Agenda

14th Annual Commonwealth of Virginia CSA Conference - The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center - Roanoke, Virginia - October 15-16, 2025

Tuesday, October 14, 2025
2:00 pm-5:00 pm	Pre-Conference Session for CSA Coordinators, CPMT members and FAPT Members
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
7:00 am - 8:30 am	Conference Registration - North Entry Foyer Continental Breakfast and Sponsor Visits - Common Areas
8:30 am - 8:45 am	Welcoming Remarks - Roanoke ABCD Scott Reiner, Executive Director, Office of Children’s Services
8:45 am - 9:45 am	Keynote Speaker - Roanoke ABCD
9:45 am - 10:15 am	Sponsor Visits and Break
10:15 am - 11:45 am	Breakout Session Block A
11:45 am - 1:00 pm	Lunch - Roanoke ABCD
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm	Breakout Session Block B
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm	Sponsor Visits and Break
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm	Breakout Session Block C
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm	Reception - Join us in the Garden Courtyard
Thursday, October 16, 2025
7:00 am - 8:30 pm	Continental Breakfast and Sponsor Visits - Common Areas
8:30 am - 10:00 am	Breakout Session Block D
10:00 am - 10:30 am	Sponsor Visits and Break
10:30 am - 12:00 pm	Breakout Session Block E
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm	Lunch Award Presentations and Sponsor Visits - Roanoke ABCD
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm	Closing Remarks and Door Prizes

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session tracks:

Service Innovations/Evidence-Based Programs: Creative interventions and approaches to service provision that positively affect youth and family outcomes.
Evidence-Based Practices: Approaches to sustainable frameworks in service delivery using evidence and data.
CSA Basics: Fundamental aspects of the CSA program regarding eligibility, program audits, family engagement, and use of CSA data.
State Partners: Updates for key state partners.
Self-Care: Activities or practices that reduce stress and maintain and enhance health and well-being for individuals in helping professions.
Family-Driven Practices: Approaches that promote families as central in the decision-making process in the care of their children.
Leadership Skills: Effective practices of leadership that positively influences and guides others to adapt their skills and achieve goals.

Please note session recommendations:
        * CPMT members
        ** FAPT members
        *** New CSA Coordinators

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Pre-conference Training Session: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Information coming in August 2025

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Breakout Session A: 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

CSA Basics Track

Using CSA Data in the Practice of Continuous Quality Improvement
Carrie Thompson, Research Associate Senior, Office of Children’s Services

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is the framework adopted by the Office of Children’s Services (OCS) to assist localities in the evaluation of their CSA programs. This session will provide an overview of CQI and Results Based Accountability (RBA) recommended for use by CSA programs, as well as a review of the data sources available on the CSA website. A demonstration of filling out the CQI template, available on the CSA website for use by localities, will also be provided.

State Partners Track

Social Media & Mental Health: Supporting Families in a Digital Age
Samantha Brooks, MCJ, Special Permanency Projection Manager, Division of Family Services, VDSS; Em Parente, PhD, LCSW, Assistant Director, Division of Family Services, VDSS; and Alexis Aplasca, M.D., Deputy Commissioner for Clinical and Quality Management/Senior Clinical Advisor, Department of Health and Developmental Services/Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources

In November 2024, Governor Youngkin signed Executive Order #43 (EO-43), Empowering and Supporting Parents to Protect Their Children from Addictive Social Media & Establishment of the Reclaiming Childhood Task Force (RCTF).

Few parents, caretakers, educators, or child-serving professionals are equipped with the tools they need to help and protect today’s youth as they navigate the modern social media environment. New dangers seem to surface every day. Recognizing that there is little provided on how to handle them, the Virginia Office of Health and Human Resources has created a Social Media & Mental Health Toolkit.

This workshop brings together RCTF members who have worked to publish the Toolkit and community members with lived experience to offer participants practical strategies and tangible resources, including new trainings developed by VDSS and OCS.

