conference registration
Conference Registration deadline is extended to August 31.

Registration Information

Workshop schedule

Download Materials:
(PDF format)

• Expanded Scholarship
• Workshop information
• Registration form
• Registration brochure

Important dates:

• registration deadline: August 18.
• cancellation deadline: August 31 (w/full refund).

send your registration to:

Fax: 614-228-5150
Mail: PCSAO,
510 E. Mound St., Suite 200,
Columbus, OH 43215
E-mail: jeed@pcsao.org

Questions:

Please contact
Jeed at jeed@pcsao.org
or 614-224-5802.

September 9th

10:00a.m.- 12:00p.m.
 

September 10th

September 11th

About workshops

September 9, 2009

Dr. Benjamin Saunders is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. There he serves as Director of the Family and Child Program of the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center.  

Dr. Saunders received his Ph.D. in clinical social work from Florida State University, and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice. His research, training, and clinical interests include the initial and long term impact of violence and abuse on children and adolescents; the epidemiology of trauma, violence, and abuse; treatment approaches for abused children and their families; and effective methods for disseminating and implementing evidence-based practices.  

His work has been funded by several federal agencies, including the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Justice, National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the U.S. Department of the Navy. In 2001 Dr. Saunders received the Research Career Achievement Award by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. In addition to his research and teaching activities, Dr. Saunders maintains a consulting practice, and often is called as an expert witness in legal cases. 

Dr. Saunders will examine the opportunities and typical challenges of applying research findings into direct practice in child welfare.  In spite of a nearly universal verbalized commitment to evidence-based practice in child welfare, many strongly-supported treatments and interventions are never implemented locally nor made easily available to maltreated children and their families. It is more likely that child welfare professionals will remain unaware that these strongly supported treatments even exist.  Dr. Saunders will examine the reasons this is so and will describe innovative strategies to overcome the obstacles, including community-based change teams. 

Presenter: Dr. Benjamin Saunders, Director, The Family and Child Program, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center.
Intended audience: All.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

PCSA staff often work with families who have complex needs and multi-system involvement.  This interactive workshop will provide valuable insight into how County Family and Children First Councils (FCFC) employ service coordination, including the best practice High Fidelity Wraparound Model, as a strategy in addressing multiple family issues including child abuse and neglect while engaging families in the entire process.  The Service Coordination process, using a cross-system team approach, can prevent more complicated or severe behavior from developing by providing the support and skills a family needs and wants through a model that promotes family voice and a family-centered, community-based response to family difficulties. This process has been successful in keeping children from going into out-of-home placement and reducing the length of stay for children who are in out-of-home placement.  Workshop participants will also learn about the importance of linking PCSA consumers to service coordination and how to access their county FCFC. 

Presenters: Janice Houchins and Teresa Reed McGlashan, Ohio Family and Children First.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Presenter:  Sally Dine Fitch, Institute for Human Services.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Evidence Supported Track - Presented in partnership with the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

1:30p.m. - 4:30p.m.
Workshop 3. Adoption network Cleveland: Best Practice in Service to the Adoption Triad.

Adoption Network Cleveland recognizes adoption is a lifelong process affecting the lives of adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents. Adoption Network Cleveland helps fill the service and program gaps, serving those who otherwise would not be served. Our work is achieved through our public private partnerships. The presentation provides an update on our child centered recruitment activities and the Ohio State Child Centered Task Force.

Presenters: Betsie Norris and Valerie Hicks, Adoption Network Cleveland.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Strengthening Families, is a new national child abuse prevention approach to imbed protective factors in early care and education settings, where families  and their young children participate.  Using other states as a model, Ohio could create an active partnership between players to leverage our positive focus on early care and education, with a resulting effective child abuse prevention effort.  The day will educate participants on the Strengthening Families concept; highlight child welfare/prevention/early care and education partnerships in other states and Ohio communities; discuss a vision for building on our current child welfare focus on engaging parents as the experts for their own families.

Presenters: Jean McIntosh, the Center for the Study of Social Policy; Candace Valach, Ohio Children’s Trust Fund; Alicia Leatherman, Governor’s Office for Early Childhood Education; Crystal Allen, PCSAO; and Strengthening Families site representatives in Ohio, as well in other states.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Presented with the support and partnership of the Ohio Children's Trust Fund.

