In this keynote, Shenandoah Chefalo shares her personal story of growing up in the foster care system and connects that lived experience to the science of trauma, neurobiology, and Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs. Through story, research, and reflection, this session invites participants to move beyond judgment and toward curiosity, examining how trauma shapes behavior, relationships, decision-making, and systems. Participants will be challenged to consider the paradigms that guide their work and explore what becomes possible when individuals and organizations shift from asking “What is wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” to "What's Strong in you?"

The complexity of domestic and intimate partner violence may involve significant factors that influence victims to be uncooperative, even in a short amount of time from when the incident took place. Understanding dynamics that increase the likelihood of recantation or reluctance from a victim is critical to better identify those factors and understand how to thoughtfully respond to them. This knowledge and reaction is imperative for an appropriate response that continues to seek justice and integrate appropriate services for the individual. This session includes activity-based discussions to explore this critical topic.

In "Navigating Fatherhood in Early Recovery," community leaders and recovery advocates Nathan Voss and Adam Cobuluis draw from their profound lived experiences to explore the unique challenges and triumphs fathers face when rebuilding their lives. As key figures in opening Shawnee County’s first two Men and Children’s Oxford Houses, both presenters understand firsthand the critical role that safe, structured, and peer-supported environments play in long-term recovery and family reunification. This presentation bridges the gap between personal resilience and professional practice. Bringing together perspectives from parent engagement advocacy and criminal justice peer mentoring, Nathan and Adam will share actionable insights on how to support fathers transitioning from incarceration or early recovery back into active, engaged parenting.

Autistic children are at increased risk for misinterpretation, system escalation, and family stress that can contribute to maltreatment. This interactive workshop equips professionals with practical, prevention-focused strategies to support neurodivergent children and their families. Participants will learn to identify behaviors that are often misread as defiance, apply protective factor frameworks to reduce risk, and implement communication and de-escalation strategies that strengthen family resilience. Through case-based exercises, group discussion, and hands-on skill-building, attendees will leave with actionable tools to prevent crises, improve cross-system collaboration, and promote safer, more supportive outcomes for children and families.

This breakout session will focus on chronic organizational stress and the ways it can shape culture, communication, leadership, and service delivery. Participants will explore concepts such as parallel process and reenactments, examining how the stress experienced by children, families, and communities can be mirrored within teams, agencies, and systems. Together, we will look at how trauma-informed and human-centered practices can help organizations recognize patterns of reactivity, reduce blame, strengthen relationships, and create more sustainable ways of working.

The role of the clinical supervisor is vital to the development of clinicians. Trained in law, ethics, and treatment modalities, the clinical supervisor is the "one-stop shop" for the supervisee as they gain hours toward licensure. Unfortunately, many clinical supervisors are untrained in basic leadership principles and may be unaware that their style affects (both positively and negatively) those they supervise. This training will examine researched leadership styles and possible effects of those styles on the supervisory relationship. Research will be provided, as it relates to the relationship between leadership style, job satisfaction, and burnout of those supervised. Attendees will learn how to identify their leadership style and be provided with resources to continue their further development.

This breakout session will focus on chronic organizational stress and the ways it can shape culture, communication, leadership, and service delivery. Participants will explore concepts such as parallel process and reenactments, examining how the stress experienced by children, families, and communities can be mirrored within teams, agencies, and systems. Together, we will look at how trauma-informed and human-centered practices can help organizations recognize patterns of reactivity, reduce blame, strengthen relationships, and create more sustainable ways of working.

Understanding and accessing child welfare and health data shouldn't be confusing, difficult to access, and impossible to understand. Through the RED Dashboard or Raising Engagement Data Dashboard we provide a mini training and introduce a free dashboard to ensure Kansas child welfare data is accessible and available for all.

In this presentation, caregivers will learn the importance of kinship caregiving, the benefits to the children and family as a whole. Caregivers will also learn about the unexpected difficulties that kinship care can be faced with, barriers that kinship families without documentation might face, and how to navigate systems where documentation is crucial.

This panel discussion explores the realities of postpartum depression through lived-experience perspectives. Panelists emphasizes that postpartum depression is a common and often misunderstood experience that can impact mothers across all backgrounds, highlighting the importance of early recognition, compassionate response, and accessible support. A strong focus is placed on the importance of relationships—how partners, providers, family members, and community support play a critical role in recognizing signs of distress and responding with empathy rather than judgment. The panel also highlights the role of co-regulation, reflective listening, and creating safe spaces where mothers feel seen, heard, and supported.

In 2024, the state of Kansas became the first in the nation to enact the SOUL Family permanency option, an innovative approach designed to expand permanency for older youth in foster care. The SOUL Family framework was developed by Jim Casey Fellows, young adults with lived experience in foster care who participate in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, bringing critical youth voice and advocacy to systems change efforts nationwide. SOUL, Support, Opportunity, Unity, and Legal relationships redefine permanency by allowing young people to establish a primary legal relationship with one or more caregivers, regardless of biological connection. At the same time, youth can maintain legal relationships with their birth families and siblings while recognizing a broader, legally supported network of caring adults. The model also ensures access to financial, educational, and well-being supports that promote long-term stability and success. This presentation will highlight Kansas’ early implementation efforts and the outcomes in advancing a “promise of family” for older youth, while improving overall well-being for both youth and their families.

