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
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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!
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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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Dates: April 2, 16, 30, & May 14, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Trainer: Elizabeth Korchari, M.A., LMHC, Certified DBT Provider and Founder of Lotus and Lion: Counseling and Wellness
Location: Virtual on Zoom
This training is an overview of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and the four skills modules taught in the DBT Skills group. This training will give participants an overview of what DBT is and how the skills fit into the treatment. Participants will gain an understanding of the four skills modules that target specific areas of dysregulation. Several skills are highlighted from each module along with how to coach the skills one-on-one. The format of this training is a mix of information sharing through lecture and audio/visual displays along with group discussion.
Part One: Foundations of DBT & Mindfulness
Describe the core principles of DBT, including the dialectical worldview, biosocial theory, and five areas of dysregulation.
Identify how DBT conceptualizes client behavior and why the model is effective for complex, high-acuity presentations.
Explain the purpose of mindfulness within DBT and differentiate between the What and How skills.
Guide clients through basic mindfulness practices that build awareness, presence, and nonjudgmental observation.
Apply Wise Mind strategies to help clients strengthen decision-making and emotional balance.
Part Two: Distress Tolerance & Crisis Survival
Identify when crisis survival skills are clinically indicated and how to assess whether a situation qualifies as a crisis.
Teach clients core Distress Tolerance skills, including STOP, Pros and Cons, TIP, Distract, Self-Soothe, and IMPROVE.
Demonstrate the use of physiological regulation strategies through TIP skills and guided experiential practices.
Explain the purpose and principles of Radical Acceptance, Turning the Mind, and Willingness.
Coach clients in balancing short-term stabilization with long-term reality acceptance to reduce suffering and build resilience.
Part Three: Emotion Regulation & Managing Intense Emotions
Describe the functions of emotions and the common barriers that make regulation difficult for clients.
Teach the DBT model for observing, describing, and naming emotional experiences accurately.
Apply Emotion Regulation skills such as Check the Facts, Opposite Action, PLEASE, Build Mastery, and Cope Ahead.
Support clients in reducing vulnerability to emotion mind through lifestyle and behavioral strategies.
Implement mindfulness-based strategies for managing extremely intense or painful emotions without avoidance.
Part Four: Interpersonal Effectiveness & Coaching Strategies
Explain the goals of DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness and the factors that reduce interpersonal effectiveness.
Teach and model DEAR MAN, GIVE, and FAST skills to help clients increase assertiveness, express needs, and maintain self-respect.
Assist clients in evaluating priorities and choosing the most effective interpersonal strategy for a given situation.
Demonstrate foundational DBT coaching skills, with an emphasis on accurate validation and supportive guidance.
Apply structured coaching strategies to help clients generalize new skills to real-world interpersonal challenges.
Credits:
This training has been approved for 16 CE credits for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors.
This training has been approved for 15 CE credits for Licensed Mental Health Counselors..
Application for CE credits for Licensed Social Workers has been submitted. Contact us at info@509training.org for more information.
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Date: May 5, 2026
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 training will provide clinicians with an understanding of the issues individuals face with maintaining safe and appropriate housing with substance use disorder, as well as an overview of the Housing First model to address these concerns. Massachusetts is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis, making serving individuals in need of safe and secure housing more challenging than ever. This training will provide an overview of the Housing First model, along with practical guidance for clinicians and case managers navigating the complex and often opaque world of housing assistance and support.
Following this training the participants will understand:
The rationale, principles and practical supports provided in a Housing First model
Strategies for addressing common barriers in maintaining housing
The relationship between harm reduction and housing, and practical strategies to reduce both individual and community harms.
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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Date: May 6, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Trainer: Ayala Livny, M. Ed. and Liz Geisel, MSW
Location: Virtual on Zoom
One of the most difficult tasks for staff in human service work is to successfully respond and react to agitated clients. While many trainings teach de-escalation approaches, few are explicitly grounded in an understanding of how trauma and stress affect the brain. And even fewer acknowledge that responding to an escalation requires staff to override their natural “fight-flight-freeze” instincts. This full-day workshop uses lecture, discussion, case studies, and scenarios to build skills in effectively responding to and calming upset clients. Guided by frameworks of Trauma-Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, and Behavioral Change Theories, the training will educate, inform, and inspire service providers to improve practices and approaches.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how trauma, stress, and nervous system activation impact behavior and contribute to client escalation.
Identify signs of escalating distress in clients and corresponding internal stress responses (fight, flight, freeze) in themselves.
