Creating caring
Communities
2014 NH Foster, Adoptive, & Relative Caregiver Conference
November 15, 2014
Plymouth State University
Conference Schedule
8:30 - 9:00 am
9:00 - 10:00 am
10:15-11:45 am
11:45 - 1:15 pm
1:30 - 3:00 pm
3:00-3:30 pm
Registration and Continental Breakfast
Welcome
Keynote Presentation: Dr. Ross Greene
Morning workshops
Lunch
Afternoon workshops
Ice Cream Sundae Bar, Raffles & Evaluations
Keynote: Collaborative & Proactive Solutions
Dr. Ross Greene
The Next Generation of Solving Problems Collaboratively
Are you looking for answers to some very important questions?
Why is this kid acting this way?
How come what works for other kids isn’t working for this one?
What can I do instead?
You’ve come to the right place!
Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., is the originator of the
Collaborative Problem Solving approach (now known
as Collaborative & Proactive Solutions) and author of
the books The Explosive Child and Lost at School. He is
also the Founding Director of the non-profit Lives in
the Balance (www.livesinthebalance.org), which aims
to disseminate his model through no-cost web-based
programming and provide support and advocacy on
behalf of caregivers of behaviorally challenging kids.
Dr. Greene served on the faculty at Harvard Medical
School for over 20 years and is now on the faculty of the
Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech. His research
has been funded by the Stanley Research Institute, the
National Institutes of Mental Health, the U.S. Department
of Education, and the Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory
Group. He consults extensively to families, general and
special education schools, inpatient psychiatry units,
and residential and juvenile detention facilities. Dr.
Greene also lectures widely throughout the world.
To learn more visit: www.livesinthebalance.org
Morning Workshops
10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
1: The Many Faces of Facebook
Presented by: Jennifer Frank, M.Ed. CAGS
To “Like” or not to “Like”... that is the question. Have you ever
wondered how safe you are online? Are the photos you post,
information you share, and status updates you write really
protected by those privacy settings? What’s the big deal with
posting my information online anyway? Come find out how
colleges, employers, and others are using social networking
sites such as Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Form Spring, YikYak,
etc. Discover how a small piece of information discovered in
Club Penguin, Chat Roulette, YouTube, Tumblr, or Four Square
could radically change your life and reveal much more than you
ever thought possible!
Jennifer Frank is currently serving as the Special Investigator for Crimes Against Women at the
Plymouth State University Police Department. She is responsible for investigating crimes that
involve members of the campus community with a specific concentration on crimes against
women, sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. She is a member of the Grafton County
Juvenile Diversion Board, adjunct faculty at Plymouth State University, and faculty for the NH
Police Standards & Training Academy. She is the Co-Chair of the New Hampshire Violence
Against Women Campus Consortium and an executive board member of the New Hampshire
Violence Prevention Team, and the Plymouth Area Sexual Assault Resource Team. She is also a
liaison to the U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General for Project Safe Childhood.
2: NH DCYF & the Dartmouth Trauma Interventions
Research Center: Working Together to Create aTraumaInformed Child Welfare & Juvenile Justice System
Presented by: Cassie Yackley, Psy.D. & Becky Parton, LICSW
This workshop will describe the recent history of trauma
initiatives instituted by DCYF, including an in-depth assessment
of NHDCYF’s trauma-informed capacity; a demonstration
project illustrating efforts at intense collaboration between
mental health and DCYF in one district office region; and the
implementation of trauma screening for youth in the juvenile
justice system. A more thorough discussion will outline the
Partners for Change Project, the NH Adoption Preparation and
Preservation project, and what they have to offer youth and
families involved with the Division. The presentation will close
with a conversation about how NHDCYF’s trauma-informed
practices may contribute to creating caring communities across
the state.
Dr. Yackley is the Administrative Director of the Partners for Change (PFC) project. In this
position, Dr. Yackley is working with NHDCYF and regional mental health providers to build a
state-wide trauma-informed system of care. Cassie Yackley is a community-based psychologist
primarily concerned with underserved and disenfranchised populations.