This presentation is designed to support those working with youth in recognizing and responding to the overlapping challenges affecting youth. We will examine Kansas specific data on substance use, mental health concerns, and suicide among youth, highlighting key trends and areas of concern. We will review shared and unique risk factors as well as protective factors. Through case vignettes, attendees will be guided in applying these concepts to real-world scenarios. The presentation emphasizes prevention strategies across individual, family, and community levels.

The 5 R’s of Resilience covers those aspects in life that helped us overcome our personal trauma, coming from a household of incest, abuse, and neglect, incorporating our knowledge of what we learned from the neuroscience and neurobiology of trauma. This presentation discusses the importance of Regulation (learning to be a more regulated individual), Response (helping us distinguish trauma responses from coping mechanisms), Relationships (neuroscience points to the power of relationships to help you heal), Recovery (a journey, not a destination or straight-line trajectory), and Reflection (that purposeful pause to observe, think, evaluate, then act that helps us learn, change, and grow). Any individual will benefit from this knowledge about themselves, and incorporating these aspects into your daily life will enhance your experiences with others plus strengthen your resilience. The world needs kinder people, and we owe it to ourselves to understand what motivates our behaviors. This is a powerful, hopeful interactive workshop that incorporates lived experience with the neuroscience and neurobiology of trauma.

Preventing child abuse and neglect requires more than mandated reporting and intervention, it requires shared responsibility long before crisis occurs. In this session, Sadie Williams introduces Care-Sharing as a practical, cross-sector framework for strengthening families upstream. Drawing from her leadership with Care for Every Family and the implementation of CarePortal across communities, Sadie explores how agencies, schools, faith communities, businesses, and everyday citizens can move from siloed efforts to coordinated care. This session is not intended to promote anything specific, but rather to introduce a mental shift in how we approach care with children and families at the center. Participants will examine the connection between family stress, social isolation, and child welfare involvement, and how small, timely supports can disrupt that trajectory. Through real stories, local examples, and systems-level insight, this presentation reframes prevention as a community-wide posture rather than a program. Care-Sharing is not an additional initiative. It is an invitation to align what we already have: relationships, resources, and responsibility, to ensure every family in Kansas has the support they need to thrive.

The child abuse pediatricians in our state and co-presenting a daylong workshop with KU Psych & Behavioral Sciences faculty on this topic in a couple of weeks.  It is being organized by the KAAP for state medical providers.  I would like to take the key points from the day training and adapt them to a nonmedical audience.  This group of children is high risk and disproportionately represented in our abuse consultations.  Medical and nonmedical professionals struggle to identify maltreatment in this group and make appropriate plans/recommendations for safe cares.  We need a unique and coordinated approach.  I don't expect to have all of the answers, but I would like to move the needle.

For many children and adults experiencing mental health difficulties, getting a comprehensive psychological evaluation is a necessary process to access services, confirm their diagnosis, or identify more effective treatment interventions that are grounded in scientific research. It is essential for mental health practitioners to have a clear understanding of when to recommend a comprehensive psychological evaluation, as well as the potential benefits for their clients. The purpose of this presentation is to provide social service and mental health providers with a basic understanding of various types of psychological evaluations, knowing who can complete them, and how to initiate and navigate the referral process. Furthermore, it is our goal to provide the audience with tools to develop a basic understanding of test results within the evaluation report. In addition, we aim to provide attendees with actionable suggestions for enacting treatment recommendations for their clients.

Participants will experience mindfulness to ground with themselves before being introduced to what RSC is and isn't, understand the parallel process, learn about the two RSC frameworks, and explore rupture and repair across relationships.

Autistic youth face significantly elevated rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts compared to their neurotypical peers. Yet suicide risk in this population is frequently overlooked, misinterpreted, or attributed solely to behavioral concerns. Differences in communication, masking, social exclusion, trauma exposure and burnout can obscure warning signs and delay appropriate intervention. Participants will gain practical, prevention-focused strategies for recognizing warning signs, adapting suicide risk assessment, and implementing neurodiversity-affirming responses across school, child welfare and behavioral health settings.

This course examines the risks and long-term impact of caregiver substance use on children. Participants will develop an understanding of the key risk factors associated with substance use that can endanger a child’s physical safety, emotional wellbeing, and overall development. The training highlights evidence-informed strategies for effectively engaging and supporting families affected by substance use. It also emphasizes the critical role of community collaboration in providing hope, help, and coordinated support to children and families. Participants will leave with a deeper awareness of their unique opportunity to positively influence outcomes for drug-endangered children and to help break multigenerational cycles of substance misuse and adversity.

