Discerna is the platform that takes social work education seriously — built for the depth, diversity, and ethical complexity of the clients and communities students will serve.
Be among the first faculty to access Discerna when the pilot launches. Faculty at BSW and MSW programs are welcome.
Your information will not be shared. No spam — only updates about the pilot launch.
Thank you. We'll be in touch when the Fall 2026 pilot opens. Watch for an email from discerna.app.
Discerna's four modules are fully cross-linked and filterable across 19 demographic and clinical dimensions — including EPAS competency, presenting problem, academic level, and client demographics.
A library of clinical case vignettes and Role Play Briefs across four academic levels — BSW, MSW Foundation, MSW Advanced, and Field Practicum. Each case includes a bias audit notation, EPAS competency tags, DSM category, and Use Mode prompts. Faculty can also generate new cases on demand using the AI generation form.
32 curated films and documentaries mapped to EPAS competencies, clinical themes, and demographic filters. Each entry includes classroom guidance, course level indicators, and cross-links to related cases and readings — making film-based learning a structured pedagogical tool, not an afterthought.
30 curated books, memoirs, and nonfiction titles selected for social work and psychology education. Filterable by author background, audience level, clinical theme, and EPAS competency. Each entry is cross-linked to related films, cases, and frameworks — building an integrated reading list that goes beyond the syllabus.
Four critical analysis frameworks — Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Assessment, Strengths Perspective, Ethics and Use of Self, and Treatment Planning — each with observation prompts, discussion questions, a structured assignment template, and curated pairings from Media, Reads, and Cases. Ready to assign, as written.
Every piece of content on Discerna is mapped to CSWE's 2022 EPAS competencies. The platform is designed to support social work programs seeking tools that advance accreditation outcomes — not undermine them.
Discerna was developed by Dr. Dawn Thurman, LCSW-C — a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of Discerna Learning Systems LLC. Her work sits at the intersection of clinical practice, higher education, and responsible AI development in the social work field.
Dr. Thurman teaches in a BSW program, chairs doctoral dissertations and capstones, and brings years of direct clinical practice to every design decision behind Discerna. The platform reflects a practitioner's understanding of what social work education actually requires — not a technologist's approximation of it.
Discerna is currently accepting waitlist registrations from faculty at BSW and MSW programs. Pilot participants receive free Pro access for the full semester.