Simple Ways to Increase Continuing Education for Your Organization

We’re still fresh into the new year, which means that it’s a perfect time to start thinking about continuing education.  Organizational learning should be a year-round endeavor, but many human service organizations find themselves falling short of their continuing education goals. I’m going to share with you some common obstacles to continuing education in human services and provide simple tips to improve it. 

Why Continuing Education Matters in Human Services

“Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field” (Brian Tracy) and this is especially true in human service organizations. From service-delivery to risk-management, it’s essential that human service organizations have the latest knowledge to effectively service their clients and vulnerable communities. Continuing education in human services therefore usually includes compliance training on topics such as mandated reporting, workplace safety, and confidentiality. In addition to compliance training, continuing education can also consist of the latest information on best practices and on human services law. 

Professionals in the human service field often also require continuing education as a part of their licensure. Many social workers, for example, require 15-40 hours of continuing education to renew their license, and professionals who fail to obtain the continuing education required are at risk of being unable to renew. 

Common Challenges Organizations Face with Continuing Education

While the case for continuing education in human services is clear, organizations often face challenges in meeting their continuing education goals. Common challenges include:

• Difficulty Finding Time for Professional Development – Human services work already consists of long and sometimes unconventional hours. Workers tend to be client-facing most of the time, and outside of client-interactions, their time is usually dedicated to administrative tasks, such as finishing casenotes or submitting referrals. With Casebook, organizations can free up valuable time by reducing admin burden, allowing staff to dedicate more hours to professional development and client care. 
• Other Priorities Supersede Organizational Learning  – Most organizations understand the benefits of continuing education, but when it comes down to an organization’s bottom line, organization learning usually takes a backseat to income-generating activities.  Organizations are dependent on funding after all, so continuing education is often seen as a future goal rather than an immediate priority. 
• Continuing Education is Seen as an Individual Responsibility Rather than an Organizational One – Due to difficulty implementing continuing education, some organizations choose to leave continuing education to the discretion of individual workers. While on the surface this appears to be a practical solution, it places organizations at risk. If workers fail to complete compliance training, organizations could lose their accreditations, funding, or face other liability. Casebook’s compliance tracking tools allow organizations to effortlessly monitor staff training, send automated reminders, and ensure everyone stays up to date with licensing and accreditation requirements.

Simple Strategies to Promote Continuing Education in 2025

Continuing education should be an ongoing activity in human services rather than a singular or annual event. When professional development is continuous, organizations meet more of their workers’ needs¹, and they have more opportunities to creatively integrate learning. Here are a few simple ways that this can be achieved:

1. Maximize technology. On-demand learning options allow workers to access continuing education conveniently and at their own pace. Casebook’s integrative platform also helps to streamline tracking of training sessions. 
2. Take advantage of self-study. Self-study is an underrecognized form of continuing education, but it’s accepted by many professional boards. Workers could discuss professional literature among their peers at “journal clubs” for example or receive credit for professional presentations. Workers could also freshen up their knowledge on the latest interventions using quick-guides such as this one:  What Is CPT: A Complete Guide for Social Workers – Casebook.
3. Offer Lunch and Learns. Efficiently incorporate continuing education by offering continuing education sessions at lunch, at the beginning or the end of the workday.  
4. Set up peer case conferences. Peer case conferences are an easy-to-implement professional developmental tool that enhances individuals and teams² and is also accepted by many licensing boards. In the state of MD, where I’m located for example, social workers can receive half of their continuing education hours from peer case conferences

In Conclusion

While continuing education can seem daunting, I’ve provided strategies to simplify ongoing organizational learning. “Investing in ongoing education strengthens both individuals and organizations. Casebook provides the tools needed to track learning, streamline processes, and create a culture of continuous improvement—ensuring that training goals don’t fall through the cracks.” With these tools, I hope that you’ll prioritize learning and growth in your organization in 2025 and for years to come. 

References: 

Shiri, R., El-Metwally, A., Sallinen, M., Pöyry, M., Härmä, M., & Toppinen-Tanner, S. (2023). The Role of Continuing Professional Training or Development in Maintaining Current Employment: A Systematic Review. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 11(21), 2900. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11212900

Zerden, L. de S., Jones, A., Day, S., & Lombardi, B. M. (2020). Interprofessional Collaboration: An Evaluation of Social Work Students’ Skills and Experiences in Integrated Health Care. Journal of Social Work Education, 57(4), 758–770. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2020.1743219