Parental Alienation (PA) affects an estimated 3.5 million children and 30 million parents in the U.S., making it a critical concern for mental health and child welfare professionals. This evidence-based training explores PA as a form of Psychological Maltreatment (PM), offering practical tools to recognize, assess, and intervene in high-conflict custody cases. Participants will learn how PA aligns with the 6 forms of psychological maltreatment defined by APSAC, the 5 core criteria for PA, and the 17 alienating strategies identified by Dr. Amy J.L. Baker. The session also covers DSM-5 codes, severity levels, ACES research, and clinical applications. Through Cheryl Mefferd’s personal story and evidence-based information, attendees will gain both a human and clinical perspective on this often-misunderstood issue—equipping them to support affected families with greater clarity, compassion, and confidence.

Society often views individual health through a purely physical lens, focusing on the body’s physical condition. An individual's wellness is much more complex: it is an integrated system where every aspect of life affects every other. When individuals focus on the 4 dimensions of health; mental, physical, spiritual and social, a balance can be created that will lead to true overall wellness.  These 4 dimensions are constantly interacting and influencing one another and shaping the individual. In this session, participants will learn the importance of nurturing the 4 dimensions to create a stable, resilient life. Participants will take part in activities and discussion to create an understanding of the interconnected cycle of the 4 dimensions and how to create balance and optimal functioning within and between the 4 dimensions.

While child maltreatment comes in many different forms, this case study reviews a case of Failure To Thrive and the ensuing investigation. This is a case study that really engages the audience through photos and videos, but honestly discusses investigative issues that impacted this case. Through a captivating and candid look at the course of the investigation, the session includes what pitfalls investigators can avoid as well as how service providers can create lasting solutions borne from the circumstances of tragedy.

This presentation will cover what the Crossover Youth Practice Model is and nationally who crossover youth are and learn about state efforts to obtain Kansas data on Crossover Youth. The participants will also learn about how Kansas has responded to crossover youth at the state and local levels. Lastly, we will cover the community's role in supporting crossover youth.

Professionals across courts, schools, healthcare, and child-serving systems are often tasked with managing high-conflict co-parenting dynamics yet many of the tools currently in use are designed to document conflict rather than reduce it. While documentation has its place, it can unintentionally reinforce adversarial patterns, escalate communication, and keep children in the middle. This interactive session introduces a shift from documentation to transformation. Drawing on the BeH2O® system and the BeAligned™ platform, participants will explore how predictable conflict patterns form and why traditional approaches often fall short. The session centers on the idea that it only takes one aligned adult to begin shifting a dynamic and equips professionals with a structured, reflection-based process to interrupt escalation before it impacts children. Grounded in the real-world work of The Layne Project 4 Families, participants will engage in guided reflection, apply the framework to real scenarios, and leave with a practical, prevention-focused tool they can immediately integrate into their work to better safeguard childhoods.

The child abuse pediatricians in our state and co-presenting a daylong workshop with KU Psych & Behavioral Sciences faculty on this topic in a couple of weeks.  It is being organized by the KAAP for state medical providers.  I would like to take the key points from the day training and adapt them to a nonmedical audience.  This group of children is high risk and disproportionately represented in our abuse consultations.  Medical and nonmedical professionals struggle to identify maltreatment in this group and make appropriate plans/recommendations for safe cares.  We need a unique and coordinated approach.  I don't expect to have all of the answers, but I would like to move the needle.

This presentation explores the critical role of DCF Independent Living (IL) services in supporting young people who have experienced foster care at age 14 or older. As these young adults transition toward adulthood, the IL program provides a pathway to self-sufficiency, educational achievement, and long-term stability. This session highlights the benefits, eligibility criteria, populations served, and the ongoing work to implement the Kansas Practice model in the program with a focus on belonging, partnership, immediate safety, and lasting success. Young adults who have spent time in foster care often face unique challenges as they enter adulthood without the traditional safety nets many of their same age peers rely on. Independent Living services are designed to bridge this gap by equipping them with practical skills, supportive relationships, and access to resources that promote autonomy and well-being. These services help young people build confidence, navigate complex systems, and establish a foundation for long-term success. The federal government requires states to report the independent living services and support they provide to all youth in 11 broad categories and to collect outcomes information by surveying youth regarding six outcomes. Learn more about data collection requirements and how to access data housed online by the federal government. A portion of the presentation focuses on the ongoing work to strengthen IL service delivery. This includes efforts to: • Enhance Belonging: Creating environments where young adults feel valued, connected, and supported. This involves building trusting relationships, and ensuring youth and young adult voice is central in decision-making. • Strengthening Partnerships: Collaboration with the young adult and their support network is essential. Effective partnerships value the voice of the young adults served, expand opportunities, and create a strong network of support that the young adult can rely on well into their adult lives. Collaboration across child welfare agencies, community organizations, educational institutions, and other young adult serving organizations adds another layer of partnership to the work of IL. • Prioritize Immediate Safety: Ensuring young people have safe housing, access to crisis support and protection from exploitation or instability during their transition. • Promote Lasting Success: Focusing on long-term outcomes rather than short-term compliance. This includes sustained education attainment, stable employment, financial literacy, and ongoing connections to caring adults. The DCF IL program can help a young person transitioning to adulthood from foster care through case management services and financial benefits aimed at helping the young person have access to the same opportunities as their non-system involved peers. Continued investment, thoughtful implementation of the practice model, and strong partnerships and support networks are key to ensuring that young people exiting foster care have the opportunity to thrive.

