This course is approved for 3 MSDE Continuing Professional Development/CPD credits as course #22-66-04R and fulfills the requirements of the Maryland State Department of Education for certification of school-based social workers. Because social workers provide related services that are part of the educational programming of students with special needs, they must understand the legal mandates, federal and state policies and standards, as well as the specific instructional methods and technologies used in the classrooms that serve those students, from the least restrictive settings of inclusion to the more clinical settings, including residential.

Title: MD20260928 - Programs Meant to Protect Series: Understanding SNAP/Food Stamps with Cultural Humility
Date: Monday, September 28, 2026; 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm 
Presenter: Imani Hutchinson
Synopsis: This session in the Social Safety Net Program Series introduces social workers and case managers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. Participants will examine the historical development of SNAP within the U.S. social safety net, exploring how policy decisions have shaped access to food assistance and influenced public perceptions of those who receive it. The presenter will review core federal eligibility requirements for SNAP and common barriers to accessing benefits including administrative complexity, stigma, and structural inequities. Grounded in cultural humility, participants will engage in reflection and discussion about how stigma and bias impact individuals and families who rely on food assistance. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing the dignity of those accessing benefits, and situating food insecurity within broader social and economic contexts to support more equitable and responsive practice.

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