Crisis Continuum of Services and Sponsored Residential: What’s Out There?
Curt Gleeson, LPC, Assistant Commissioner, Crisis Services, DBHDS; Kari Savage, M.S., Director, Office of Child and Family Services, DBHDS; Eric Williams, Acting Assistant Commissioner of Developmental Services, DBHDS; and Jason Perkins, Program Manager, Division of High Needs Supports, DMAS

This session will focus on both sponsored residential and the crisis continuum of services available in Virginia. Participants will understand the various facets of each of these areas of service to better inform decision making for youth in their locality. The presenters will provide the most up to date information on sponsored residential and the crisis continuum of services and how each of those pertains to youth at risk of an out of home placement or those already placed in the foster care system.

Service Innovations & EBPs Track

All Out of Solutions? Think Again: Moving Hard-to-Place Youth from Congregate Care to Permanency
Natalie Elliott Handy, MSW, CEO, Handy Innovative Solutions; Gwendolyn Coleman, Director, City of Roanoke Human and Social Services; Julie Payne, MA, CSA & Juvenile Justice Administrator, City of Roanoke Department of Human and Social Services; and Autumn Lake, Therapeutic Foster Care State Director – Mississippi, Health Connect America

What do you do when a kid gets “stuck”? Whether in a congregate facility, bouncing between PRTFs and acute settings, or lingering in out-of-state placements, high-acuity youth often face overwhelming barriers to permanency. For many, the result is aging out of the system without ever experiencing a sense of normalcy or stability.

This session highlights how the City of Roanoke Department of Social Services chose to think outside the box to address a challenge nearly every locality encounters. When traditional planning stalled, they partnered with Health Connect America—a provider willing to say, “We have a solution.” Through creative problem-solving and cross-system collaboration, the team transitioned a youth from an out-of-state facility to a stable, adoptive family-based placement in just four months.

We’ll walk through the wins, the challenges, and everything in between—offering practical, replicable strategies that help local teams create movement for even the most complex youth.

Family Centered Treatment: Giving Families and Youth Their Voice Back
Maggie Cox, MA, QMHP, Family Centered Treatment Director, HopeTree Family Services; Alicia Pigg, LPC, Family Centered Treatment Supervisor, HopeTree Family Services; and Allison Parker, BA, Family Centered Treatment Practitioner, HopeTree Family Services

Family Centered Treatment (FCT) is an evidence-based trauma treatment model centered around the idea that the family system is the expert and should be the primary driver of their treatment and healing. To do so, we believe that giving the family and the youth their voices back will expedite solutions and bring about therapeutic change. FCT looks to address family system deficiencies and works to help everyone involved in the family unit identify what they are bringing to the table in terms of enabling the challenges and what they could bring to the table in terms of finding the solutions. By addressing the underlying cause of the behaviors, we can enable youth to find their voice and break the patterns of trauma to step into their future on a brighter and more fulfilling path.

Self-Care

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: Why Prioritizing Youth Well-Being Starts with the Basics
SPEAKOUT, Virginia Youth Advisory Board

To thrive, youth need more than shelter—they need space to care for themselves without shame or judgment. This session explores how daily self-care routines like showering, skincare, and organizing personal spaces impact a youth’s confidence, dignity, and mental wellness. SPEAKOUT youth will share lived experiences and offer insights into how the small things—like privacy, clean clothes, or access to hygiene products—can make the biggest difference. Attendees will walk away with tips, product ideas, and new understanding of how to support youth.

Leadership Skills

Sustaining and Enhancing Systems of Care During Turbulent Times
Robert Cohen, PhD, Consultant, Ledford & Cohen Systems Transformation Consultants and Gail Ledford, PhD, Owner/Consultant, Ledford & Cohen System Transformation Consultants

This session focuses on helping local and state system of care leaders cope with internal and external threats to their ability to provide appropriate services. Drawing on their long-term experience with CSA as well as their knowledge of the research and literature on leadership during periods of crisis, the presenters will identify principles and strategies for dealing with situations such as various political levels conflicts and turmoil as well as other forces that threaten to interfere with service delivery. Participants will be encouraged to share specific challenges they are facing, and the presenters will help them process how to best deal with and address these situations.