This workshop will describe in detail the activities, challenges, and successes of Project Best, a 10-year statewide collaborative effort to deliver evidence-supported treatments such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Trauma Focused CBT) to abused and traumatized children and their families. Pioneered in South Carolina, Project Best uses innovative, community-based dissemination, training, and implementation strategies to increase the capacity of communities to integrate well supported treatment interventions into routine child welfare practice.   The Project Best model provides intensive training, skill building, and a structured community implementation process to local child welfare agencies and their community partners.  The presenter will discuss strategies to pilot the use of Community Change Teams in local counties to develop local empirically-supported services.

Presenter:  Dr. Benjamin Saunders, Family and Child Program at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center in Charleston, South Carolina.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Evidence Supported Track - Presented in partnership with the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

Family violence is taking a toll on young children and the preschool programs that serve them. The Southwest Ohio Collaborative formed to learn about appropriate responses and treatment for these children and their families, to collect data on the prevalence of childhood trauma, and to develop the partnership, funding, and resources needed to address this problem with in their preschool programs. The workshop’s objectives include to appreciate the need for the infusion of mental health and child welfare services, and practices into preschool setting; to understand the relationship between family and community violence and the severe behavioral and emotional issues that young children  are presenting in preschool programs; to increase awareness and knowledge of the prevalence of violence and trauma in the lives of young Ohio’s children and their families; and to understand the need to screen and identify traumatized young children and their families early, and to provide trauma informed practices.

Presenters: Jane Site, Traumatic Healing Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; Jack Collopy, Hamilton County Educational Services Center, Early Learning Center; and Daniel Nelson, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medial Center.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

1:30p.m. - 4:30p.m.
Workshop 7. Tips On Reaching Those With Autism.

This training is designed to be practical for parents, educators, therapists and other professionals with minimal to moderate experience working with individuals with autism. The purpose of our time together is to share some insight into the characteristics of autism and functions that drive behavior as well as tools that you can implement in your children’s routine to allow them to reach their maximum potential as learners, communicators, and, ultimately, positive members of their family and community. Topics include sensory integration, structuring, teaching components/methods, behavioral intervention strategies, visual aides, communication techniques and more.

Presenter: Ryan Davis, Bellefaire JCB.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Codes of Ethics are intended to maintain a standard of care that protects the public welfare.  As caseworkers and supervisors, how do we ensure that ethical practices are maintained where serving a racial and culturally diverse population?  This workshop will review the ethics codes within the framework values, norms and expectations of the agency and how ethical questions, if not discussed within cultural lens framework, can lead to bias, prejudice and discrimination.  This workshop will review the NASW Code of Ethics within a cultural context. Goals include: increase ability to describe areas of conflict and accommodation between personal values, professional values and that of other cultures; increase ability to recognize the commonalities and differences between agency values and values of historically oppressed under-represented and under served populations; increase awareness of the dilemmas caseworkers may encounter when they recognize the needs of diverse clients in domains such as boundaries, norms of behavior, advocacy and controversial issues (i.e., abortion; gay, lesbian foster care; religion), and dual relations.

Presenter: Dan Houston, Consultant and Trainer.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors, direct service staff, clerical staff, and administrative support staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Legal Track - Attorney and judicial members ONLY

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Concerns in the Legal Profession: The presenter will identify the signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse and dependence in addition to the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression that are the two most common diagnosis of law students, attorneys and judges.  She will also identify how to make a referral to OLAP, what happens if a certified grievance committee or the Office Of Disciplinary Counsel is involved, interventions, and recovery contracts for both chemical dependency and mental health to aide in ongoing monitoring, support and success in recovery.

Ethics: The outlines include the code of professional responsibility and issues related to government attorneys in the child protection field including child services’ attorneys and assistant county prosecutors, and the disciplinary process.

Professionalism for Child Services Lawyers: The outlines include what professionalism is, why we do need it, and how we can make it relevant.

Presenters: Stephanie Krznarich, The Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program; Robert Berger, Jr., Office of Disciplinary Counsel, Supreme Court of Ohio; and Alvin Mathews, Jr., Bricker & Eckler, LLP.
Intended audience: Attorneys and judicial members ONLY.
Credit: No CEU credits. CLE credits applied for.

September 10, 2009

This is an interactive display tailored after a day time drama series aimed at showing a behind the scenes look at what foster youth experience while in care. The audience will be engaged by youth acting out real life situations that they have  experienced while in care. The presentation would be followed by a youth panel discussion with child welfare professionals to discuss effective strategies for interacting with youth as well as highlighting the supports needed to prepare youth to transition from care.

