are free for SEIU Local 509 Public Sector state workers. We offer live trainings (in person or virtually) and self-paced learning on virtual platforms.
Register for a Live Training
Enhance your skills and take the next step to success!
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Click on the arrow next to the training name to open the description.
Click on the registration link at bottom of the description.
Fill out the online registration form.
After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email within one business day. Please note, ADA accommodations are available upon request. Simply indicate the accessibility services you need on the training registration form at least 2 weeks before the training date. Take the first step and explore upcoming trainings below!
Didn’t receive a confirmation email or need help registering? Please Contact Us
Advanced Practice Institute
Our Advanced Practice Institute offers career-focused programs that help workers access certifications, CEUs, PDPs, and other training and professional development focused on career specialization.
Open the description of the training to find the registration link.
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Date: October 7, 2025
*Registration Deadline September 30, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Trainer: Oscar Oliveira Soens, Program Director for Safe Homes, a program of Open Sky Community Services
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Amidst a rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ bias, it is more important than ever that everyone is educated in how to best support and serve the LGBTQ+ members of our communities. Learn about factors that influence LGBTQ+ well-being, appropriate and intentional language use, and best practices for engaging LGBTQ+ individuals whether they are colleagues, family members, or individuals served. Get your questions answered and gain the skills and knowledge necessary to address the needs of the LGBTQ+ people in your life and learn about where to look for additional information and resources.
Following this training the participants will understand:
• Terminology and etiquette
• Factors that influence the physical and mental well-being of members of the LGBTQ+ community
• Best practices for serving LGBTQ+ individuals
Credits:
3 CE credits approved for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors
2.5 credits approved for MA Social Workers; MA Licensed Mental Health Counselors; and MA Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselors
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Training Date: October 16, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Trainers: Ayala Livny, M. Ed. and Liz Geisel, MSW
Working in human services often means bearing witness to the suffering of others. How does bearing witness impact us? What are the tools we need in order to take care of ourselves as we are caring for others? Through this training, participants will explore the concepts of compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout; connect with others with similar experiences, and develop concrete tools and strategies for self care. Participants will leave better equipped to provide services to those impacted by trauma and care for themselves as they care for others.
Credits:
Applications have been submitted for CEUs for Licensed Social Workers and Licensed Mental Health Counselors.
3 CE credits approved for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors
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Dates: October 23 & November 18, 2025
*Registration Deadline October 16, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on each day
Trainer: Suzy Langevin, LICSW, LADC I, Director of Training and Professional Development at Open Sky Community Services
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Overview:
This training is intended to help participants to understand the overlap between Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral strategies. We will provide a brief overview of the core strategies of both MI and CBT with a particular focus on how they can both be used to support practitioners in meeting individuals where they are at. This training will allow participants to identify how to assess the individual’s stage of change throughout treatment and select interventions based on this assessment. Participants will have the opportunity to try these strategies in real plays and role plays in the training.
Following this training the participants will understand:
The MI and CBT strategies overlap and are suited for use together.
The core components to be used when implementing CBT or MI interventions in a therapeutic context.
How to assess and respond to an individual’s stage of change and readiness for change in a particular area as a part of implementing standard CBT in practice.
Credits:
6 CE credits approved for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors
5.5 credits approved for MA Social Workers; MA Licensed Mental Health Counselors; and MA Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselors
*Please Note: Attendance at each day of the training is required to earn CE credits.
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Training Date: November 6, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Trainers: Ayala Livny, M. Ed. and Liz Geisel, MSW
The challenges of working in front-line human services are significant. Staffing shortages, high levels of client distress, resources that are insufficient to meet the needs, the demands of in-person work, and the vicarious and actual trauma staff experience while working with marginalized and vulnerable populations all contribute to challenges with staff engagement, retention, and morale. However, despite these very real challenges, there are things staff can do to promote and enhance a culture of self- and community- care. This workshop will explore the difference between stress and burnout, and how adequate resources and appropriate supports can encourage retention and well-being despite difficult circumstances. Grounded in and guided by models of Trauma-informed Care and Trauma-Informed Supervision, participants will leave with concrete tools and identify the next steps to create and improve a culture of care in their organization.