Weaponizing Evidence-Based Practices for Families, Youth, Parents, Agency, and Provider Success
Nicholas Sturdifen, DSL, MA, MBA, President, Life Push, LLC; Bevin Lovelace, LPC, Director of Family Services, Life Push, LLC; Larry Burrell, LPC, MA, Regional Director, Life Push, LLC; and Esteban Hernandez, QMHP-C, Regional Director, Life Push, LLC

Many perspectives regarding Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) are not wrong, but incomplete. EBPs are a critical and growing part of our system of care with the focus of positive outcomes for our youth and families, however; there must be more to this effort. EBPs should also be propelling case managers, agency supervisors, and providers to success and sustainability while helping youth, parents, and families experience positive growth and healthy outcomes. As we step into the future, the voices of our youth will only be as loud as the platforms we provide for them. This is how we build those platforms. This session acknowledges multiple EBPs with a more in-depth focus on the evidence-based services, Family CheckUp (FCU), Functional Family Therapy (FFT), and High-Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) to demonstrate their ability to complement each other to achieve success at every layer of our system of care, starting with our youth, parents, and families.

LEAD on Purpose: Empowering Teams, Elevating Families, Transforming Communities
Maxine A. Petty, M.A. Psychology, Owner/CEO, MAP Strategic Consulting, LLC

In today’s complex systems of care, effective leadership requires more than decision making. It demands courage, clarity, and compassion. This interactive session introduces participants to the LEADER Framework (developed by Maxine Petty), which is a practical and values-driven model designed to strengthen leadership. Through real world scenarios, reflective activities, and group engagement, attendees will explore how to lead with purpose, foster trust across multidisciplinary teams, and build stronger partnerships with families and communities. Whether you’re managing services, navigating difficult conversations, or driving policy alignment, this session will equip you to lead with intention and impact.

Breakout Session B: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

CSA Basics Track

CSA Basics 201 – Can CSA Pay?
Carol Wilson, Senior Program Consultant, Office of Children’s Services (OCS)

How do you know if CSA can pay for a service? What are the “rules” that govern use of CSA funds when serving children and their families? The presenter will take participants briefly through a decision-making flow chart, emphasizing the factors in law and policy that must be considered before accessing CSA funds. However, the focus of the workshop will be for participants to work in small groups assessing a variety of simple to complex scenarios, determining if CSA funding is appropriate in each, and explaining how the group arrived at their decision.

What CSA Personnel Need to Know About Special Education and the CSA
Kristi Schabo, Ed.S., Senior Policy and Planning Specialist, Office of Children’s Services (OCS)

There are many complexities to the provision of special education services through the Children’s Services Act (CSA). This session will provide a brief introduction to the special education process and include a discussion of student eligibility and IEP development, disability categories, least restrictive environments, and the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan. This workshop will also highlight specific issues specific to the provision of special education services through the CSA, such as what is needed to determine eligibility, LEA/CSA responsibilities, the role of CPMT/FAPT in special education cases, cross-jurisdictional placements, non-educational placements, CSA funded transition services, and the use of special education wraparound funds.

State Partners Track

DMAS Behavioral Health Redesign Implementation
Laura Reed, LCSW, Behavioral Health Senior Program Advisor, DMAS; Lisa Jobe-Shield, PhD, LCP, Behavioral Health Division Manager, DMAS; and Heather Norton, Deputy Commissioner, Community Services, DBHDS

Behavioral Health Redesign is a two-year project that began July 2024 to redesign legacy Medicaid rehabilitative services. The project was authorized by the General Assembly through the 2024 Appropriations Act (Item 288.XX) and is part of the Right Help. Right Now. Plan to transform Virginia’s behavioral health system. The authorizing language requires that this project retire legacy rehabilitative services (intensive in home, therapeutic day treatment, mental health skill building, and psychosocial rehabilitation), replacing them with an array of evidence-based, trauma-informed services. Budget language also authorizes the redesign of the mental health targeted case management service and requires that all changes made are budget neutral. The presentation will concentrate on giving updates and information concerning year two of implementation with a Go Live date of July 1, 2026. Topics discussed will include new service descriptions, licensing, provider training and the standardized comprehensive assessment of needs and strengths (CANS Lifetime).