Presenter: Panel members from the OHIO Youth Advisory Board (OHIO YAB).
Intended audience: All.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker

Where do you go mentally and emotionally when you're being hard on yourself? When we don't allow ourselves to be human – thinking, feeling, emotional beings – we're transported to a foggy place: the world of the Sleepy Zombie Monster (TM). In this fun and compassionate conversation, we recognize our unique monsters and befriend this universal and benevolent part of ourselves. From this interactive and experiential session you will take away: mindfulness practice to use in any setting, a powerful tool for noticing when you’re disengaged from the present, compassion toward yourself and others, and a new friendship with a deep and loving part of yourself.

Presenter: Carin Channing, Licensed therapist and self-care expert.
Intended audience: All.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker

Interested in providing field experiences for social work students at your agency? Already a participant in Ohio’s University Partnership Program (UPP) but would like to further improve student intern experiences at your agency? In this workshop participants will learn about the dynamic UPP program that provides social work students with an early and in-depth experience to the field of child welfare. Perspectives from both a field instructor and a field liaison will be shared.  Participants will be provided with information on what makes for an effective and productive child welfare field internship and the benefits of having student interns at their agency.

Presenters: Kelly Knight, Franklin County Children Services; and Linda Helm, The Ohio State University. Intended audience: UPP students, UPP Campus Coordinators, Field instructors and HR personnel.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

In these tough economic times you won’t want to miss this interactive workshop where you’ll learn about the “Power of the Butter” and how PCSAO’s dynamic legislative duo practices the art (not always a science) of counting votes to achieve our mission for safe children, stable families and supportive communities.  Whether it is through budget/legislative advocacy or working with the Administration and legislators on a solution to the loss of funds at a local level or maintaining specific TANF investments for a strong child protective system, this workshop will examine the 2010-2011 state budget and other policy initiatives as learning tools for successful advocacy!  Presentation methods will include handouts, group dialogue, a fun role play and a visit by a legislator whose vote has been “counted” many times on behalf of children and families throughout Ohio.

Presenters: Gayle Channing Tenenbaum and  Greg Kapcar, Public Children Services Association of Ohio.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker

Evaluation findings to be discussed include: fidelity to the AR model in the ten pilot counties, feedback from workers and supervisors about implementation, types of reports assigned to AR, variations in services provided to families in the experimental and control groups, maintenance of child safety, and responses of families to AR.  Plans for outcome analyses will be presented.

Presenters: Tony Loman and Christine Shannon, the Institute of Applied Research, St. Louis, Missouri.
Moderator: Kristin Gilbert, ODJFS.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Identifying the families most likely to adopt and gaining their support are key to effective recruiting campaigns. What do “resource families” expect from you? Are you doing a good job of making them feel welcome from start to finish? We examine the most effective strategies to identify and build relationships with these families, and to make their adoptive experience a positive one. The session will include a look at campaigns that have – and haven’t – worked in counties of varying sizes around the state and around the country. Come prepared with questions and examples of what’s worked for you!

Presenters: Julie Malkin, Lucas County Children Services; Andrea Williams and Lesley Greenwood, Adoption Caseworker, Fairfield County CS.
Intended audience: Supervisors, direct services staff and public information officers.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Panel members will share their personal insights on their adoption experiences—details of their own adoption journeys and the life-long impact their experiences have had. Registrants will hear from various adoption stakeholder representatives, who will describe the emotional journey from thought to finalization.   

Presenters: Potential panel members will be a combination of private and public agency representatives and will include adoptive parent(s), adoptee, birth parent(s) and foster parent(s). 
Moderator: Jenifer Thompson, National Center for Adoption Law & Policy.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

This workshop will spotlight the need for teen pregnancy prevention services for youth in the foster care system.  Utilizing video clips of former youth in foster care discussing the issue of teen pregnancy; we will highlight how child welfare professionals can address teen pregnancy through not only services for youth, but also parents and providers.  Participants will also learn about initiatives currently being implemented to address this issue.

Presenter: Itege Bailey, National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

This workshop will present a framework for the use of COA standards to help public agencies meet the federally mandated Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) outcomes and Program Improvement Plans (PIP).  A tool and model quality improvement plan will be presented that will provide a structure that can be used to meet CFSR mandated outcomes.  This plan will provide a structure for both county systems and complex state systems to monitor and integrate CFSR outcomes into quality improvement systems, including case record documentation and reviews, staff meetings and supervision, and work with stakeholders and constituents.

