CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 5

Continental Breakfast + Networking

Welcome + Introducing the Day

By Becky Miller Updike, Executive Director, CAFCA

Keynote Address

By Dr. Jerry Yager
Clinical Psychologist, currently in private practice, with more than 35 years of experience in the assessment
and treatment of children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.

Details to Come

Morning Breakout Session 1

Promoting Health: Collaborative, trauma-informed care for children and
youth in out-of-home care

By Giovanni Billings, PsyD; Liesel Scott, LCSW; James Kaferly, MD; Matt Pesko, MD  |  Denver Health & Hospital

Children and youth placed in out-of-home care have unique health needs.  Providing coordinated and trauma-informed health care to this population can be challenging due to placement and health care disruptions as well as synthesizing trauma-informed care across systems. This session will highlight the work of the Connections for Kids Clinic (CFKC) to address these challenges and provide high-quality, trauma-informed health care to for young people in out-of-home care.

Morning Breakout Session 2

Understanding Our Role: Cultural Humility, Cultural Responsiveness,
and LGBTQ+ Affirming Care

By Cydney Brown (They/Them)  |  LGBTQ+ Health Education Trainer, Denver Health

In this session, we will discuss cultural humility, how LGBTQ+ specific biases that show up in care, and barriers to affirming care for LGBTQ+ populations. We will then look at case studies to discuss culturally responsive practices when engaging with LGBTQ+ youth.

Morning Breakout Session 3

Self Care Is Not a Cliché: How to Maintain Your Own Emotional Health While Giving
to At Risk Youth

By Kristi Edmonds, PhD, LPC  |  Clinical Director, ThirdWay Center

Working with youth who have experienced trauma can be both rewarding and exhausting. This presentation will focus on understanding the emotional risks associated with working in the helping field and ways to maintain your own emotional health. This presentation will provide information, discussion, and experiential exercises to help you understand the impact of this work and practices that will help you to prevent and address burnout and vicarious trauma. The work you do and the care you give youth is meaningful and important. Taking care of yourself isimportant both for you and for the youth in your care.

Lunch and Awards Presentation

State Senator Rachel Zenzinger

Awards presented by Becky Miller Updike, David Sevick, Benjamin Teevan  |  CAFCA

Afternoon Breakout Session 1

Why TBRI®?

By Brooks Kaskela, MA LPC  |  Director of Family Support Services, Raise the Future

Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) is an evidence-based parenting and intervention model developed by the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development (KPICD) at Texas Christian University (TCU). It is a holistic model rooted in research and provides tangible tools to foster healing and growth for youth that have experienced relationship-based traumas. During this brief overview, the discussion will cover why individuals and organizations might consider utilizing TBRI® and how the model can benefit individuals in professional and personal journeys.

Afternoon Breakout Session 2

This Is Real Life Equity: Finding Your Authentic Voice

By Jasper Armstrong M.A. Ed.D.(in progress), Equity Partner  | Cherry Creek School District

This fast-paced interactive equity workshop will transform the way you see yourself as an Equity Leader in your role. We will survey methods to help you find your authentic equity voice and examine ways of being that will elevate your interactions with all people. We will dispel common myths about DEI work and equip you to take your equity journey to the next level no matter what stage of development you find yourself in.

Afternoon Breakout Session 3

Showing Up for Ourselves: Secondary Trauma and Creating Wellness

By Rebecca Carpenter, LCSW  |  Child Placement Agency Coordinator, Savio

Self-Care is touted as a be-all end-all to address secondary trauma. But if it works, why do so many of us still feel the symptoms? This session will look at what makes up secondary trauma, and how taking a wellness, rather than self-care, approach, can make the difference.

Afternoon Breakout Session 4

Supportive Approaches to Trauma-Informed Care: Enhancing Performance Management Outcomes

By Tony Jackson, MA, Adrienne Palazzolo, LCSW, Dixie Gray, Josh Brinkman, Brett Ketler  |  CDHS, DCW, Provider Services Unit

The Performance Management Outcomes (PMO) Team within the Division of Child Welfare, Provider Services Unit focuses on quality assurance by assisting providers with implementation of Trauma Informed Care and Department Quality Improvement Plans. They use proactive methods to enhance care quality for children, youth, families, and employees in QRTP and PRTF facilities. The team fosters positive provider-county relationships and offers technical assistance, training, and support to Colorado Providers. They work independently but indirectly support Licensing and Monitoring Teams to ensure high-quality services. Their approach is proactive and prevention-oriented, aiming to prevent out-of-home care and regression by providing training, collaboration, resources, and ongoing support to providers.

Closing Session

Trauma Informed Yoga: Research-Based Mindfulness Practice and Participatory Practice  

By Sarah Crisafi  |  Founder + Director,  Bloom Yoga, Illuminate Colorado

Presentation (30 minutes): Trauma Informed Yoga: Research-Based Mindfulness Practice for Clients, Agency Staff, Children and Families

Participatory Practice (45 minutes): Trauma Informed Yoga Session Mount Vernon Balcony Featuring Lemonade, Champagne and incredible views!

*Participants may bring comfortable clothing and mats. Mats also provided for use free of charge.