OCO Annual Report Findings, Data, and Trends – FY2025
Eric Reynolds, Children’s Ombudsman, Office of the Children’s Ombudsman; Frank Green, Investigations Analyst, Office of the Children's Ombudsman; and Jamie Anderson, Senior Investigations Analyst, Office of the Children's Ombudsman

OCO staff will provide a summary of the 2025 OCO Annual Report, including a discussion of key data, findings, and trends culled from complaints received and cases reviewed during FY2025. The discussion will include identifying systemic and practice improvements in the areas of parent engagement, kinship care, case management, achieving permanency, and safety.

Service Innovations & EBPs Track

The Paradigm Shift That Changed the Landscape
Nicholas Sturdifen, DSL, MA, MBA, President, Life Push, LLC

Using in depth stories, participant interaction, humor, data, and direct experience, this session will focus on two critical topics to paint a picture that will help shift the way participants see critical aspects of their professional and personal journeys. In a world that is more polarized than ever, more culturally driven than ever, and arguably, more interdependent of each other, professionals in this industry would benefit from a specific focus being dedicated to two inevitable realities of leading and being led in modern times. In this session, participants should expect to have their perspectives challenged and thoughts provoked as it pertains to leading and being led. Whether participants are at the director level, mid-management level, or entry level there is value to be had for all.

Every Voice Matters: Piecing Together Strong Wraparound Teams
Emily Clark, LCSW, Senior Project Manager, VWIC at UMFS and Taylor Kyle, LPC, Assistant Director, Youth Connect of Virginia

As a vital member of a High Fidelity Wraparound team, your voice and collaboration are key to creating meaningful, family-driven plans. This interactive workshop is designed to empower team members—whether you're a case manager, provider, natural support, youth, or family partner—to understand your unique role and how to work together effectively. Through hands-on activities and real-life scenarios, you'll explore how shared responsibility, open communication, and mutual respect lead to stronger outcomes for youth and families. Come ready to engage, reflect, and strengthen your impact as part of a dynamic wraparound team.

Strength in Partnership – Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration in CSA
Juliet Heishman, MSW, CSA Coordinator, James City County Department of Social Services; Lori Heflin, CSA Coordinator, Williamsburg Department of Human Services; and Sahdee Watkins, CSA Coordinator, York/Poquoson Department of Social Services

This presentation will highlight the benefits, challenges, and best practices of cross-jurisdictional collaboration from the perspective of a CPMT Consortium.

Family Driven Practices

Anatomy of an IEP
Love Kingsbury, Coordinator of Staff Development and Special Education Dispute Resolution, PEATC

Like a biology lesson, this presentation dissects the IEP, examines the parts individually, discusses the function of each section, and how the parts come together to create an effective document. You will learn constructive and practical tips to help create an IEP that supports the student’s access to a free and appropriate public education.

Leadership Skills

Enhancing Impact: Strengthening the Parent Representative Role within CSA Teams
Cristy Corbin, CPRS, President, Family Support Partners of Virginia, Inc. and Anna Antell, LCSW, Lead Program Consultant, Office of Children’s Services (OCS)

Parent Representatives bring a unique perspective rooted in lived experience—one that can drive collaboration, inspire trust, and lead to improved outcomes for youth, families, and system partners. This session is intended for CSA leadership who want to effectively recruit, support, and elevate the role of Parent Representatives within FAPTs and CPMTs.

Participants will discover strategies for recruiting Parent Representatives who are motivated and prepared to actively participate in service planning and championing family perspectives, and how to provide the guidance and structure needed to help Parent Reps remain engaged in their roles. This session will also focus on strategies for developing strong, professional partnerships between Parent Reps and other team members—ensuring their contributions are valued, respected, and rooted in ethical and meaningful participation.