The Triad of ACEs, Resilience, and Protective Layers: A Deep Dive This powerful and engaging session explores the dynamic relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), resilience, and the protective layers that shape outcomes across the lifespan. Moving beyond a deficit-focused understanding of trauma, this presentation reframes adversity through a strengths-based, relationship-centered lens grounded in infant and early childhood mental health. Participants will examine the foundational research of the CDC-Kaiser ACE study and its implications for brain development, nervous system regulation, and long-term health outcomes. The session then pivots to the science of resilience—exploring how secure relationships, co-regulation, and supportive environments can buffer toxic stress and redirect developmental pathways. Central to this deep dive is the concept of Protective Layers—individual, relational, and environmental/systemic factors that surround a child and family. Through real-world case vignettes, reflective exercises, and practical application strategies, attendees will learn how to assess, strengthen, and advocate for these layers in their work with children and families. Grounded in infant mental health principles and family systems thinking, this presentation emphasizes parallel process, co-regulation, and the power of attuned relationships as primary protective mechanisms. Participants will leave with a renewed understanding that while adversity shapes development, it does not define destiny. With intentional support and layered protection, healing and resilience are possible. Top Takeaway: When we strengthen protective layers around children and families, we actively interrupt the trajectory of toxic stress and build pathways toward long-term wellbeing.

This session empowers prevention professionals to harness the transformative power of their voice and mindset. Attendees will learn how to advocate effectively, navigate systemic challenges, and take strategic risks that drive meaningful impact. By strengthening their leadership presence and confidence, participants leave equipped to create change, influence outcomes, and advance the mission of child abuse prevention with purpose and clarity.

This session discusses common workplace issues we can encounter while investigating allegations and serving victims of violent crime– but with a musical twist!  This work can be impactful, frustrating, inspiring, challenging…all the things!  Join for this fun, interactive session to discuss common (and some not so common!) issues we can encounter in the field while serving victims and how we can prolong our journey in this work– with some musical accompaniment!

This session brings together partners across systems to explore a shared responsibility: supporting children and families through more aligned, thoughtful and timely action. Using Kansas' A Home for Every Child journey as a foundation, we will explore how systems can streamline efforts, stay grounded in shared purpose, and use data to ask better questions and take meaninful action.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 1. Recognize at least three ways ongoing family conflict impacts a child’s social and emotional development, including emotional regulation and relationship-building. 2. Explain how a person-centered, solution-focused approach can shift family dynamics from conflict to connection while strengthening protective factors in children. 3. Practice at least two communication strategies that support emotional awareness, reduce escalation, and keep the focus on the child’s well-being. 4. Use one practical, replicable tool to help families move from reactive patterns to more intentional, child-centered interactions. 5. Determine one way to apply these strategies within their own setting (school, court, or community program) to better support children and families.

Grief has the ability to affect our capacity for happiness for all our lives. Often, children do not possess the vocabulary and permission to express feelings regarding loss. ""Helping Children with Loss"" models vocabulary, permission and teaches techniques and skills that encourage children to process loss in an emotionally healthy way.

This presentation reviews child fatality data in Kansas with a focus on leading causes of death among infants and young children. It highlights patterns of preventable deaths, including those connected to child welfare system involvement, and examines opportunities for system-level intervention. The session will emphasize how multidisciplinary child fatality review findings are translated into actionable recommendations to strengthen prevention efforts and improve child safety outcomes across Kansas.

Whether it's changing placements, changing schools, or just the changes in everyday life, young people with lived experience in foster care know firsthand the impact of life's transitions on their health and well-being. Hear from the Kansas Youth Advisory living life in transition, and how they use their stories to advocate for a better system for all. The Kansas Youth Advisory Council also wants to provide a space for open dialogue so you, as a participant, can connect and learn how to better support the young people you serve.

Kansas ChildFirst plays a critical role in building a prevention centered system that protects children, supports professionals, and reduces the long term human and systemic costs of child abuse and neglect. While prevention is often understood solely as efforts that occur before harm happens, effective prevention also includes reducing further harm, preventing re-traumatization, and strengthening systems so abuse is identified, addressed, and interrupted as early and safely as possible. This presentation will describe how Kansas ChildFirst advances child abuse and neglect prevention across the continuum through forensic interviewing training, multidisciplinary team development, peer review, and systems coordination. High quality forensic interviewing, when embedded within trauma informed and well coordinated systems, serves as a powerful prevention strategy—preventing repeated abuse, minimizing system induced trauma, and improving decision making that directly impacts child safety. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of how prevention operates at the system level and why investments in training, standards, and workforce support are essential to protecting children statewide. The presentation will highlight the importance of leadership alignment, cross sector collaboration, and prevention infrastructure in building a child first Kansas where systems work together to reduce harm and strengthen families.

