SPEAKER | WHEN | |
KEYNOTE: Trauma Past, Trauma Present: Relevance of Trauma to Advocates Working with Victims of Child Abuse Seventy percent of adults or 223.4 million people in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives. Adverse Childhood Studies show that many of these traumas occur before age 18 and result in disrupted brain development and adoption of at risk health behaviors. This increases the risk for disease, disability and social problems in children and adults, including developing physical and mental illness. The Center of Disease Control recognizes this epidemic requires a public health response at a national level, state and local level. Evidence has shown that by implementing trauma informed practices within all human service systems impacting youth, adults and their families, individuals are empowered to build their resilience and enhance their overall health and well-being. Trauma informed care asks all human service professionals to realize the widespread impact of trauma, recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma, and respond by integrating trauma informed knowledge into all policies, procedures and practices while actively resist re-traumatizing the youth, families and adults we serve. Dr. Sampson-Jackson will define child traumatic stress including: types of traumatic stress that can exist among children, the impact of trauma on the developing brain across developmental stages, and behavioral manifestations related to traumatic experiences. Specific trauma impact on children who are involved in the child welfare system will be the special focus. The impact of other forms of stress on a child who has experienced trauma also will be discussed. Given growing understanding of cross-generational trauma and the importance of utilizing a “next generation” health approach to this work, the impact of trauma on caregivers is also reviewed. Implications for building trauma informed organizations, trauma informed child welfare systems and community resilience approaches will be brought forward. Learning Objectives:
| Allison Sampson-Jackson, | 10:15 a.m.–11:30 a.m. |
LUNCH | 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | |
Concurrent Workshops 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m | ||
Fostering Futures: Virginia Extends Foster Care to Age 21 In 2016, the Virginia General Assembly approved the “Fostering Futures” program for youth aging out of foster care in Virginia. The program provides services, case management and housing supports for young people up to age 21 who age out of the foster care system at age 18. This workshop will provide information about the particulars of the new law while exploring implementation strategies and advocacy opportunities for CASA volunteers. The workshop will also cover advocacy opportunities for CASA volunteers representing “crossover youth,” who interact with both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Learning Objectives:
| Allison Gilbreath, MSW | 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. |
Ask A Judge This workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to hear firsthand from two Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judges on the importance and value of the CASA volunteers providing information on cases coming before the courts. Participants are offered an opportunity to ask questions at the time of registration. Please ask to complete a question card if you have a question for the panel. Learning Objectives:
| The Honorable Ellen White, JD The Honorable Barry Logsdon, JD | 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. |
Practical Applications of Trauma Informed Practices: This workshop will build from the morning keynote address which reviewed the potential impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how this can lead to youth and adults engaging in at-risk health behaviors. While ACEs tell us what has happened and help us predict the impact these experiences may have on cognitive and emotional behavior, ACEs are not a death sentence. Everyone has capacity for resilience. Resilience simply defined is the ability to bounce back from adversity and move forward with a sense of hope. In this workshop, we will utilize a case planning tool developed by Dr. Jackson and based on the work done in Walla Walla Washington (resiliencetrumpsaces.org). Participants will actively practice interviewing clients for resilience behaviors, support clients in identifying adversity they have experienced in childhood, understand how this adversity may be shaping current behavior choices, and co-develop a strengths based plan with clients and families focused on building resilient behaviors that can over time replace and minimize impact of adversity. Learning Objectives:
| Allison Sampson-Jackson, | 1:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. |
Break 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. | ||
Concurrent Workshops 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | ||
Updates on the Laws that Affect Juvenile Courts in Virginia: Legislation from the 2015 and 2016 Sessions of the Virginia General Assembly Making recommendations to the Court is always done with the child’s best interest in mind. The ability of a judge to accept a recommendation is undeniably influenced by the law. This workshop will present updates from the 2015 and 2016 General Assembly sessions to relevant laws related to children. Participants will be given an opportunity to review revised relevant statutes related to advocacy efforts. Learning Objectives:
| The Honorable Ellen White, JD Sandy Karison, JD | 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Creating Positive Outcomes for Older Youth through Great Expectations Participants will learn about the Great Expectations program for older foster youth and former foster youth. Included in the presentation will be the history, need, and overview of the program as well as current updates. Students in the program will speak and answer questions about their experiences with the Great Expectations program. This workshop will be an interactive session to allow time for case studies, questions and answers. Learning Objectives:
| Allyson F. Roberts, MEd | 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Timelines and Testifying This workshop will provide participants with an overview of the foster care timeline and legal requirements for processing cases according to state and federal timeframes. Attention will be given to the role of CASA volunteers during this process. Additional information will be provided on the role of CASA volunteers when called to testify. Specific attention will be given to the definition of hearsay and CASA reports and the role of CASA volunteers in child dependency proceedings. Learning Objectives:
| The Honorable Barry Logsdon, JD Leslie Hayley, JD | 2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
Concurrent Workshops 4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. | ||
Critical Collaboration: Enhancing the CASA/DSS Connection This workshop will feature a panel presentation offering perspectives on the importance of collaboration from the state and local levels. State representatives from Virginia Department of Social Services and Department of Criminal Justice Services will facilitate a discussion on the roles and responsibilities of each system in achieving permanency for abused and neglected children and families. Representatives from a local CASA program and DSS agency will offer reflections on how this important relationship works in the “real world”. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers during the session. Learning Objectives:
| Carl Ayers, MSW Bill Lieb, BA Lisa Murphy, BS Randy Nolt, BA Melissa O’Neill, MSW Susan Shutt | 4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
Virginia’s Opioid and Heroin Epidemic – Our Youngest Victims CASA programs report an increase in the number of cases where the presence of opioid and heroin addictions in caregivers of children is a significant problem. This presentation will educate attendees on the effects of opiate dependence on both the mother and the child and the use of medication assisted treatment and recovery. Participants will learn about available resources and how to access information to learn more about this important and timely topic in Virginia. Learning Objectives:
| Martha Kurgans, LCSW | 4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
The Impact of Family Violence on Children This workshop will provide an overview of the dynamics of domestic violence and the impact that it has on children at various stages of development. Participants will walk away with a better understanding of the complexities of domestic violence, and will be able to identify ways to support children and caregivers who have experienced this form of trauma in their unique and important roles as CASA volunteers. Participants will also learn how to find trauma-informed resources in their area and referrals for families as needed for continued support. Learning Objectives:
| Katy Copty, MSEd, NCC | 4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
(Dinner on your own) | ||
Saturday, November 19, 2016 | ||
Registration | 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | |
Concurrent Workshops 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | ||
Defining Normal Sexual Behavior in Children This workshop will examine normative sexual development and exploration in children and adolescents. Identification and focus on behaviors that are of concern and understanding the motives behind these behaviors will be discussed. Participants will consider appropriate treatment based upon the identified behaviors. Topic covered will include subjects of a sexual nature and use of sexual terms. Those in attendance should be comfortable with subject matter. Learning Objectives:
| Paige Nolt, MSW, LCSW | 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. |
Understanding Healthy Attachments in Children One of the fundamental characteristics in child development is the standard that healthy parent-child relationships form the foundation for healthy children, and adverse parenting often results in a range of child problems. From an academic viewpoint, the continuity of parent-child relationships is usually referred to as “attachment”. However, traditional views of attachment are often difficult to understand and make meaning of in daily interactions with children. This presentation will provide a conceptual understanding of parent-child relations and attachment from a constructive developmental perspective, while describing the ways in which attachment problems can manifest in relationships with CASA volunteers. There will be an emphasis on describing the ways in which CASA volunteers can interact with children to recognize and respond to maltreated children. Special attention will be provided to describing specific skills to use when interacting with children and enhance CASA volunteer-child relationships. Learning Objectives:
| Anthony Urquiza, PhD | 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. |
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA): Why ICWA Matters in Your CASA Child’s Case in Virginia Updates to ICWA were enacted in July, 2016 and it is quite possible a child on your CASA caseload could be affected by these changes. Being a CASA volunteer for an Indian child, whether in Virginia or any other court in the country, requires additional knowledge about Federal and Tribal law as well as knowledge of Tribal customs and traditions. This workshop will include a discussion of Federal Indian Policy as well as a viewing of the film, Bringing our Children Home: An Introduction to the Indian Child Welfare Act. This workshop will highlight Supporting Native Children: A Guide for CASA/GAL Advocacy developed by a CASA for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Tribal Court and available on the National CASA Association’s website for all programs nationwide. Learning Objectives:
| Angela Fasana, JD | 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. |
Break 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | ||
Concurrent Workshops 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. | ||
Making Sense of Psychological Evaluations Children and families assigned to CASA volunteers often are referred for clinical psychological evaluations. Understanding the results of these evaluations and the types of assessments is critical for CASA volunteers. This workshop will assist participants in understanding the components of a comprehensive psychological assessment and how information is used to best help children. Learning Objectives:
| Kristina Krakowski, PsyD | 10:15 a.m.–11:45 a.m. |
The Impact of Sexual Abuse in Children This presentation will provide a general overview of the incidence and patterns of child sexual abuse throughout the United States. Primary focus will be on a contextual view of child sexual abuse, providing information about the ways in which sexual victimization impairs and distorts children’s capacities to develop healthy relationships. Within the framework of development, information will be provided about strategies by which victims are coerced into sexual victimization and how these strategies (and coercion) adversely impact the child victim’s daily functioning. Attendees will acquire information about distinguishing normal vs. abuse-reactive sexual relationships, recognizing and responding to distorted cognitions of sexual abuse victims, and interacting with victims in a positive manner. Learning Objectives:
| Anthony Urquiza, PhD | 10:15 a.m.–11:45 a.m. |
Mental Health Needs of Maltreated Children
This workshop will focus on building awareness and understanding of the complex mental health needs of abused and neglected children. The presenter will highlight the mechanisms through which child abuse and neglect alter child development and produce serious mental health problems. The workshop will focus on the impact of trauma and insecure attachment on a child’s neurodevelopmental and psychosocial processes (e.g., brain size and function, emotional regulation, impulse control, attention span, the ability to develop healthy relationships with others, and the consolidation of a stable, positive sense of self) that increase the risk for developing a mental disorder. The presenter will identify and describe psychiatric diagnoses common to this population and explore protective factors that may mitigate the impact of child maltreatment. In the final phase of the training, the presenter will examine the role of various evidenced based psychotherapies and/or medication used to effectively address the mental health needs of abused and neglected children diagnosed with a mental disorder. Learning Objectives:
| Nell Duff, LCSW | 10:15 a.m.–11:45 a.m. |
LUNCH PRESENTATION: | ||
The Heart of the Matter: YOU! Closing: Volunteer Recognition | Chuck Slemp, JD | 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
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