Breakout Session C: 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

CSA Basics Track

CSA Financial Reporting Boot Camp: Internal Controls and Resource Tools
Stephanie Bacote, Program Audit Manager, Office of Children’s Services (OCS); Rendell Briggs, Program Auditor, Office of Children's Services (OCS); Rachel Friedman, Program Auditor, Office of Children's Services (OCS); and Annette Larkin, Program Auditor, Office of Children's Services (OCS)

Join OCS’s Program Auditors and a guest panel for an interactive, boots-on-the-ground discussion covering internal controls and resource tools for CSA financial reporting. Following brief explanations of specific internal controls for financial reporting, participants will discuss overcoming challenges and establishing best practices with the distinguished panel. The session will apply related OCS guidance and tools to discuss and demonstrate a typical process flow to improve CSA financial reporting.

Systems of Care: A Framework for Collaboration
Anna Antell, LCSW, Lead Program Consultant, Office of Children’s Services (OCS)

CSA is grounded in Systems of Care philosophy, AND YET how many of us really know what Systems of Care is? AND how often is Systems of Care truly reflected in the work we do? This session will orient (or remind!) participants of the philosophy, principles, and framework of Systems of Care. And through dialogue and interaction, participants will leave this session energized to champion Systems of Care as a framework to deepen collaboration.

State Partners Track

Bridging Systems, Building Solutions: Medicaid’s New Foster Care Specialty Plan
Christine Minnick, MSW, Child Welfare Program Specialist, Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services; Shanice Gangadeen, MSN, RN, CCM, Director of Foster Care Specialty Plan, Anthem Healthkeepers Plus; Susan Perez, LCSW, BSN, RN, Foster Care Specialty Plan Program Director, Anthem Healthkeepers Plus; and Maria Richardson LCSW-C, Foster Care Specialty Plan Program Manager, Anthem Healthkeepers Plus

The Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and Anthem HealthKeepers Plus will share in depth information about Virginia Medicaid’s new and improved Foster Care Specialty Plan for youth in foster care, receiving adoption assistance, and former foster care youth through age 26. Topics will include:

A comprehensive overview of Medicaid benefits and services available for children and youth
Information about Anthem’s new Foster Care Specialty Plan that launched statewide this summer, including:
- An Introduction to the FCSP
- Clinical and Case Management Overview, and
- Innovative Partnerships and Programs
Updates regarding additional upcoming Medicaid changes, including
- Coverage and coordination of youth placed in Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTF)

Building the Future of Community Partnerships to Serve Families
Lauren Weidner, MSW, Special Projects Manager, Virginia Department of Social Services; TBD

Families live in communities and communities can be their strongest asset. This presentation will identify the multiple touchpoints in communities that can serve as a prevention strategy to strengthen protective factors, reduce risk of child abuse and out of home placements. Not only is this important for the well-being of families, but it’s also important for the maximization of funding streams and the local budget. Fiscal investments in prevention are underutilized. This presentation will also identify the services and funding sources available for families, with attention to maximizing federal and state funding streams.

Service Innovations & EBPs Track

Unlocking the Knowledge of Neuroscience to Change Trauma Outcomes
John Murray, BA Psychology, MSW, CEO/President, Families First of Virginia

What would it be like to be able to have more positive outcomes, while helping your client/child increase his/her neuroplasticity? All of this is possible, if we are able to have more clear neurological targets to stimulate in the child’s brain. Don’t be like most professionals getting caught in patterns of chasing behaviors and miss the opportunity to create an environment where a child can heal from their trauma. In this workshop, you will learn practical neuroscience-based techniques and strategies that lead to better brain integration, increased self-regulation, increased access to executive functions of the brain, but most importantly, better outcomes. Come ready to transform your efficiency and effectiveness in creating more successful outcomes with children and families, who have a trauma history.