Suspensions, elopement, self-harm, psychiatric hospitalizations, risk assessments, complex birth family dynamics, aggression—the challenges foster and adoptive parents may face can seem overwhelming. Parenting a foster and/or adopted child often means confronting deep-rooted trauma and navigating unpredictable crises. In this session, participants will explore what defines a crisis and how families can prepare for and endure these intense experiences. Attendees will leave with practical insights and supportive strategies to help foster and adoptive families not just survive but grow stronger when crises arise.

Decades of research show that early language experiences shape children’s later language, literacy, and school success, especially for those with or at risk for language delays. So how can we make the most of everyday moments to support early language and communication development for infants, toddlers, and young children? This session introduces Promoting Communication Tools for Advancing Language in Kids (PC TALK), a practical, research-based approach that helps home-based parent educators and early childhood professionals support families in turning everyday interactions into powerful language-learning opportunities. PC TALK provides easy-to-use strategies and tools, in English and Spanish, that can be seamlessly embedded into home visits, helping families build children’s communication skills through daily routines like play, meals, and caregiving.

Rick is the founder and director of Positive Exposure, a non-profit organization that promotes a more inclusive world through award winning photography, film, and educational programs. POSITIVE EXPOSURE has significantly impacted the field of human rights, mental health, medicine, and education by providing new opportunities to see each individual living with a genetic difference or medical condition, first and foremost as a human being, rather than as a specific diagnosis or disease entity.

Child abuse and neglect prevention requires more than crisis response; it requires intentional system design. While many organizations are trauma-informed in principle, implementation gaps often remain in communication practices, intake procedures, documentation requirements, and interagency coordination. This workshop bridges the gap between awareness and prevention by connecting trauma-responsive practice to established protective factor framework and the CDC's Essentials for Childhood initiative. Participants will explore how institutional structures can either strengthen or weaken parental resilience, social connections, and family stability. The session includes: - A brief framework overview linking trauma science to prevention models. - Interactive small-group case scenarios. - A guided 'systems reflection audit' participants can apply within their agencies. - Action-planning prompts for immediate implementation. Attendees will leave with practical tools to reduce retraumatization, increase family engagement, and build prevention-centered environments.

Multitasking has become the default way many people work. We juggle priorities, respond quickly, and stay available all day long. It feels productive—until the day ends and it’s hard to say what actually got finished. Multitasking Called. It Wants Your Day Back. is a 90‑minute, in‑person session that helps participants understand why multitasking feels helpful but often works against them, and how to take back control of time and attention. The session opens with a short, hands‑on activity that makes the point immediately: trying to do more than one thing at a time usually means everything takes longer. Participants experience firsthand how multitasking affects speed and accuracy and are introduced to task‑switching—what’s really happening when attention keeps bouncing from one task to the next. This activity sets the stage for a practical, relatable look at how work actually gets done. From there, the session turns to the everyday distractions that quietly steal time: email, messages, notifications, and frequent interruptions. Participants discuss what pulls them off task most often and explore realistic ways to manage distractions without becoming unresponsive. The focus is on staying accessible while protecting focus so work can move forward. Participants are then introduced to a simpler way to plan their work. Instead of relying on long to‑do lists that never seem to shrink, the session emphasizes using one calendar to make time visible. Participants learn how to schedule focused work, break larger projects into manageable steps, and build in time buffers so one unexpected request doesn’t derail the entire day. The session also examines communication habits that contribute to constant interruptions, such as “quick questions” and unclear timelines. Participants explore small shifts—like planned check‑ins and clearer expectations—that reduce disruptions while improving collaboration. The session concludes by shifting the focus from staying busy to finishing meaningful work, and by highlighting how short, intentional pauses support better focus and decision‑making. Participants will leave with: A clearer understanding of why multitasking feels productive—but isn’t Practical strategies to manage distractions and interruptions A calendar‑based approach to planning work that actually gets finished Tools to improve follow‑through and focus on results, not just activity

Youth who run away from foster care face severe and often long-term adverse outcomes. The issue of youth who are missing from care is often driven by trauma, a lack of connection, or poor placement stability. While missing they are vulnerable to experiencing adverse outcomes such as sexual exploitation, homelessness, substance abuse, and involvement with the justice system. Research has shown that missing from care is the most common “pathway” into human trafficking. This population is a growing concern for child welfare and foster care systems as missing from care puts their safety, health, and future at risk. The Special Response Teams were created in 2019 due to the rising number of missing/runaway youth in care within the state. The teams work to locate and recover youth missing from care through collaboration with law enforcement. Once a youth has been recovered efforts focus on prevention through building relationships with the youth to prevent further running behaviors. Taking this workshop you will learn how the Kansas Department for Children and Families is addressing this issue. You will learn how to respond to high-risk youth no matter what capacity you may serve this population. You will learn how you can be an advocate by taking preventive and supportive actions that can make a significant difference in the lives of high-risk youth.

This presentation will provide an overview of the ongoing CDC-funded PCA America project that is studying school-based abuse prevention laws. The scope of this project includes qualitative and quantitative research, summarizing relevant state policies and evaluating if and how they work. Attendees will hear about ongoing research findings, and I will gather their feedback through a data walk. This interactive format allows both the sharing of research and community partner input on the context of that research, based on their expertise. The target audience may include professionals working in and around child protection, education, advocacy, and those with lived experience. The goal of the session is to share the latest findings from the project and invite audience feedback so that the voices of community partners can better contextualize the findings. Depending on the group size, I will either directly lead conversations with the whole group or facilitate small-group discussions with opportunities to share input via periodic report-outs to the larger group and/or written feedback.

