10:15 pm – 11:45am 
Sessions

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1. The Role of Behavior Management in the Treatment of Young Children with Trauma Symptoms: A Comparison of Three Models (Intermediate)
This presentation provides an overview of behavior management principles and how they are incorporated into three evidence-based trauma psychotherapies: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.      
Glenn Mesman, PhD; Sufna John, PhD

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2. Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk: Using Teachable Moments in Sexual Abuse Prevention Education (Beginning)
This session will guide how adults can create an environment supportive of sexual abuse prevention teachable moments and gain insight on sample language and how to approach these teachable moments.     
Kylee Pass, MSW, LGSW                                                                                                                                                                                                      

3. What Every New Interviewer Should Know (Beginning)
This workshop provides practical tips and guidance for interviewers new to the field.           
Scott Snider, LCSW                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

4. A Review of Abusive Head Trauma in Infants & Young Children & Related Perceived Courtroom Controversies (Intermediate)
This is a review of the basic biomechanics & pathophysiology of abusive head trauma as well spurious medical defenses & how to deal with them in the courtroom.    
Roger Blevins, RN, BSN, MSN, CPNP

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5. Multidisciplinary Efforts in Identifying & Treating Adolescents witih Harmful Sexual Behaviors: Overcoming Myths & Bias (Intermediate)

This presentation will provide an overview of harmful sexual behavior in adolescents, misconceptions, community efforts to improve the response, and best practice treatments to effectively intervene.

Susan Schmidt, PhD; Tricia Gardner, JD

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6. An Advanced Treatment Approach for Chemically Dependent, Trauma Reactive Youth (Advanced)

This advanced workshop will address the clinical complexities of treating chemically depended, trauma reactive youth and the necessary trauma informed treatment model for their recovery.

John Seasock, Psy.D.

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7. Twisted Scripture: Addressing Theological Beliefs Commonly Used to Justify Violence Towards Children (Intermediate)

Cultural responsiveness to commonly-held theological beliefs that are used to justify violence towards children or inaction can help practitioners address the needs of survivors, families, and faith communities.

Pete Singer, MSW, LICSW; Jessa Potvin, BA

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8. The APSAC GRAMMYS: Great Research Among Multidisciplinary Members Last Yearmediate)

This session will highlight 5-10 articles from the 2021 research literature which are thought by the presenters to reflect outstanding scientific contributions to the field.

Stacie LeBlanc, JD; Vincent Palusci, MD, MS

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Research Sessions (10:15 am - 11:45 am)

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10:15 am - 10:45 am

9. Evaluation of Evidence-Based Parenting Programs for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment (Intermediate)

The Family Recovery Court model offers three phases of treatment and is evaluated across multiple domains. Participants report significantly higher rates of trauma experiences, mental health symptoms, and substance use.

Ashley Logsdon, MSSW; Becky Antle, PhD, MSSW, LMFT; Anita Barbee PhD, MSSW

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10:45 am - 11:15 am

9. Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Corporal Punishment Among Parents Living in a Homeless Shelter (Intermediate)

This qualitative study explored the attitudes beliefs about CP among homeless parents. Findings demonstrated strong support for the use of CP, despite participant experiences of childhood physical abuse.

Ellen Chiocca, PhD, CPNP

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11:15 am - 11:45 am

9. Social Support and Social Networks in Family Treatment Courts (Intermediate)

Family treatment court participants may experience unique challenges developing and sustaining positive relationships. This study explores the social support and social networks of family treatment court participants.

Nichole L. Michaels, PhD

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11:45 am – 1:00 pm 

Lunch on your own

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1:00 pm – 2:00 pm 

Sessions 

                                              

1. Minor Injuries with Major Significance - Sentinel Injuries of Child Physical Abuse (Beginning)

Recognizing sentinel injuries in infants and children can increase the accuracy of physical abuse diagnosis and may help mitigate existing bias in the identification and work-up of child abuse.

Neha Mehta, MD

                                                                                                                                                                                   

2. Successes and Remaining Needs in Evaluating Service Outcomes of Children's Advocacy Centers (Beginning)
In this workshop, we will explore how Children's Advocacy Centers use NCA's Outcome Measurement System (OMS) to evaluate and improve services for youth, families, and multidisciplinary team members.
Kaitlin Lounsbury, MA; Elizabeth Cross, PhD; Wendy A. Walsh, PhD

                                                                                                                                                                                               

3. Determining Whether Youth on the Autism Spectrum have been Sexually Abused: Implications for Forensic Interviewing (Intermediate)
Risk of child sexual abuse (CSA) and obstacles to recognition of CSA in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are discussed to help forensic interviewers who interview youth with ASD.     
Meredyth Goldberg Edelson, PhD                    

                                                                                                                                                                 

4. Resilience Remix: Self Care Made Simple (Intermediate)
Examine factors that contribute to compassion fatigue, trauma and moral injury, and conduct a self-assessment. Discover factors that contribute to resilience and create a personalized self-care strategy.
Maureen Pollard, BSW, MSW, RSW        

                                                                                                                                                                               

5. Adapting Preventative Programs to Virtual Platforms: What We've Learned (Beginning)
The benefits and the barriers of adapting traditionally in-person child abuse prevention programs to online virtual platforms. 