When a BandAid Isn’t Enough: The Urgency of Trauma-Informed Teaching
Jaclyn Walker, EdD in Educational Leadership/Administration & VDOE Teaching License, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment, New Story Schools

This session highlights the critical need for educators to recognize and respond to the impact of trauma on student learning – especially for students with disabilities. This session provides research-based strategies to foster safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments where all students can thrive. Participants will explore practical tools to address behavior, build trust, and promote resilience through a trauma-informed lens that centers equity and empathy.

Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT)
Darrius Bethel, LPC, NCC, MBA, HFWICC, BSFT Clinician, Owner, Storms Assessments and Counseling Services, LLC and Scott Akers, Sr., MA, M.Ed, MA, CSAC, BSFT Clinician, Director of Training and Development, Storms Assessments and Counseling Services, LLC

The BSFT model is an evidenced-based model that uses a structured, problem-focused, directive, and practical approach to the treatment of child/adolescent conduct problems. Common such problems include drug use, associations with antisocial peers, truancy, bullying, and other recognized youth risk factors. It uniquely addresses cognitive, behavioral, and affective aspects of family life. The BSFT model incorporates effective processes of change from other models including strategic and structural approaches, existential/emotive therapy, eco-systemic approaches, and cognitive behavioral approaches.

Through focused interventions and skill building strategies, BSFT® provides families with the tools to overcome individual and family risk factors. The approach is based on the assumption that family-based interactions strongly influence how children behave, and that targeting and improving maladaptive family interactions reduces the likelihood of symptomatic behavior. This session will summarize what BSFT is and how it is implemented with families.

Leadership Skills

From Drama to Engagement: Building Resilient Teams with Conscious Leadership
Erica Mann, LCSW, Director of Learning and Special Projects, UMFS and Nina Marino, MSW, LCSW, Vice President, Program Innovation & External Affairs, UMFS

Deadlines, budget cuts, turnover, low morale, stressed children and families in an ever-demanding world. Does this sound familiar to you? How are we expected to transform our teams and communities when we are facing such obstacles? Conscious Leadership is a practice developed by Dethmer, Chapman, and Klemp that aims to build sustainable, thriving work cultures, even in the face of these obstacles. They offer fifteen easy-to-understand principles or “commitments” that support leaders in a realistic manner through self-reflection and provide a roadmap for better teaming and communication. Conscious Leadership aims to reduce team drama, increase engagement, and ultimately improve staff retention. This training is for everyone—whether you are in a formal leadership role or work on a team.

In this training we will:

Provide an overview of Conscious Leadership principles
Explore four of the main commitments and how to apply them to your everyday world
Share practical tools, such as the “Drama Triangle,” to help get you and your colleagues get unstuck from conflict and create a culture that allows for improved collaboration
Provide participants with an opportunity for interaction, reflection, and practical application

PEARLs of Wisdom: Equipping Adult Allies to Support Youth Beyond Foster Care
La Tika Jeffery, Bachor of Science in Business Management, Professional with Lived Experience, SPEAKOUT

Rooted in lived experience and shaped by real-world practice, PEARLs of Wisdom is a powerful, interactive workshop created to strengthen the role of adult supporters working with youth in or transitioning out of foster care. In this session, participants will explore the PEARL framework—Persist, Empower, Align, Refocus, and Learn—to deepen their awareness, build confidence, and enhance the quality of care and connection they offer.

Adult allies—whether caregivers, mentors, staff, or extended kin—are essential in guiding youth toward self-sufficiency and relational permanency. This workshop centers their role in that journey by offering practical tools, trauma-informed strategies, and open dialogue. Together, we will unpack best practices for mentorship, communication, boundary setting, and supporting youth voice and agency in transitional planning.