Becky Parton, LICSW, is the Project Coordinator for the NH Adoption Preparation and
Preservation Project (NHAPP). This 5 year demonstration grant is a collaboration between
Dartmouth Trauma Interventions Research Center (DTIRC) and DCYF. The goal of the project is to
create child-serving systems in which children to be adopted and already adopted through the
state of NH and their families have access to trauma-informed, adoption competent, evidencebased services. Previously, Becky worked at Riverbend Community Mental Health in Concord for
five years providing home based family therapy. During this time Becky worked with biological,
foster, and adoptive families on various issues, including trauma, attachment, and adoption
work. Becky also worked as a Child Protective Service Worker (CPSW) for several years.
3: Lives In The Balance
Presented by: Dr. Ross Greene (Keynote Speaker)
As foster/adoptive parents you may have a child(ren) with social,
emotional, and behavioral challenges. This journey may be
frustrating, draining, and isolating. Tired of time-outs, stickers,
detentions, suspensions, and expulsions? Are you ready to be
one of the voices advocating for non-punitive, non-adversarial,
collaborative, proactive, skill-building, relationship-enhancing
interventions? Good, you’ve come to the right workshop!
Dr. Ross Greene’s bio is listed under Keynote.
4: Traffick 911:
Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking
Presented by: Deena Graves, ABC
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. We may have thought
slavery ended with the Emancipation Proclamation, but it is alive
and well today. Human trafficking is the fastest-growing crime
in the world with perpetrators making $32 billion a year buying
and selling people for their profit and pleasure. The profits are
huge and the risk of being prosecuted is slim. According to the
United Nations, 99% of victims are never rescued. The mission
of Traffick911 is to stop the buying and selling of America’s
children.
Deena Graves is the founder and executive director of Traffick911 and speaks across the nation
on domestic minor sex trafficking.
5: Supporting School Success:
Collaborating with School Teams
Presented by: Angela Keef, M.Ed.
The workshop includes a brief review of the special education
process. It provides foster parents with tools to use when
working with school teams to build better collaboration and
ultimately more positive outcomes for students.
Angela Keef is an educational consultant with 20 years experience in the field of special
education. She has been a special education teacher, case manager, administrator in public
schools, private schools, and other institutions such as shelter facilities for court involved
children. She has experience working at the state agency level, including the NH Department of
Education and the NH Division for Children, Youth and Families.
Afternoon Workshops
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
6: Life Stories Matter!
practicing respect and equality; and exploring culture and
beliefs to improve communication and decision making.
Participants will learn the importance of life story work. Using
the 3-5-7 model, the presenters will demonstrate how caregivers
can support young children and teens in a quest for who they
are; what happened to them; where they are going; how they’ll
get there; and when they know they belong. This is a life-long
model that is important for all of us. It’s how attachments are
built and connections are secured. It can help children heal
and discover why their Life Story matters. Come join us as we
explore a very effective and often fun solution to improving
relationships.
This overview workshop is a compressed format of a new
training module being implemented by DCYF in 2014.
Presented by: Jennifer McAllister, LICSW and Cynthia Hogan, LICSW
These colleagues share a passion for the need of youth to know as much as they can about
their lives. Jennifer McAllister and Cynthia Hogan are both Licensed Clinical Social Workers and
Child Protective Service Workers in the DCYF Post Adoption unit. They also run a support group
in Concord for adoptive parents.
7: Caring Support for Families Dealing with FASD/FAS
Presented by: Connie Owen, MA, MLADC, LCS, Certified FASD Trainer
This workshop provides an overview of Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome focusing
on Epidemiology, Diagnostic Markers and Interventions, and
Access to Family Supports. Being informed about and planning
for special challenges of children affected by pre-natal alcohol
use offers foster and adoptive families improved understanding,
coping tools, effective approaches, and supports.
Darcy Tuoti is the proud mother of two boys, her biological child and her son adopted after 3
years as her foster child. Darcy is a Parent Leader for DCYF. She serves on the NH Parent Partner
Program statewide Steering Committee as well as other collaboratives. Darcy is a strong
believer in the Better Together philosophy that birth and foster parents working together
provide the best atmosphere for a child to thrive and succeed.
Geraldo Pilarski is the Parent Leadership Coordinator for the State of NH. He served as the
Nashua District Office Supervisor for DCYF for 3 years prior to his current role. Geraldo has
over 15 years of experience designing and implementing programs to serve and strengthen
vulnerable families.