Trevor Raushi, MS; Leslie Schmerler, MA; Julissa Guzman, MSW

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6. The Needs of Children In Families Affected by SUD across the Developmental Spectrum - A Protective Factors Approach (Intermediate)

This session explores the effect of substance use disorders on children's developmental needs, emphasizing protective factors and using a family-centered approach to service planning, treatment, and building collaborative partners.

Katie Ryan, MA; Brian Southworth, LCSW

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7. Faith & NHZs (No Hit Zones): Tools and Strategies for Engaging Faith Communities in Addressing Child Maltreatment

Founded in 2005 at the Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio by Dr. Lolita David, NHZs were created as an intervention strategy to prevent child abuse and maltreatment, at the earliest stages of a family's journey with their newborn gift of life. This workshop will focus on how to embed this prevention strategy professional and personal settings (ie...in houses of worship, schools, district attorney offices, family-home, etc...) from a multidisciplinary perspective. Particular emphasis will be on how various communities of faith are integrating NHZs into their respective religious environments. 

Stacie LeBlanc, JD; Viola Vaughan, PhD; Darrell Armstrong, MDiv, EdS MFT

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8. Roundtable's 

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Creating Resilience Following Child Maltreatment Disclosures:  Ensuring Non-Offending Caregiver Support (Intermediate)

A strong supportive relationship is critical for victims to acquire resilience. Participants will better understand the barriers to caregivers providing effective support, and how to help them overcome these barriers.

Meghan Backofen, MSW, LCSW

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The Role of the Psychologist in the Medical Evaluation of Child Abuse and Neglect (Beginning)

This presentation will provide an overview of the use of teams for the medical evaluation of child abuse and neglect, and specifically highlight the important role of the psychologist.

Olga Jablonka, PhD; Vincent J. Palusci, MD, MS, FAAP 

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Community Response Guide:  Revisioning the Mandate to Report (Beginning)

Evident Change, with community collaboration, is designing tools to improve decision-making and expand the way communities think about mandated reporting and ways to support families when they have concerns.

Claire Crowley, MSW; Emerson Ives, BA, AS

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Assessment of Parenting Capacity for Parents with Cognitive Impairment (Intermediate)

This roundtable will discuss the specialized forensic evaluation for parents with cognitive impairment. Assessment including standardized psychological and neuropsychological testing, clinical interviews and case conceptualization will be presented.

Carol Friedman, Phd; Kirsten Byrnes, PsyD

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Interdisciplinary Training in Child Abuse and Neglect: Impacting Future Professionals in the Field of Child Maltreatment (Beginning)

The ITP provides rigorous training to future leaders in child maltreatment who understand the value of prevention and treatment, and gain respect for the contributions of the different disciplines involved.

Tricia Gardner, JD; Erin K. Taylor, PhD; Kate Theimer, PhD

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Working Together to Foster Resilience: Sustaining a Multi-Disciplinary Medical Home for Children in Child Welfare (Beginning)

A multi-disciplinary team of presenters (Pediatrician, Psychologist, Family Navigator) will describe collaboration within a medical home for child welfare-involved children and offer guidance for promoting resilience in this population.

Brandi Hawk, PhD; Jihey Yuk, MD; Ayi Carter, CADC II

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Research Sessions (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm)

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1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

9. Does Organizational Resilience Building Impact Worker Trauma and Burnout: A Longitudinal Investigation (Intermediate)

This study investigates how organizational activities toward resilience-building in staff impact levels of secondary traumatic stress and burnout over time, controlling for the contributions of other STS prevention efforts.

Ginny Sprang, PhD

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1:30 pm - 2:00 pm 

9. What Makes Child Welfare Caseworkers Want to Leave their Jobs and What Makes Them Want to Stay? (Intermediate)

After Pennsylvania revised its child protective services law (CPSL) in 2014 after highly publicized child abuse incidents at Penn State University, child welfare caseworker turnover increased significantly.