Presenter: Reid Scher, the Council on Accreditation. 
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Presented in partnership with the Council on Accreditation (COA)

The session will provide an update regarding recent Ohio court decisions which clarify, modify or reinforce a questioned area of the meaning and application of Ohio law in the child welfare and adoption arenas.  The session will include a PowerPoint presentation regarding recent decisions as well as the opportunity for session attendees to pose questions about the current state of Ohio law in these areas. The workshop will familiarize participants with recent development in Ohio case law.  The workshop will enable participants to see current trends in Ohio law, predict future trends.  Finally, the workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to evaluate the current state of Ohio child welfare and adoption law.

Presenter: Angela Upchurch, National Center for Adoption Law & Policy.
Intended audience: Attorneys, judicial members, directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: CLE credits applied for; and  Counselor, Social Worker

Legal Track - Attorney and judicial members AND social workers.

1:30p.m. - 4:30p.m.
Workshop 20. Don’t Talk…Don’t Trust…Don’t Feel: Growing up with an addicted parent – Child Welfare Implications.

Drug and alcohol abuse takes an enormous toll on families. It may be a factor in two-thirds of all substantiated cases of abuse and neglect. This workshop will allow child welfare professionals to explore the many challenges that children face and unique family dynamics that are generated when growing up with an addicted parent. Caseworker and clinical approaches to remediation will be discussed.

Presenter: Brian Lowery, Lowery Training Associates.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker

Involved Fathers can have a positive impact on a child’s well being, academic and social success, but how do you get Fathers involved when Mother (or Father) refuses to be involved due to unresolved issues of the past?  This class deals with strategies to help parents overcome unresolved issues of the past, understand the value that fathers can bring to their children’s lives, and tools to help them work together for the benefit of their children.

Presenter: Anthony President, Trainer.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

There has recently been considerable research and development on methods of interviewing children (age 5 and above) in the investigation and assessment of child maltreatment.  The data have been used to develop interview protocols and formats that regularly produce the most extensive and accurate data from children. However, these protocols are not used universally in the child welfare field.  Further, research has identified that without regular, structured peer review, even well-trained and highly experienced practitioners revert back to their “old habits” rather than maintaining their use of research-based protocols. This workshop will review the most effective strategies for interviewing young children, and strategies to help forensic interviewers develop and sustain their skills in interview practice.

Presenter:  Erna Olafson, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Evidence Supported Track - Presented in partnership with the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

Discover how new media tools can help your agency tell its story and connect with the community. This workshop will explore the usefulness of social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter, blogs, podcasts, and more. In the last decade, the internet has changed the way organizations and their audiences interact with one another. A successful public relations strategy is no longer limited to traditional media outlets, and should explore these new and often cost-effective forms of marketing. This session will focus on the merits of new media within the context of a public children services agency.

Presenters: Sherri Oliver, Athens County Children Services; and William Burgess Stark County Children Services.
Intended audience: Directors, public information officers, supervisors, and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

In this exciting two-part workshop participants learn what to expect during their UPP internship and are provided with helpful information about how to translate that experience into a possible employment upon graduation. During the first part, University Partnership Program (UPP) Alumni give advice and encouragement to this year's UPP Interns.  Each panel member will share how their Child Welfare class experiences and their internship at a PCSA helped to prepare them to be Child Welfare Professionals. During the second part of the workshop, members of the PCSAO Human Resources/ Safety Committee will share with information on how to look for, obtain and maintain employment.  Committee members will discuss the attributes that they look for in a potential employee and how interns can successfully become employees.

Presenters: A panel of former UPP students now working as caseworkers and a panel of HR/Safety Committee members. Moderator: Kelly Knight, Franklin County Children Services; and PCSAO HR/Safety Committee.
Intended audience: UPP students, UPP Campus Coordinators, Field instructors, and HR personnel.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

The majority of child welfare cases involve neglected children, and a majority of cases referred to alternative response, non-investigative tracks also involve neglect.  In all but the most serious cases, maintaining neglected children in their families is the preferred permanency option.  This requires specialized interventions that can prevent recurrences of neglect. Safe Care® is a standardized family-based intervention program that involves in-home interventions with neglecting and high risk families.  The intervention builds parental capacity in home safety, developing and strengthening attachment, and infant and child health.  The Safe Care program has been widely researched and has a strong empirical base to demonstrate its effectiveness in preventing future neglect.  This workshop will describe the Safe Care intervention and explain how child welfare workers, case aides, family home visitors, and others who work directly with neglected children and their families can receive training in its use.