Demonstrate trauma-informed de-escalation techniques grounded in Trauma-Informed Care and behavioral change principles.
Apply strategies to regulate their own emotional and physiological responses in order to remain grounded and effective during escalations.
Credits:
This training has been approved for 3 CE credits for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors.
Applications for CE credits for Licensed Social Workers and Licensed Mental Health Counselors have been submitted. Contact us at info@509training.org for more information.
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Date: May 13, 2026
Time: 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Trainer: Deb Berglin, LICSW
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Do you find it a struggle to get parents with histories of trauma to trust you so that you can help their children? Do you find it frustrating to have to repeat yourself or effectively support parents in following through on tasks that are necessary for their children's wellbeing? Do you feel challenged by a parent's approach when interacting with their child? In this workshop, learn how trauma can affect parents and parenting, ways to support parents with trauma more effectively, and how to manage your own reactivity when it arises.
Learning Objectives:
Deepen understanding of impact of trauma on parenting styles
Learn strategies to more effectively support parents experiencing trauma
Learn strategies to manage reactivity
Credits:
1.5 CE credits approved for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors
1.5 CE credits approved for MA Social Workers
Application for CE credits has been submitted for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. Contact us at info@509training.org with questions.
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Date: May 20, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Trainer: Nicole Melissa Morin, LICSW, Open Sky Community Services
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Hone your skills in assessing and screening older adults! Learn about how mental illness and substance use impact this population, screen for suicidality and differentiate accessing from Medical Aid in Dying, and health considerations that impact mental health such as falls, loneliness, polypharmacy, and cognitive decline.
Expand your mindset and enhance your skills for working with this growing population. This training is designed to build your skills in assessing the unique biopsychosocial needs of older adults. You'll gain an understanding of how mental illness and substance use present in this population, as well as learn to screen for suicidality while clearly differentiating it from medical aid in dying (MAiD). The course will also cover how common health considerations like polypharmacy, falls, and cognitive decline can impact mental health.
Following this training the participants will understand:
Assessment of special biopsychosocial considerations of older adults, attitudes and beliefs around aging.
Mental Illness and Substance Use presentations in older adults
Screening for suicidality in older adults and a clear differentiation between suicide and medical aid in dying (MAiD).
Health considerations in older adults that impact mental health (polypharmacy, falls, cognitive decline, vision changes, hearing changes).
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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Date: June 3, 2026
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Trainer: Ayala Livny, M. Ed. and Liz Geisel, MSW
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Traditional punishment approaches often reinforce shame and re-traumatize clients instead of teaching new skills. This interactive training explores how stress and trauma shape the brain, body, and behavior, and why punishment can easily injure rather than reform. Participants will examine the connection between shame and punishment, practice strategies for separating the person from the behavior, and learn how to deliver consequences that promote reflection and behavioral change. Through large and small group conversations, case studies, and skills practice, participants will leave with concrete tools to shift from punitive approaches to trauma-informed responses that empower clients and support lasting behavioral change.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how trauma, stress, and shame influence behavior and why traditional punitive approaches can reinforce harm rather than promote change.
Differentiate between punitive responses and trauma-informed consequences that separate the person from the behavior.
Apply trauma-informed strategies for delivering consequences that encourage reflection, accountability, and skill-building.
Evaluate real-world scenarios to determine whether consequences support empowerment, safety, and lasting behavioral change.
Credits:
This training has been approved for 3 CE credits for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors.
Applications for CE credits for Licensed Social Workers and Licensed Mental Health Counselors have been submitted. Contact us at info@509training.org for more information.
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Date: May 5, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Trainer: Nicole Melissa Morin, LICSW
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Join us for this training to be able to effectively support and care for LGBTQIA+ individuals across many therapeutic settings through this evidence-based and strengths-based model.
Build a strong foundation for your clinical practice in supporting and caring for members of the LGBTQIA+ community! This learning opportunity will give you an introduction to the research and practices of affirmative therapy, the most up-to-date skills and language to use and apply in your clinical practice, show how to assess for stressors related to identity and the impact of these stressors on wellness across the lifespan. Additionally, we will touch upon making mistakes, influences of history, and consider brief case studies to expand our mindset around what being ‘affirmative’ really means.