Bonnie Marsh, DSW, MSW, BSW, LSW

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1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

10. Foster Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis of Caregiver and Professional Experiences (Intermediate)

A qualitative study of foster parents and related professionals was conducted identifying their experiences of stress and resiliency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implications for supporting foster care systems are provided.

Adrienne Whitt-Woosley, PhD, LCSW

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1:30 pm - 2:00 pm 

10. No Hit Zones: An Innovative Approach to Child Physical Abuse Prevention

Physical punishment (i.e., hitting a child with the intent to cause pain but not injury) is a strong risk factor for child physical abuse. No Hit Zones (NHZs) are an emergent and highly promising public health strategy designed to change community-level social norms regarding the acceptability of physical punishment of children, an important approach for both child physical abuse (CPA) prevention.

Julia M. Fleckman, PhD, MPH

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2:15 pm – 3:15 pm 

Sessions 

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1. Proactive Recovery Planning for Child Sex Trafficking Survivors - Strategies for Successful Engagement and Response (Intermediate)
This presentation will provide practical lessons learned in developing proactive recovery and response plans for survivors of child sex trafficking, focused on increasing rapport, youth engagement, and reducing running behavior.

Samantha Sahl, DSW, LCSW
                                                                                                                                                                                                            

2. Resilient Georgia: Preventing Adversity and Promoting Practices for Resiliency in Children and Families (Beginning)
Using a collective impact strategy, learn how leading agencies are working collaboratively to prevent adverse childhood experiences, improve community environments, and reduce trauma to build a stronger, more resilient Georgia.      
Tiffany Sawyer, BA; Deborah Chosewood, BA, MS; Neha Khanna, MBA, MPH   

                                                                 

3. Utilizing Non-Victim Blaming Language: Empowering Victims in Forensic Interviews (Intermediate)

Within an investigation, victim blaming language directly impacts how victims internalize their experiences. This training teaches interviewers how to incorporate non-victim blaming language into your forensic interview to empower victims.
Jennifer Sheffield, MSW

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4. Family Culture in Foster Care: Discussing Routines and Values to Promote Understanding (Intermediate)

When foster children behave contrary to the routines and values of the foster family, misunderstandings and frustrations can arise. We present a tool for discussing family culture with foster parents.

Brandi Hawk, PhD; Shayla Allen, AMFT; Lindsay Armendariz, MS

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5. Learning from a Statewide Effort to Improve the Child-Serving Workforce through Child Advocacy Studies Training (CAST) (Beginning)

This workshop profiles an initiative to improve Mississippi's child-serving workforce through a  curriculum on child maltreatment in colleges throughout the state and a statewide facility for training simulations.

Karla Tye, MA; Theodore Cross, Phd; Yu-Ling Chiu, PhD

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6. Brave Girl, Speak: How Advocates Can Foster Resilience (Intermediate)

Rather than just learning to survive, advocates helped this presenter develop resilience following childhood sexual abuse. Learn what interventions her advocates used resulting in long-term positive impacts.

Kendall Wolz, MA, PLPC

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7. Advocate or Adversary (Intermediate)

Victims of sex trafficking often experience poly-victimization. In the ideal investigation the victimization ends when the victim is rescued. What happens when the MDT contributes to further victimization? 

Amber Brown, BS, MA; Tamara Glover, BS, MA

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8. Roundtable's 

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Building Regulation and Resilience in Sexually Abused, Exploited and Trafficked Youth (Beginning)

This presentation will integrate the literature on developmental traumas and other risk factors contributing to risk of sexual victimization and exploitation, prioritizing treatment focusing on developing regulation versus symptom reduction.

Kirsten Byrnes, Psy.D.; HaeSung Han, Psy.D., ATR-BC, LCAT; Lacy Starnes, LPC 

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Assessing Risk in Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence: A Roundtable Discussion (Advanced)

Children exposed to domestic violence are at risk for injury. This round table discussion will engage experts around the proximal factors that raise children's risk of harm.

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW; Sharon Alston, PhD; Viola Vaughan-Eden, PhD, LCSW

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Creating Responsive Communities (Beginning)

Creating Responsive Communities (CRC) will provide the definition of a responsive community and increase knowledge around various prevention topics including The 5 Protective Factors, ACEs, and Resilience.

Joseph Coffey, MEd; Christina Mału, LCSW, LSAS Associate

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The Importance of Spirituality in the Healing Process (Advanced)

One uses spirituality to make sense of the world and navigating life challenges. As therapists, it is important to understand the role of spiritualty within the healing process.

Phadra McCray, MEd, MSW, LSW

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Racial Trauma as Child Maltreatment: Current Controversies in K-12 Education (Intermediate)

Inclusive educational practices show promise in ameliorating racial disparities in educational outcomes. Additionally, they help racialized children resist trauma caused by racism, which negatively impacts their emotional wellbeing and development.