Building and sustaining community networks to support families is most successful when grounded in relationships, adaptability, and a “no wrong door” approach. In this session, Pamela Thompson, Community Outreach Liaison with the Family Strong Project in Southeast Kansas and Michelle Reichart, Statewide Engagement Supervisor with Kansas Children’s Service League will share lessons learned from efforts at the statewide and local levels. The presenters will demonstrate through experience with the Family Strong Project and 1-800-CHILDREN program how building trust, participating in a wide range of community groups, and making warm handoffs strengthens connections and helps families access the resources they need to thrive. Strategic collaboration with child welfare agencies, nonprofits, and other community partners has reduced barriers and reflected a cultural shift toward serving families without requiring system involvement. Communities have shown strong capacity to mobilize through social media, flexible support from faith communities, and grassroots efforts. Challenges remain in connecting with education systems, navigating staffing and funding changes, supporting families involved in justice systems, and addressing cross-state barriers. Online tools for resource and referral, including 1-800-CHILDREN and IRIS, provide user-friendly and sustainable access to a constantly evolving array of services available to support families. Overall, strong relationships supported by reliable systems are key to sustaining community networks and meeting families’ needs. During the session, participants will have the opportunity to share lessons learned from network-building efforts in their local communities.

What if prevention is not just about responding to crisis, but about building an ecosystem that supports positive outcomes for the whole family? This workshop invites participants to reframe prevention through the lens of environment, relationships, and systems. Rather than simply adding more “buckets for water,” we will explore what it looks like to “turn off the faucet” by creating healthy ecosystems where children and families can thrive. Using a practical framework built around the five universal fears, five universal needs, and four core responses people experience in their environments, this session will help participants assess the strengths and gaps within their own communities, organizations, and systems. Attendees will be guided to reflect on which fears are not being addressed, which needs are not being met, and which healthy responses may be missing for the families they serve. Through interactive discussion and guided brainstorming, participants will begin identifying partnership opportunities, system changes, and collaborative strategies that can help build stronger, more protective environments. This workshop is ideal for leaders, practitioners, and community partners who want to move upstream, strengthen family well-being, and create conditions that support lasting prevention.

Family Resource Centers (FRCs) are a vital hub for strengthening families, preventing crisis, and building thriving communities across Kansas. Rooted in family-centered, strengths-based practice, FRCs connect families to concrete supports, parenting education, child development resources, peer support, and community services in ways that honor dignity and empower long-term success. This session will highlight the growing role of Family Resource Centers in Kansas as a prevention strategy that promotes child and family well-being while reducing the need for more intensive interventions. Participants will learn how FRCs create welcoming access points for families, respond to local community needs, and build protective factors that support resilience. Using real Kansas examples, the presentation will explore innovative approaches, measurable outcomes, and lessons learned from communities implementing Family Resource Center models in urban, rural, and frontier areas. Attendees will also gain insight into how statewide collaboration through the Kansas Family Support Network is helping to expand access, quality, and sustainability."

Pouring from an Empty Cup: Supporting Child Welfare Workers Through Compassion Fatigue explores the emotional toll of working in child welfare and the impact of ongoing exposure to trauma, high-stakes decisions, and chronic stress. The presentation helps participants recognize the signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and burnout, while normalizing these responses as common in helping professions. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of self-awareness and provides practical strategies for emotional regulation and sustainable self-care. Ultimately, the session encourages workers to move from depletion toward resilience by intentionally caring for themselves as they care for others.

For decades, the focus has been on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). This session shifts the lens to what helps children thrive: Positive Childhood Experiences (PCES). Participants will explore the science behind how connections, safety, and belonging support brain development, regulation, and long-term outcomes. Through interactive reflections and practical application, attendees will leave with simple actionable strategies to intentionally create PCES across systems, programs, and everyday interactions.

This interactive workshop introduces participants to the Bridges Out of Poverty mental model as a practical tool for understanding the hidden rules and resources often shaped by economic class. Participants will explore how mental models influence behavior, communication, and service engagement. Through real-world examples and guided practice, attendees will learn how to use the mental model to reduce bias, improve relationships, and create more effective interventions. This session emphasizes application, equipping participants with a tool they can immediately use in their work.

The program would feature three yet-to-be-named district court judges who would be willing comment/discuss what they see going on in their family-law courtrooms. Ahead of time, the moderator, whomever it may be, would be provided with a list of well-grounded questions developed by KCSL and other advocacy groups.