Presenters:  Daniel Whitaker and Shannon Self-Brown, the National SafeCare® Training and Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Evidence Supported Track - Presented in partnership with the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

The purpose of safety awareness training is to enhance the awareness of individual safety both on and off the job, for caseworkers and other personnel.  Major emphasis is placed on direct service staff. The training encourages participants to use basic common sense and instincts as early warning systems to reduce their chances of becoming victims. Some of the topics covered include a verbal aggression, sexual harassment, stalking,  risk scale, safety committees, interviewing, post – incident trauma, highway rage, street smart behavior, removing children, teaming, intervening alone and crack house raids, dealing with assaults and office safety.

Presenter: Benjamine Lane, Lucas County Children Services.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Children Service Agencies throughout the U.S. are being exposed to youths abandoned from other countries. In some instances, Children Services have no option but to assume custody of these children as they have no legal guardian in the U.S., and it is too dangerous for these children to return to their country of origin. This workshop will educate caseworkers and attorneys on how to apply for the Special Juvenile Immigrant Visas. We will educate attorneys and caseworkers on the application process, legal documentation that is required from the juvenile Courts, obtaining physicals from a Civil Surgeon, completing an affidavit to waive the fees for application and biometrics and how to obtain a government issued ID.

Presenters: Laura DiGiacomo, Ashtabula County Children Services; Kathy Kasputis, Ashtabula County Children Services; and Linda Silakoski, Immigration Attorney.
Intended audience: Attorneys, judicial members, directors, supervisors, and direct service staff.
Credit: CLE credits applied for; and Counselor, Social Worker.

Legal Track - Attorney and judicial members AND social workers.

Since 2004, the Supreme Court of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services have been engaged in a comprehensive process to research, develop and implement recommendations for child welfare systems improvement in Ohio.  The Supreme Court of Ohio’s Advisory Committee on Children, Families, and the Courts established a multidisciplinary Subcommittee on Responding to Child Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency to determine if Ohio’s statutory guidelines for the investigation and prosecution of child abuse and neglect properly serve children and families in need of child protection intervention. The Subcommittee focused on identifying statutory and regulatory barriers to consistent and effective practice in child protection screening and investigation and on developing proposals aimed at eliminating those barriers. Denise St. Clair, J.D. and Carla Carpenter, MSSW of the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy at Capital University Law School (NCALP) will present an overview of the work of the Subcommittee on Responding to Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency.  NCALP, in partnership with the ABA Center on Children and the Law, conducted intensive literature and legal research concurrently with field research throughout the state of Ohio that informed the development of the Subcommittee’s recommendations.  This session will provide background on the work of the Subcommittee, a detailed summary of the proposed Child in Need of Protective Services statutory model and definitions, and an update on Ohio’s Alternative Response pilot.   

Presenters: Denise St. Clair and Carla Carpenter, The National Center for Adoption Law & Policy (NCALP)
Intended audience: Attorneys, judicial members, directors, supervisors, and direct service staff.
Credit: CLE credits applied for; and Counselor, Social Worker.

Legal Track - Attorney and judicial members AND social workers.

September 11, 2009

Children’s groups are an exciting tool for adoption preparation. This complete curriculum, based upon resiliency research and the 3-5-7 Model, helps children clarify and integrate their personal histories to gain confidence in moving forward.

Presenter: Wendy Flowers, Psychologist/Trainer, Consultant.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff. 
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Pets are common denominators in children’s ecosystems, and children’s bonds with pets are not pale imitations of human relationships but significant in their own right. Children who witness or perpetrate animal abuse are at increased risk, and that animal-assisted interventions can reach abused and at-risk youth. “The Link®” between animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence offers public policy implications for cross-reporting and cross-training to protect all vulnerable family members.

Presenter: Lesley Ashworth, American Humane Association.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

At the time of this workshop, Ohio’s Alternative Response Pilot Project will be approaching its final quarter.  Ohio’s ten project sites will have been offering families an alternative approach for almost 15 months.  You’ve heard the hype; you’ve seen the research. But, how does this translate to the worker who knocks on the door or the administrator who has accountability to the community for the safety its children? A panel of Ohio PCSAs and Ohio's AR Project Chronicler will share their perspectives from the field.  Panel members will discuss county experiences with AR, how it has impacted child welfare practice in pilot communities, and identify the changes that has occurred within their agencies, as well as those challenges that may lay ahead for expanded implementation.   