Mary Kelly Persyn, PhD, JD; Maryam M. Jernigan-Noesi, PhD

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What Now? Statewide Dissemination of an Evidence-based Prevention Model for Child Physical Abuse During the Pandemic (Intermediate)

CPC-CBT, a trauma-informed, EBT for families at-risk for child physical abuse, involves strategies to enhance parental engagement and parental empathy for the child to promote family safety and reduce risk.

Kris Dean, PhD, ABPP; Michele Moser, PhD

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3:30 pm – 5:00 pm 

Sessions 

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1. Trauma, Attachment, Adversity, Impairment and Resilience Meet Black Lives Matter--The Curse of Intersectionality (Intermediate)

This workshop will demonstrate how the context in which trauma and adversity occur shapes a child's response. Resilience is shaped both internally and externally. Both forms can be assessed.

Jeff Sugar, MD

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2. Protecting Children from Psychological Maltreatment: Helping Care-Givers Do Better (Beginning)

This program will advance principles and interventions human service professionals can apply to improve child-caregiving and social environments where sub-optimal child treatment of psychological maltreatment relevance has been recognized.

Stuart N. Hart, PhD; Marla R. Brassard, PhD; Sirrilla D. Blackmon, LCSW, LCAC

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3. I Do:  Testimony for Forensic Interviewers and SANEs (Intermediate)

Join in the discussion regarding testimony from forensic interviewers and SANEs.

Lindsey Dula, LMSW; Stacey Henley, MSN, RN, SANE-P, CP-SANE

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4. Using Interprofessional Teams to Promote Early Resiliency Amid the Opioid Epidemic: An Introduction (Beginning)

This program will advance principles and interventions human service professionals can apply to improve child-caregiving and social environments where sub-optimal child treatment of psychological maltreatment relevance has been recognized.

Erin Redle Sizemore PhD, CCC-SLP; Xan Boone, MSW; Lesley Raisor-Becker, PhD; Kelly Kennedy, OTD, OTR/L, NTMTC

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5. Building Community Resilience as Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (Intermediate)

Child sexual abuse can be prevented through community resilience.  Partnerships between parents, families, neighborhoods, schools, organizations, law enforcement, and social media platforms with shared language and vision is key.

Susan Kennedy, MA, BS

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6. The Persistent Parent Revisited (Advanced)

Child health providers occasionally presented with parents with persistent concerns regarding their child.  Many will have medical and/or psychogenic illness or are being subjected to medical child abuse.

John Wright, MD; Mary Iwaszewski, DO, MS

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7. Victim-Centered and Trauma-Informed Investigations: Trauma, Memory and the Brain (Intermediate)

Conducting victim-centered and trauma-informed investigations require that investigators, prosecutors and forensic interviews understand trauma affects, memory recall, interviews, and investigative statements.

Jennifer Sheffield, MSW; Amber Brown, BS, MA; Tamara Glover, BS, MA

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8. Keeping Faith what research tells us about sacred spaces 

This workshop will explore various strategies for training religious and social service professionals in the field of child advocacy. Particular emphasis will be on the research findings from such evidence-based approaches such as: (1)...the CAST Program (Child Advocacy Studies Training); and (2)...embedding Children's Chaplains in Child Advocacy Centers and other place-based, child serving agencies.

Victor Vieth, JD, ThM; Sue Hardie, PhD; Allison Stephens, PhD; Darrell Armstrong, MDiv, EdS MFT

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Research Sessions (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm)

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3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

10. Protecting America's Children: Paid Family Leave's Effect on Infant Abuse & Neglect (Advanced)

This study explores the effect of state-sponsored paid family leave policy on early child maltreatment rates. Analyses support paid family leave as a protective mechanism for infants (0-2 years old).

Jennifer Tanis, MSW; Sacha Klein, MSW, PhD

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4:00 pm - 4:30 pm

10. Intergenerational Transmission of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Children's Health Outcomes: A Scoping Review (Intermediate)

This study aimed to examine the intergenerational effects of parental ACEs on children's health and development outcomes using a scoping review method.

Lixia Zhang, PhD

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4:30 pm - 5:00 pm

10. An Evaluation of the Authentic Family Engagement and Strengthening Approach for Child Welfare Impacted Families (Beginning)

This presentation will describe the development, pilot testing, and initial effectiveness of the Authentic Family Engagement and Strengthening (AFES) approach for families impacted by a child maltreatment investigation.

Morgan Cooley, PhD, LCSW; Marianna Colvin, PhD; Vaughn Crichlow, PhD; Corey Best

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