For years the message has been “when in doubt, call the State Central Registry and report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect.” Far too often, reports of maltreatment center on a parent’s lack of resources rather than actual child abuse. This has resulted in a staggering increase of abuse and maltreatment reports that not only are unwarranted in the first place but, in many cases, were based solely on race and poverty. This resulted in alarming and disproportionately statistics under these guidelines. Dr. Kathryn Krase is an expert on the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment and has authored multiple books and articles on the subject.

2B: Parenting Brain Power-Up

Jessica Sinarski, LPCMH 

We all know the healing power that a strong parent-child relationship can provide. And yet, when faced with aggression, defiance, and other trauma-driven behavior, the adult brain’s natural response is to flip into protection mode. This workshop will provide a much-needed boost to weary parents by helping you see beneath the surface, befriend your whole brain (even the parts they get extra protective), and practice resilience-boosting strategies for everyday life.

3A:  Emotional Behavior and Brain Development

Nim Tottenham, PhD

Nim Tottenham, PhD is a Professor of Psychology at Columbia University and Director of the Developmental Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. Her research examines the development of the neurobiology associated with mature emotional behavior in humans. Her work has highlighted fundamental changes in amygdala-prefrontal cortex circuitry across childhood and adolescence and the powerful role that early experiences, such as caregiving and stress, have on the developmental trajectories of these circuits. Dr. Tottenham’s studies use fMRI, behavioral, and physiological methods to examine human limbic-cortical development in children and adolescents as well as in their parents. She has authored over 70 journal articles and book chapters and is a frequent lecturer both nationally and internationally on human brain development and emotional development. 

3B: How Language Influences the Relationships in the Triad of Foster Care

Foster Blessings: Angela Paganelli & Rachel Doyle

Rachel Doyle, Founder of Fostering Hope Together and Angela Paganelli, NLP, founder of Foster Blessings, author of “Foster Blessings and “How About You”, together are also the founders of Hope Rising Up Ministries. Rachel is mother to 18 children through biology and adoption, and Angela is a former foster youth, foster and adoptive mother. They will be presenting about resilience through language. The importance of the language that we use with, and in front of our children, and about their first families, is critical. Learn how using positive language can help the resilience shine in your child(ren). 

4A: Practicing Community Resilience: Bias and Triggers Within

Panel Discussion moderated by Sharon Williams

Resilient communities actively strengthen and promote individual and community well-being and cohesiveness, engage and prioritize vulnerable and/or marginalized groups, and increase community social connections and collaboration. Join Sharon Williams, in conversation with others in our community, in an open and honest look within. We’ll be taking the knowledge and tools that we use to look at other systems to practice what we preach – being real. open and vulnerable with each other – in order to both grow as individuals and in mutual community understanding.

Welcome to a dive into Trauma: Neurodiverse Tools and Strategies for Kids. In this workshop we will provide some information that school staff and personnel have and use. We will describe what trauma with students with disabilities can look like. Lastly we will discuss strategies that are used within the school setting that can be transferred to home. We hope to offer you a foundation of knowledge, resources to connect use with school collaboration, and strategies that can be used both at home and within the school setting. We hope you walk away with a framework to connect to schools and some strategies to successfully address trauma.

A family’s ability to effectively function—including caring for its members—following potentially traumatic events is resilience. Kinship care is an act of family resilience in action. While kinship care preserves family relationships and emphasizes the value of connection, kinship families are often a more vulnerable population facing a myriad of long-standing challenges for both caregivers and children. Yet, evidence suggests children in kinship care fare even better when there is increased opportunity for their families to glean additional supports. Caregiver social support and engagement have emerged as protective factors for health and mental health outcomes among children in kinship care. Let’s listen to what our kinship families really need.

6A: Building a Bridge; Birth Parents & Foster Parents Working Together

Jeanette Vega-Brown

Positive relationships between parents and foster parents help children in care to feel more secure and adjust more easily after reunification. Can foster parents and child welfare professionals collaborate with the parents of children in care? Parent advocacy leaders at RISE say YES!!!
“Building a Bridge”, a RISE publication and curriculum, provides powerful evidence that improved communication makes enormous differences in foster children’s lives. Learn how these 20 stories by parents, foster parents, and teens plus 14 worksheets can be used to help parents and foster parents establish positive working relationships.

6B: Therapy Modalities for Complex Trauma

Dr. James Rodriguez

Dr. James Rodriguez is a Senior Research Scientist and Director of Trauma-Informed Services at the McSilver Institute. He is a New York State-licensed clinical social worker and psychologist with over 25 years of providing mental health services to children, youth and families in a variety of service settings, including direct practice, training and research experience in the area of trauma treatment and services. His work at McSilver Institute includes the development and dissemination of training materials to promote trauma-informed care in diverse service settings for children, youth and families.