9: The Court Process for Abuse & Neglect Cases Demystified
Presented by: Susan Meagher, M.A.
Learn how abuse and neglect cases come into the court
system. What happens when a report is made to the Division
for Children, Youth & Families? What happens after a petition is
filed with the court? What happens at each court hearing? How
are cases closed through reunification, adoption, guardianship,
or APPLA? How and when can decisions be appealed and by
whom? This workshop will review the Children & Youth in Court
Protocols and focus on the role of the foster parent/caregiver
throughout the court process.
Connie Owen has over 25 years as an addiction treatment professional which includes a
long term interest in the effects of pre-natal alcohol exposure on children. She has worked in
hospital based, residential and outpatient addiction treatment modalities, and she has served
on FAS/FASD task forces in NH. She is an experienced trainer and clinical supervisor certified as
a FAS/FASD Trainer of Trainers. She has participated in trainings for school nurses in Nashua
and Manchester and served on panels at annual training events for DCYF and the Attorney
General’s Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect.
Susan Meagher has a Master’s in Human Services from Springfield College and has worked
with abused and neglected children for over 36 years. For the past 18 years she has been
a Program Director with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of NH. She also provides
training through Granite State College for foster parents, state employees, and child care
workers.
8: Working in Authentic Partnership with Birth Parents:
Better Together Workshop
Presented by: Jay Apicelli/CADY Program (Communities for a Drug Free Youth)
Presented by: Geraldo Pilarski, MA, ACSW and Darcy Tuoti
Better Together is a curriculum developed by Casey Family
Programs and implemented in New Hampshire. This curriculum
strives to facilitate and support authentic partnerships between
parents, staff, and community partners. The core of Better
Together is training birth parents, foster parents, child welfare
staff, and community allies together to learn more effective
ways of engaging and partnering through the treatment
planning process. The goal is to improve the lives of children.
There are four key components of the Better Together model
that drive the outcomes and approach: partnering effectively;
recognizing expertise from parents, foster parents, and staff;
10: Introduction to Restorative Justice
Practices for School and Community
Restorative Justice is a different approach to crime and
rule breaking that helps heal the harm caused by a child’s
misbehavior in community and school. This approach may be
utilized by parents to foster appropriate behavior. CADY has
been recognized as the Prevention Program of the Year in NH.
Jay Apicelli has worked in a number of different roles for DCYF including a Juvenile Probation
and Parole Officer and as Supervisor and Administrator of the Sununu Youth Services Center.
He has been the program director of several community-based residential programs including
Orion House and Northern New Hampshire Youth Services Group Home. He has also served as
the director of the Multiple Offender Program for adults. Jay was instrumental in bringing the
concept of Restorative Justice to the Juvenile Justice arena in New Hampshire. He is now the
CADY Restorative Justice Program Director.
Childcare
Child care for children between the ages of 2.5 and 12 years, who are toilet trained, is offered through the PSU Center for Young Children & Families. Lunch and
snacks are provided. To register your child(ren) please make your reservation directly through the PSU center at 603-535-2299 or [email protected].
DIRECTIONS
From the South: Take 93-North to Exit 25 - NH-175A/Holderness Rd - toward Plymouth. Turn right onto Bridge St/NH-175A. Continue to follow to the roundabout.
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto US-3 S/NH-25. Turn right on Post Office Square (US Postal Service is on the right). Turn slight right after post office
onto Highland St. Take the 2nd left onto Langdon St. 35 Langdon St is the first small white building on the left.
From the North: Take 93-South to Exit 25-NH-175A/Holderness Rd-toward Plymouth. Turn right onto Bridge St/NH-175A. Continue to follow to the roundabout.
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto US-3 S/NH-25. Turn right on Post Office Square (US Postal Service is on the right). Turn slight right after post office
onto Highland St. Take the 2nd left onto Langdon St. 35 Langdon St is the first small white building on the left.
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• $25 - foster/adoptive/relative caregiver parents
• $40 - couples
• $30 - professionals
• Additional $10 fee if registering after November 7, 2014
Map & Directions