Presenter Profile
Elizabeth Franklin, MSW, LICSW
Elizabeth (Liz) Franklin, MSW, LICSW, has over 20 years of experience in community-based clinical social work practice. Liz is bilingual and has spent her career serving Latine communities in the Twin Cities along with other BIPOC communities. As a therapist, she specializes in complex trauma work with kids/adolescents and their families. Most of her clients also experience some form of neurodivergence. She is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is pursuing certification as a Child Parent Psychotherapy therapist and supervisor, and uses attachment, trauma, and Developmental Repair models consistently in her practice.
For nine years, Liz taught the course Advanced Clinical Practice with Children and Adolescents as a Community Faculty Member in the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work MSW program. At CLUES, Liz led the expansion of Children’s Mental Health Targeted Case Management and developed CLUES’ Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services (ARMHS) and Adult Mental Health Case Management programs. Her work was instrumental in CLUES’ recognition as Provider of the Year by NAMI-Minnesota in 2023, and CLUES obtaining certification as a CCBHC (Certified Community Behavioral Health Center) in 2024. Liz co-founded the Twin Cities Spanish-speaking Provider Consortium, a professional membership organization for Latine-serving social service and behavioral health providers, and facilitated the group in its various iterations for 12 years.
In 2023, Liz was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development in 2023 for her commitment to community-based mental health services that effectively support youth and families to heal from trauma “and building a culturally-affirming and equitable system for future social workers.”
Presentations
Injury Prevention in Times of Crisis: Protecting Immigrant and Refugee Children and Families
Sofia Chaudhary, MD, MPH
Elizabeth Franklin, MSW, LICSW
Maria Veronica Svetaz, MD, MPH, FSAHM, FAAFP
Immigrant and refugee children may face increased injury risks related to displacement, unfamiliar environments, housing and transportation challenges, and barriers to preventive care. During periods of heightened immigration enforcement, these vulnerabilities may be compounded by instability, social isolation, and disruptions in the systems that support child safety. Such crises can simultaneously increase children’s exposure to injury hazards while decreasing access to the systems and resources that ordinarily protect them from those hazards.
This keynote will examine heightened immigration enforcement through a pediatric injury prevention lens, including how disrupted caregiving and supervision, delayed or avoided medical care, family separation, and direct exposure to enforcement encounters can increase risks for unintentional and intentional injury. Speakers will also consider how prolonged fear and uncertainty can contribute to psychological trauma and cumulative adversity.
Drawing on clinical, community, and organizational experiences, the session will highlight strategies to identify emerging injury risks, reduce hazards, maintain access to injury prevention resources and care, and strengthen protective environments for children and families. Participants will leave with actionable opportunities for injury prevention professionals, health care systems, and community partners to protect the physical safety and well-being of immigrant and refugee youth during periods of crisis.
1. Describe injury risks and safety vulnerabilities among immigrant and refugee youth, including those related to displacement, housing, supervision, unfamiliar environments, and barriers to preventive care.
2. Examine how heightened immigration enforcement can amplify injury risk and psychological trauma through disrupted caregiving, family separation, instability, delayed care, and exposure to traumatic events.
3. Identify trauma-informed, community-engaged strategies for pediatric injury prevention and health care professionals to reduce injury risk, maintain access to care and prevention resources, and strengthen protective environments for immigrant and refugee youth.