AFFA’s Annual LGBTQ+ Health Summit: Ethical Practice with Rural LGBTQ+ Communities
Returning for its fourth year, AFFA’s annual LGBTQ+ Health Summit brings together healthcare and helping professionals from across the South and beyond to strengthen LGBTQ+ affirming care through education, connection, and shared learning.
At AFFA, we envision a South Carolina where LGBTQ+ people possess equal rights and thrive in an environment that fosters safety, freedom, and holistic well-being. A critical part of achieving that vision is ensuring that LGBTQ+ people can access healthcare and support services from professionals who understand their lived experiences, respect their identities, and are equipped to provide compassionate, competent care.
Each year, the LGBTQ+ Health Summit focuses on expanding knowledge, building practical skills, and addressing the unique challenges LGBTQ+ communities face when seeking healthcare and support. By investing in the education of our healthcare workforce and helping professionals, we work toward a future where every LGBTQ+ person can access affirming care in every corner of South Carolina, including rural and underserved communities.
The 2026 LGBTQ+ Health Summit will feature specialized continuing education opportunities designed for healthcare providers, social workers, counselors, case managers, and other professionals committed to improving outcomes for LGBTQ+ communities.
Join AFFA and CEU Creations for a specialized continuing education training focused on the unique challenges and ethical considerations involved in serving LGBTQ+ individuals, families, and communities in rural settings.
Rural LGBTQ+ people often face additional barriers to care, including geographic isolation, limited access to affirming providers, confidentiality concerns in small communities, stigma, telehealth challenges, and difficulty finding specialized services. This 5-hour interactive training will explore practical strategies for helping professionals to provide affirming, competent, and ethical care while navigating these complex realities.
Designed for social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses, and case managers, this training will examine how shared ethical principles, including dignity, nondiscrimination, confidentiality, informed consent, professional boundaries, cultural competence, and access to care, apply to rural LGBTQ+ communities.
Learning Objectives
Participants will learn how to:
Identify common ethical challenges when providing services to LGBTQ+ individuals in rural communities
Apply ethical obligations related to cultural competence, nondiscrimination, confidentiality, informed consent, and access to care
Navigate complex scenarios involving privacy, visibility, dual relationships, telehealth, documentation, referrals, and provider competence
Use ethical decision-making strategies when supporting rural LGBTQ+ clients and families
Develop affirming and culturally responsive practices while maintaining professional boundaries and managing risk
Continuing Education Credits
This training provides 5 continuing education credits, including ethics credits where applicable, for a variety of helping professions:
Social Workers: 5 Ethics CE credits (ASWB ACE)
Psychologists: 5 CE credits (APA)
Counselors: 5 Contact or Ethics hours (NBCC ACEP)
Nurses: 5 Contact hours
Case Managers: 5 Ethics CE Contact hours (CCMC)
Participants seeking credit for other credentials should verify transferability with their state licensing board.
Training Schedule
8:45 AM – 9:00 AM
Login and networking
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ethical Practice with Rural LGBTQ+ Communities
(Includes a 10-minute break)
12:00 PM – 12:40 PM
Midday reset
12:40 PM – 3:00 PM
Ethical Practice with Rural LGBTQ+ Communities
(Includes a 10-minute break)
Presenter
Charity Muse, MS, BCC
Charity Muse provides coaching, consultation, and training focused on spiritual wellness, leadership, and inclusivity. Previously a therapist in private practice in North Georgia, Charity specialized in serving LGBTQ+ clients and has extensive experience in collegiate and community mental health settings. She has developed workshops and trainings on diversity, mental health, and LGBTQ+ inclusion and brings a blend of clinical experience, personal storytelling, and practical tools to her presentations.
Registration Information
Cost:
Regular Registration: $99.99
Unlimited CE Bundle Members: Free
This is a live, interactive webinar hosted through Zoom. Participants must attend the full training and engage with the presentation in order to receive continuing education credit.
Registration closes 30 minutes before the webinar begins.