We’ve all been there: you’re ""listening"" to a teammate or a family, but your mind is already three steps ahead, fixing the problem or bracing for an argument. In small, split-second choices how we show up can either build a bridge or accidentally burn one. If you’re looking to move past the surface level and truly change the ""defaults"" of your leadership, this session is for you. We’re digging into the unconscious habits—the assumptions we make during conflict and the way we listen (or don't)—that keep us (and others) from reaching full potential. This isn't about more work; it’s about mastering the tools that make the work feel lighter and more effective: *Listening as a Superpower: It sounds simple, but most of us have never been taught how to listen in a way that builds instant trust. We’ll show you the difference. *The Power of the Question: Stop being the ""fixer."" Learn how to ask the kind of questions that actually empower others to find their own solutions. *Flipping the Script on Conflict: We’ll look at the hidden assumptions that make tension feel scary and learn how to use it as a tool for growth instead.

Breastfeeding success doesn’t begin at birth—it starts during pregnancy. This presentation highlights the impact of trimester-based breastfeeding education as a proactive, structured approach to improving maternal and infant outcomes. Participants will explore how targeted, evidence-based education throughout pregnancy builds confidence, supports informed decision-making, and prepares families for common challenges before they arise. From understanding early physiology and setting realistic expectations to practical preparation and postpartum planning, this approach creates continuity of care from prenatal visits through the fourth trimester. Grounded in public health practice, this session will share strategies for integrating trimester-specific education into maternal-child programs, strengthening community partnerships, and expanding access to lactation support. Attendees will leave with actionable tools to enhance breastfeeding education in their own settings—helping families feel prepared, supported, and empowered. Because when we start sooner, support better, and stay connected—every drop truly counts.

For many parents struggling with substance use disorder (SUD), the weight of social shame and the fear of judgment are often more paralyzing than the physiological symptoms of the disorder itself. This presentation aims to transform the conversation around parental addiction by grounding it in the neurobiology of the ""addicted brain."" By educating stakeholders—from social workers to healthcare providers—on the science of SUD, we can move away from a moral-failure narrative and toward a compassionate, disease model of understanding of recovery. We will explore how this scientific shift directly reduces the barriers of fear and shame that prevent parents from seeking care. The session will provide practical tools for supporting parents in recovery, emphasizing trauma-informed communication and the creation of safe, non-judgmental environments. When we understand the ""why"" behind the brain’s struggle, we can better provide the ""how"" for a parent’s success, ultimately strengthening Kansas families through evidence-based empathy. Further, This presentation will examine the current landscape of SUD treatment for parents in Kansas and identify the primary systemic and social barriers to care. We will explore evidence-based models, such as family-centered treatment and ""wrap-around"" services, that allow parents to recover without the trauma of family separation. This session will provide stakeholders with actionable strategies to create a more accessible, compassionate, and effective continuum of care that prioritizes both parental recovery and child well-being.

In the delicate dance of caregiving, attachment styles and parenting approaches ripple across generations, shaping the emotional landscapes of families. This roundtable discussion dives into the intersection of attachment theory and practical parenting styles, offering insights into how these dynamics influence child development and family patterns. We begin with an exploration of attachment styles—Secure, Anxious, Avoidant, and Disorganized—highlighting their roots in early relationships and their impacts on emotional regulation and connection. Participants will then unpack the spectrum of parenting styles (Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive, and Uninvolved) through interactive exercises, including a thought-provoking matching game using recognizable TV and movie characters. The session will illuminate the profound effects of unhealthy boundaries, from enmeshment to disengagement, on both individual and systemic levels. Attendees will leave with practical tools for setting and maintaining healthy family boundaries, fostering resilience, and building connections that promote healing. Special attention will be given to the role of caregivers as change agents, emphasizing the importance of supporting parents to create lasting familial transformation. Through group discussions and interactive elements, attendees will gain actionable strategies for understanding behavior as communication, identifying family patterns, and repairing relationships with compassion and intention. Together, we’ll explore how waves of attachment and boundaries can be reshaped to foster stronger family ties across generations.

What if the biggest barrier to behavior change isn’t defiance—but a lack of safety? Growing up in a large, chaotic household that often functioned “like a group home,” this session blends lived experience with professional practice to explore a critical truth: people cannot regulate, connect, or learn unless they feel safe first. Participants will examine how safety—not control—drives behavior, and how this applies across youth services, education, and organizational teams. Through engaging storytelling, small-group activities, and real-world scenarios, this workshop moves beyond theory and into practical application. Attendees will leave with a clear, usable framework and concrete strategies to reduce escalation, improve engagement, and create environments where both youth and adults can actually learn and succeed.

The Emotional Intelligence (EQ) training explores how understanding and managing emotions can improve communication, relationships, and professional success. Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions while also recognizing and responding effectively to the emotions of others. The training focuses on the four core components of EQ: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Participants learn how these skills influence leadership, teamwork, conflict resolution, and workplace communication. Through reflective exercises, discussions, and self-assessments, participants examine their own emotional responses, personal strengths, and communication habits. The training highlights the importance of curiosity, empathy, and perspective-taking in building strong relationships and effective collaboration. Practical strategies are introduced to help individuals identify emotional triggers, regulate reactions, practice active listening, and develop stronger interpersonal skills. The workshop also explores how empathy differs from sympathy and why empathy is essential for healthy relationships, leadership, and teamwork. Participants practice techniques such as active-empathic listening, recognizing emotional cues, and considering others’ perspectives. By strengthening emotional awareness and social skills, participants gain tools to manage stress, improve communication, and foster more supportive workplace environments. Overall, the training emphasizes that emotional intelligence is a critical skill for both personal and professional growth, helping individuals build stronger relationships, make thoughtful decisions, and work more effectively with others.