Credits:
3 CE credits approved for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors
2.5 CE credits approved for MA Social Workers; MA Licensed Mental Health Counselors; and MA Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselors
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Training Date: December 4, 2025, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Trainers: Ayala Livny, M. Ed. and Liz Geisel, MSW
Beyond the easy and obvious boundaries lay the complexities of human relationships. The most successful providers find ways to truly connect with, honor, and support clients while remaining professional, safe, and clear about their role.
This workshop explores these challenges and offers tools to successfully navigate the more nuanced areas. Attendees will leave feeling more confident in their abilities to identify when a boundary may have been crossed, disclose information about themselves appropriately, and ultimately provide the highest quality services to clients.
Credits:
3 CE credits approved for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors
2.5 CE credits approved for MA Social Workers; MA Licensed Mental Health Counselors; and MA Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselors
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Date: December 11, 2025
*Registration Deadline December 4, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Trainer: Suzy Langevin, LICSW, LADC I, Director of Training and Professional Development at Open Sky Community Services
Location: Virtual on Zoom
This is an intermediate level training that is designed to provide context and interventions based in CBT treatment model for practitioners working with individuals who experience co-occurring substance use and trauma. The overlap between those who are in treatment for substance use disorder and those who have experienced trauma is considerable, with estimates ranging from 60-97%. Because of this, substance use treatment providers need both a working knowledge of the impacts of trauma both generally and on recovery, and interventions to address these two interconnected issues. This training will provide background information and a review of the evidence-based modalities that can address these two issues in concert for more effective treatment.
Following this training the participants will understand:
• Reactions to trauma and ways in which substance use and trauma reactivity impact one another.
• Identify strategies to improve engagement for individuals who experience co-occurring substance use and trauma.
• Identify clinical strategies for treating substance use and trauma simultaneously for the best efficacy, including Seeking Safety, CPT and other trauma-informed treatment approaches.
Credits:
3 CE credits approved for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors
2.5 credits approved for MA Social Workers; MA Licensed Mental Health Counselors; and MA Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselors
Languages and Cultures
Trainings in this category aim to expand workers’ awareness of the languages and cultures represented in the Commonwealth.
Open the description of the training to find the registration link.
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Dates: October 31, November 7, November 14, and November 21 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Trainer: Yvonne Brown, Signing Basics
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Overview:
In this 8-hour course, participants will learn the basics of American Sign Language, including finger lettering and common signs for communicating in human services settings.
Train with a live, experienced ASL instructor with a focus on the signs you need to communicate with colleagues and clients. This training is highly interactive and requires participants to have their cameras on to receive feedback from the instructor.
Wellness and Self-Care
Our Wellness and Self-Care program is focused on workers’ personal growth and development. Centered on self-care amid trauma stewardship, the program aims to prevent burnout and support workers in the vital work that they do.
Open the description of the training to find the registration link.
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Training Date:
September 24, 2025, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Trainer: Ayala Livny, M. Ed. and Liz Geisel, MSW
In today’s human service environments - where funding cuts, complex client needs, scarce resources, and frequent staff turnover are the norm - maintaining healthy boundaries can feel like an uphill climb. For those working with vulnerable populations, the pull to give more than is sustainable is constant; and yet, without clear boundaries, compassion fatigue, burnout, and role confusion can quickly take hold.
This interactive, virtual training offers a practical and compassionate approach to creating and sustaining boundaries at work. Together, we will examine what healthy boundaries look like in the context of high-demand, low-resource settings, and why they are essential for both client care and personal well-being.
