Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have Their Own Culture: Cultural Sensitivity in Agency Practice (Self-Study)

Self-Study

Self-Study Online Seminar

This seminar is clinically-based for anyone invested in improving their skills.

For only New York State Licensed LMSWs, LCSWs, LMHCs, and CASACs,

2 CEUs are available once the post-test and evaluation are completed.

You may have different thoughts about "culture" because you have been hearing so many different contradicting ideas about it. You wish you could finally demystify this concept and learn exactly what it really entails, how it relates to your clients, and how you can really best work with all clients, regardless of which culture or subculture they may belong to. With Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have their Own Culture, you will learn the surprising concepts and skills for you to implement right away, whether you work in private practice, in the community or in inpatient population, or school. Register here, learn and master new skills to enhance your practice, obtain the best possible outcomes, and increase the meaning of your work.


At the end of this seminar, you will:

  • Learn and Master critical thinking in clinical care
  • Learn and Master the principles and techniques of cultural sensitivity
  • Master the do's and don'ts of cultural sensitivity
  • Learn and Master How to think multidimensionally, accounting for the patient/client; clinician/advocate; and agency/system, related factors
  • Immerse yourself in the Socratic Method, the Desire Method, and the Collective Learning experience and enhance your ability to provide excellent care, prevent burnout and promote self-care
  • 2 CEU Credits for New York State LMSWs, LCSWs, LMHCs, and CASACs


HERE'S WHAT OUR ATTENDEES ARE SAYING ABOUT US:

"Sweet Institute consistently provides an excellent learning environment, including student’s active participation. Also the very prompt response to my request for help with certain procedural matters is very much appreciated."

- Louis, LCSW



  • In the State of New York, SWEET Institute is approved by the Office of Professions under Dr. Sidor Psychiatric Services as a CEU provider for social workers (#SW-0471) and mental health counselors (#MHC-0127).


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89% of people reported feeling more empowered after participating in a SWEET seminar

Your Facilitator and Co-Facilitator


Mardoche Sidor, MD & Karen Dubin, PhD, LCSW
Mardoche Sidor, MD & Karen Dubin, PhD, LCSW

Mardoche Sidor, MD is a quadruple board certified psychiatrist, with board certifications in Psychiatry and Neurology (General Adult Psychiatry), Child and Adolescent, Addiction, and Forensic, Psychiatry. He has training in public and community psychiatry, psychopharmacology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He also has training in Motivational Interviewing, psychodynamic psychotherapy, play therapy, and family and couples therapy. He has clinical, teaching, and supervision experience; he has mentorship, coaching, and management, skills; and he has experience as a primary care physician, in public speaking and writing. Dr. Sidor also has skills in leadership, research, program development and project management. His overall goal is to help all health professionals, throughout the United States and globally, access the tools they need to feel empowered to provide excellent patient care while also promoting their own self-care and burnout prevention. He is the main facilitator for the SWEET Institute, and he is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University.Dr. Sidor was recently the Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer for CASES (Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services) where he continues to provide psychiatric care. He speaks and writes fluently in four (4) languages—French, English, Spanish, and Creole, with intermediate proficiency in Portuguese and Italian.

Karen Dubin-McKnight, PhD, LCSW, has wide clinical, teaching, supervision and mentorship experience that spans 18 years. She also has a vast experience working in the criminal justice system, in community mental health, in teaching, and in management. Her added passion is in education, coaching, public relations, and mediation. Her goal is to ensure that social workers and other non-medical practitioners feel empowered and have a voice “at the table.” Dr. Dubin-McKnight is the co-facilitator for the SWEET Institute. She was most recently the Court Operations Director at CASES. She is currently Adjunct Faculty at Columbia University School of Social Work and Adelphi University School of Social Work. She is also a trainer at the CUCS Academy, and Howie T. Harp. She has a private practice for people impacted by loss and trauma and also provides clinical supervision.


"The trainings are easy to access and the information is very relevant to current work. I Iike the role playing and the ability to as questions and clarify things as we go."

-Amanda, LCSW

"The information was presented in a practical format. Loved the style and pace of the course."

-Lisa, LMSW

"Instructors were friendly, acknowledged all participants, answered all questions, spread proportionate time on the various concepts."

-Vito, LMSW


"Everything was explained well and there was a nice positive energy with the presenters. I especially found the role play helpful."

-Tanya, LCSW

SWEET Curriculum


  Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have Their Own Culture: Cultural Sensitivity in Agency Practice (Self-Study)
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Do Gangs, Jails, and Prisons Have Their Own Culture: Cultural Sensitivity in Agency Practice
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


I see you have a membership. What do I get with it?
A SWEET Membership entitles you to: unlimited access to all live and pre-recorded self-study webinars. A SWEET membership also entitles you to: 50% discount for in-person seminars (currently only available in New York City), in-person and online group supervision, in-person and online group coaching, annual conferences, networking events, and opportunities to be connected with other like-minded individuals around the world!
What is the SWEET Institute?
SWEET Institute is a community of clinicians and advocates who believe that systemic change is only possible when we all come together, fight for a variety of social justice causes, and do so by investing in a collective learning process that empowers, fosters reflection, critical thinking, and the implementation of skills acquired during our seminars. At SWEET, we emphasize “the Why, the How, the What, and Then What, while using the Socratic and Desire Methods. We are a community united in vision and purpose towards bringing the needed changes. This can be accomplished through solidarity, empowerment, and education. By focusing on and developing the strengths, drives, passions, and skills of clinicians and advocates, we can all make a transformative impact in the lives of our patients and clients and the system as a whole.
Are different are these seminars? Will I be able to interact with the Course Facilitator(s)?
Absolutely. One of the keystone paradigms of the SWEET Institute is the collective learning process. This is accomplished using the Socratic Method and is based on the most up-to-date adult learning theories. Integrating this process into our in-person seminars and live webinars creates a unique and dynamic learning experience for all of us. It is essential to us that a comfortable learning environment is created, so that anyone who attends our webinars or in-person seminars participate and are able to take risks and push themselves to gain deeper knowledge. In our webinars, this will be done through our chat feature. Also, both Mardoche and Karen are available for consultation and clarification following webinars and in-person seminars or by email at [email protected].
How will I get CEUs?
At the end of the webinar, you will be required to complete a post-webinar exam for online learning, and an evaluation of the course. Once complete, you will be able to download your certificate.
Are you available for in-person or online training for agencies, including those outside New York?
We are! We will first need to learn more about the specific needs of your agency/organization. This way we are able to customize our seminars/webinars to ensure that it is the best fit possible for the staff.
I’m an LMHC, do you provide CEU credits?
SWEET is currently approved by the New York State Office of Professions to provide CEU credits to LMSWs, LCSWs, and LMHCs. Please check with your state to determine if the CEUs are transferrable. We are able to provide CEUs for social workers throughout the US.
What is your cancelation policy for memberships?
Monthly Memberships: We trust that you will receive as much value as possible, and we are adding more value each day. You can cancel at any time and not have to pay the recurring monthly membership, should you choose to cancel. Annual Memberships: You are getting a 2-month discount because of your Annual Membership commitment. Furthermore, we trust that you will receive as much value as possible, and we are adding more value each day. You can cancel your Annual Membership within 30 days, and receive a full refund minus one-month worth of membership. After 30 days, you will have experienced SWEET enough to determine that it is indeed the right fit for you, and any cancellation after that will ensure that your Annual Membership does not renew at the expiration date. You will be able to continue to access all SWEET services during the remainder of your membership year.

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