Following this training the participants will understand:
The research base and benefits of affirmative therapy for clients, providers, and practices
Ongoing practices, actions, and interventions that can be taken at different levels of care to support people, and which practices are NOT effective in showing support for LGBTQIA+ people
Assessing for and supporting identity related stressors through an intersectional lens
How to apply practices and skills to serve LGBTQIA+ community members and allies in conjunction with other models such as trauma informed care
How to access different legal resources that can keep professionals up to date on requirements around policy
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: May 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2026
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.
Credits: This training has been approved for 8 CEs for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors.
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Dates: June 10 & 17, 2026
Time: 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Facilitator: Debra Berglin, LICSW
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Overview:
Having a better understanding of someone's race, ethnicity, or culture aids helpers in working from a more inclusive, respectful, and effective lens. Incorporating that lens into your work often leads to more trust, better relationships, and improved outcomes. In this workshop, you will learn about Brazilian history, culture and customs directly from Brazilians living in the US. You will be invited to consider how your own culture and customs may complement or complicate your relationships with your Brazilian clients, families, or communities. By the end of the first session, you will be able to use this new information to more effectively and sensitively work with Brazilian individuals, families, and communities.
In the second session, we will have an interactive panel discussion with Brazilian professionals from various work sectors (DCF, behavioral health, community health, and basic needs support). Learn from their experience on both sides of the helping relationship about the challenges that Brazilians are facing in the US, what to know about traditional Brazilian views of mental health, medical and social service support and effective strategies for supporting those who may come from a different background than you.Day One Objectives:
Deepen understanding of Brazilian history, culture and customs
Examine intersections of culture and customs that may complement or complicate relationships
Develop strategies to work more effectively with Brazilian individuals, families, and communities in a culturally sensitive way.
Day Two Objectives:
Deepen understanding of traditional Brazilian views of mental health, medical and social service support
Develop effective strategies for supporting Brazilian individuals, families, and communities in a culturally sensitive way.
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Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays, June 23 - August 13, 2026
Time: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Trainer: Jaclyn Browning, M. Ed.
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Overview: This 16-hour course is an introductory Spanish course that does not require any background knowledge in the Spanish language. The course is focused on practicing speaking and listening skills in Spanish in human service settings, general community outreach, and developing cultural competency for engaging with people who speak Spanish.
Attendance at 13 of 16 classes is required to earn a certificate.
Wellness and Sustainability
Our Wellness and Sustainability program is focused on workers’ personal growth and development. Centered on sustainability amid trauma stewardship and stressful caseloads, 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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Date: May 13, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Trainer: Amy Ebbeson, LCSW, Director of Worcester ACTs; and Kelsey Hopkins, Director of Operations and Outcomes, Worcester ACTs
Location: Virtual on Zoom
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 Objectives:
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.
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Date: May 29, 2026
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Facilitator: Susan Buchholz, Executive Director, The HeartWell Institute, Public Health Bloomberg Fellow, & Former SEIU member
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Work can be demanding, especially in roles shaped by high expectations, limited resources, and ongoing uncertainty. Many workers experience stress, exhaustion, and emotional strain as part of their day-to-day lives, particularly in environments affected by systemic inequities. This one-hour session is designed as a supportive space that blends practical learning with shared reflection and acknowledging the real pressures human service workers face.
Rather than a traditional lecture, the session offers participants an opportunity to pause, connect, and access tools that support emotional regulation and well-being.
Using trauma-sensitive mindfulness practices, participants will be introduced to simple, accessible strategies for noticing stress responses, grounding in the present moment, and reducing emotional overwhelm. The session also emphasizes the role of collective care, recognizing that healing and resilience are often strengthened through connection, shared experience, and mutual support.
Participants are invited to engage at their own comfort level. The session functions both as a skills-based learning experience and a drop-in support space, honoring the realities of workers’ lives while offering practical tools that can be used on the job and beyond.
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Date: June 10, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Facilitator: Susan Buchholz, Executive Director, The HeartWell Institute, Public Health Bloomberg Fellow, & Former SEIU member
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Designed to introduce participants to the concept and benefits of mindfulness as a tool for well-being. This program aims to pique interest in mindfulness and encourage further exploration. It assumes that participants have no previous experience with mindfulness practices. Participants will be given tools they can use every day in a variety of settings.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Define mindfulness and understand its foundations in present-moment awareness and non-judgment.
2. Experience and reflect on core mindfulness practices (e.g., body scan, breath awareness).
3. Recognize the role of mindfulness in reducing stress and increasing emotional regulation.
4. Identify simple ways to integrate mindfulness into everyday life.
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
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