Presenters:  Panel - Representatives from pilot counties; and Carla Carpenter, AR Project Chronicler.
Moderator: Kristin Gilbert, ODJFS.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

An overview of Strengthening Families in Ohio and nationally.  Develop an understanding of protective factors and the role early child care settings have in contributing to the wellness of children by building upon the resources and strengths of parents and the community.  Learn how Strengthening Families was initiated in one Ohio community where child abuse and neglect reports were increasing. 

Presenter: Carolyn Brinkman, Project Manager, Strengthening Families.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

This session will allow for participants to learn new ways of providing supervision to child welfare caseworkers. Examples of training itineraries, mandate tracking tools, and team meeting designs will be discussed and provided. The tracking tools currently utilized by Wood County are often asked for and shared with numerous other counties via the Toledo Field Office and direct requests.  Networking and sharing new ideas and ways of providing consistent accomplishment of mandates is crucial to the overall well being and safety of families.  Participants will also be encouraged to bring and share their own forms and tools they use in their daily supervision. This session will be open to current supervisors or those who aspire to be supervisors.  

Presenter: Kelly Hickle-Lentz, Wood County Job and Family Services.
Intended audience: Supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

F-CBT is a clinic-based, individual, short-term treatment that involves individual sessions with children and parents as well as joint parent child sessions.  It is designed to address the unique treatment needs of children (ages 4 to 18) who have significant  behavioral or emotional problems that are related to traumatic life events, including prior child abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse, even if  they do not meet full diagnostic criteria for PTSD.  TF-CBT has been widely researched and has shown considerable improvements in PTSD symptoms as well as in depression, anxiety, behavior problems, sexualized behaviors, trauma-related shame, interpersonal trust, and social competence. Children and parents are provided with knowledge and skills related to processing the trauma; managing distressing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; and enhancing safety, parenting skills, and family communication. Participants in this workshop will learn about the treatment model and how to receive further training in its use.

Presenter:  Anthony Mannarino, Allegheny General Hospital's Center for Traumatic Stress in Children and adolescents, Pittsburgh, PA.
Intended audience: Directors, supervisors and direct service staff.
Credit: Counselor, Social Worker.

Evidence Supported Track - Presented in partnership with the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

This workshop stresses the importance of team collaboration and legally defensible strategies that lead to improved child protection and offender prosecution. The approach has been mandated by the state (ORS 2151.426-428), sanctioned by the courts, is based on a foundation of recent research and nationally accepted best practices. The multidisciplinary response to child sexual abuse investigations frames the content that includes: the offender’s perspective on victimization; barriers to achieving true teamwork; identifying alternative hypotheses; collecting credible evidence for both juvenile and criminal courts; recognizing intentional and unintentional false allegations; the relationship between memory and questions and strategies that assist in obtaining offender confessions. The workshop will provide an overview of the model. Follow-up training of staff and of trainers is available.

Presenters:  Susan Samuel and James Starks.
Intended audience: Attorneys, judicial members, directors, supervisors, and direct service staff
Credit: CLE credits applied for; and Counselor, Social Worker.

Evidence Supported Track - Presented in partnership with the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children.

Legal Track - Attorney and judicial members AND social workers.

Family visitation can be difficult for all parties. This training will offer strategies to prepare birth parents, children and foster parents for visitation. Participants will go through the journey of visitation beginning with the initial visit through the final visit.
Participants will gain a greater understanding of the importance of visitation and the key elements in making visitation successful.

There are several attendant legal issues to consider with visitation and transporting children to those visits while attempting to comply with court orders, as well as COA and ODJFS regulations. The PCSA needs to develop policies and practices surrounding visitation, such as the maintenance of a safe and hazard free facility, handling sexual offenders who visit, training staff in CPR & first aid and the maintenance of business records. Moreover, the child serving agency often has difficulty interpreting what the Court's expectation is with "monitoring" visits vs. "direct supervision" or "line of sight".
 

Presenters: Josie Olsvig, Cheryl Turner, and Jennifer Moyer, Montgomery County DJFS.
Intended audience: Attorneys, judicial members, directors, supervisors, and direct service staff.
Credit: CLE credits applied for; and Counselor, Social Worker.

Legal Track - Attorney and judicial members AND social workers.