Through collaborative, honest, and real-world discussion, participants will gain tools to navigate client relationships, team dynamics, and organizational pressures to help protect their energy, uphold personal integrity, and stay grounded in their values.
Learning Objectives:
Define healthy professional boundaries in human service settings and understand their importance in preventing burnout and compassion fatigue.
Recognize how funding cuts, limited resources, complex client needs, and staff turnover impact the ability to set and maintain boundaries.
Apply practical strategies to navigate boundary challenges with clients, coworkers, and organizational demands.
Identify and commit to personal actions that protect energy, uphold personal integrity, and sustain long-term effectiveness.
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Training Date:
October 15, 2025, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Trainer: Susan Buchholz, The HeartWell Institute
Mindfulness practice helps us exist in the present moment with awareness and without judgment of our reactions. In stressful situations, mindfulness allows us to regulate our emotions and respond purposefully, which is crucial for maintaining our ability to provide compassionate and effective care. In this session, participants will learn more about the concept of mindfulness and effective tools for managing stress, enhancing emotional resilience, and fostering a greater sense of well-being.
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Training Date:
November 12, 2025, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Trainer: Amy Ebbeson, Worcester Addresses Childhood Trauma (ACTs)
Designed to help participants learn about the fundamentals of mental health and trauma, this program integrates current trauma science and provides actionable knowledge on positive steps towards supporting mental health, with a focus on cultivating personal well-being strategies.
Intended Audience: Open to anyone seeking a foundational understanding of how to maintain good mental health and the influence of trauma on mental well-being, catering to those interested in personal growth and resilience.
Learning Outcomes:
Analyze the role social forces such as family, abuse, culture and stigma play in mental health and illness
Use reflection to identify, evaluate and apply personal strategies for stress management, self-care and improved mental health
Understand the multidimensional and intersectional nature of diverse lived experiences and the ongoing, reciprocal, and transactional nature of the relationship between persons and their environments (knowledge and values).
Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and power differences as they are manifest in theories and conceptual frameworks that provide ways to understand trauma, abuse and its manifestation in human behavior and group dynamics (knowledge and values)
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Training Date:
December 10, 2025, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Trainer: Kelsey Hopkins, Worcester ACTs
In demanding work environments, the ability to manage stress, emotions, and reactions is key to personal well-being and workplace success. Self-regulation is the ability to manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a way that aligns with personal values and goals. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore practical techniques for improving emotional awareness, impulse control, and stress management. Through guided exercises, discussions, and real-life applications, attendees will leave with a toolkit of strategies to reduce stress and manage challenging situations with more ease.
Learning Outcomes:
Increase emotional awareness to better recognize and manage your feelings.
Develop self-regulation techniques to align thoughts, emotions, and behaviors with personal goals and values.
Improve stress management by practicing with tools to stay calm and focused in challenging situations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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There are no costs associated with these training sessions. All offerings are free to SEIU Local 509 Public Sector state workers.
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Members will not have to take personal time off for these training sessions. Please follow the guidelines of your agency for requesting time for professional development or training.
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It is always advisable to check in with your supervisor when planning to attend training. You may sign up for training in advance. If you are unable to attend for any reason, please let us know by contacting us at 509commtraining@seiuesf.org.
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Email confirmations will be sent by the end of the business day. If you register after 4 p.m. Eastern Time or on a weekend day, you will receive confirmation by the end of the following business day.
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Yes, all of the details needed for each session are contained within the confirmation. Please note that you may receive additional information from the training provider ahead of the training session.
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Yes, you can register for more than one course at a time. Please note that many of these courses will repeat as the training series continues, so we encourage you to spread out your participation over time. Spreading out participation will allow the most members to participate at one time.
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Yes, some trainings will offer CEUs. Please refer to specific training descriptions for CEU information.
“ It was a very good training and I loved the presenters!! I learned so much and it gave the a more more appreciation and understanding of the community and the language!! THANK YOU so much! "
- Local 509 Member