This proposal includes two complementary, but separate, sessions designed to build both foundational skills and deeper application of a family impact lens in prevention work. First a 90-minute interactive workshop titled “Using a Family Impact Lens and Strategic Foresight to Strengthen Prevention” introduces participants to family impact analysis as a practical decision-making tool, alongside accessible strategic foresight techniques to anticipate how policies and programs may affect families over time. Participants will actively apply these tools to real-world prevention scenarios and leave with concrete strategies for immediate use. Then, a follow-up 90-minute workshop OR 3-hour Institute titled “Rethinking Permanency for Infants and Toddlers: A Family Impact Approach to Child Welfare and Prevention” builds on this foundation by applying a family impact lens to one of the most complex areas of prevention: infants and toddlers (ages 0–2) in foster care and permanency decision-making. Grounded in developmental science and prevention frameworks, this session will guide participants through analysis of policies and practices affecting young children and their families, with a focus on strengthening long-term outcomes and reducing risk of maltreatment. Together, these sessions offer a continuum of learning by equipping attendees with practical tools and opportunities for deeper systems-level application, but each session is designed to stand alone.

Two formerly incarcerated women whose childhoods were marred by sexual abuse will share their stories, followed by an assessment and discussion led by a representative of the Wichita Area Sexual Center.

This presentation will be to educate the audience about the WALC Program at the Topeka Correctional Faciity, to give information on the ways the incarcerated Mothers/Grandmothers may stay involved with, and work their CINC Cases during incarceration, to provide information on the opportunities afforded to the incarcerated Mothers/Grandmothers, and most importantly, this presentation will be an opportunity for a panel of incarcerated Mothers to give heartfelt testimony of real life experiences that either they have had personally as a child or are currently navigating through with their children in foster care. This presentation is extremely impactful as the women speak of the goood and bad aspects they have encountered with the foster care system as a whole.

Historically, efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect have centered primarily on responding after a family’s crisis has already occurred. Although intervention remains necessary, research and lived-experience continues to show that lasting change happens when families receive support earlier—before or at the earliest sign of risk. The future of prevention depends on creating communities where parents and caregivers are connected, supported, and equipped to succeed, because when families are strengthened, children are more likely to thrive. By viewing segments and continuing the conversation of Dr. Amelia Franck Meyer’s video, The Human Need for Belonging: Understanding What Children Need to Thrive, this session will emphasize and reflect on the idea surrounding a quote Dr. Meyer, “If you care about children, you must care about parents.” This presentation will facilitate a discussion imagining a future in which prevention efforts are built around belonging, connections, and shared goals. Through guided discussion, small-group activities, and audience reflection, participants will examine how communities, organizations, and professionals can strengthen their approaches to support families before challenges arise. When parents are seen, valued, and connected with resources, families are stronger, communities are healthier, and children are safer. This 90-minute interactive session will invite participants to leave with future-focused strategies/actionable steps for helping professionals and community members engage with families to create lasting safety. Target Audience: This session is designed for professionals across the child and family well-being continuum, including child and family well-being professionals, practitioners, prevention specialists, community-based organizations, policymakers, educators, and advocates seeking to deepen their understanding of prevention, relational approaches, and being the change agents for communities.

Kansas DCF is modernizing its child welfare technology into one Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS). This session summarizes the purpose of CCWIS and Kansas’s current stage of implementation, then uses a real-life case scenario to illustrate how modern CCWIS capabilities strengthen key child safety decisions through more timely access to complete information, clearer documentation to support supervisory review, and improved visibility into service history and safety-related indicators. The session also highlights workforce impacts of modernization, including reduced duplication of effort and lower administrative burden, and describes how CCWIS improves interagency collaboration and service coordination through data exchanges with partner systems. The session will highlight the public value of CCWIS modernization for Kansas citizens, including improved service timeliness and better coordinated, more informed responses to the needs of children, families, and caregivers.

Foster Dad to Worker and how it changed me

For families entering the child welfare system, the initial encounter with Child in Need of Care (CINC) court is often a traumatic experience where power imbalances and bureaucracy alienate parents, leading to disengagement and delayed reunification. Adapted from Washington State’s Parents for Parents model, the Parent Partner Path to Permanency (4P) pilot in Kansas addresses these barriers by integrating parent partners with lived expertise who have successfully navigated the system to achieve reintegration. This one-year pilot situates a parent partner within a community Family Resource Center, rather than the state agency or court. Parent partners walk alongside families experiencing CINC court. They do not replace case managers but empower parents to understand their rights, navigate requirements, and engage the process with person agency. This presentation is a collaborative panel weaving together three critical viewpoints: The Peer: Discusses building trust and psychological safety through lived expertise. perspective of the parent partner will illustrate the “on-the-ground” reality of walking alongside families within the family court system.