Participants will leave with:

A clear understanding of the PEARL model and how to apply it in daily practice
Increased empathy and cultural humility
Tools for promoting resilience, trust, and relational healing
Action steps to support youth strategically and sustainably

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Breakout Session D: 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

CSA Basics Track

Finding the “So What?” in CSA Program Data on the Website
Carrie Thompson, Research Associate Senior, Office of Children’s Services (OCS)

CSA offers a plethora of publicly available program data on its website, but do you know what to do with it? This session will provide examples of basic analysis, to help find the “So What?” in CSA program data:

Understanding snapshot data
Calculating change, average performance, and direction of change over time
Prioritizing activities in strategic planning (data-driven priorities)
Reporting performance relative to strategic goals

**No analytical experience required. This session will provide basic examples for interpreting and communicating findings in CSA program data available on the CSA Data and Outcomes Dashboard (CQI).

From Policy to Practice: Building a High-Functioning FAPT
Courtney Sexton, B.A. Political Science/Criminal Justice

In this session, attendees will review the fundamental functions and duties the Code of Virginia assigns to the FAPT-roles and responsibilities that are shared by teams across the Commonwealth. Attendees will learn about the structure of the CSA, requirements for local teams, and the System of Care Philosophy that guides our work.

From there, we’ll talk about what it takes to become a “High-Functioning FAPT”, discuss components of local teams that make them successful, and brainstorm ways that you can improve the practices in your community.

State Partners Track

From Challenge to Change: How VMAP Supports Early Autism Identification and Pediatric Mental Health
Hanna Schweitzer, MPH, VMAP Program Administrator, DBHDS; Lisa Mathey, VMAP Care Navigator, Inova Kellar Center; and Julia Richardson, LCSW, VMAP State Lead Licensed Mental Health Provider, Inova Kellar Center; Karen Orlando, VMAP Statewide Care Navigator, UVA School of Education and Human Development/STAR Initiative

The Virginia Mental Health Access Program (VMAP) is a statewide initiative that helps health care providers take better care of children and adolescents with mental health conditions through provider education and increasing access to child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and care navigators. This presentation will provide a brief overview of VMAP, along with a review of challenges we have observed providers and families experience. We will discuss how VMAP has responded to these needs through program expansion, innovation, and education. Specific attention will be paid to VMAP’s STAT ECHO initiative, a training allowing primary care providers in the community to identify and diagnose children under the age of 4 with autism spectrum disorder. This initiative will demonstrate how a statewide, inter-agency collaboration and evidence-based practice can assist the behavioral health workforce in addressing gaps in pediatric mental health care. We will explore ways that CSA Coordinators can use this information and work with VMAP to overcome obstacles and get kids the services they need.

Lived Experience in Virginia: Best Practices Library
Adam Creveling, MSW/Lived Experience Subject Matter Expert, Specialist in the Office of Trauma and Resilience Policy, VDSS and Sigourney Jeans, Administrative Staff Specialist in the Office of Trauma and Resilience Policy, VDSS

Lived experience (LEx) refers to firsthand knowledge gained through an individual’s identity, history, and personal journey—distinct from professional or academic training. Individuals with lived experience are often directly impacted by systems intended to support them such as child welfare, behavioral health, and education. Partnering with people with lived experience is a best practice, yet implementation can be challenging. Many agencies start with advisory boards but struggle with sustainability and impact. To support meaningful engagement, the Office of Trauma and Resilience Policy is launching a first-of-its kind online resource to help agencies center lived experience and promote best practices. This interactive library includes core competencies, practical strategies, and customizable training materials for those developing or strengthening lived experience advisory groups. In this session, participants will see a live demonstration of the new tool and explore actionable ways to build sustainable, equitable partnerships that strengthen engagement across systems.

Service Innovations & EBPs Track

Minority Males, Mental Health, and how “WE” can help
Darrius Bethel, LPC, NCC, MBA, HFWICC, BSFT Clinician and Scott Akers, Sr., MA, M.Ed, MA, CSAC, BSFT Clinician

The mental health of minority males is still a complex issue we are learning to address. The majority of people who are incarcerated are minority males,; the majority of caseloads for probation officers are minority males; the majority of cases for DSS workers are minority males; the majority of kids in services are minority males, but a majority of our service providers and case workers are not. This leads to noncompliance, struggles with delivering evidence-based services and lack of engagement from minority families.

This presentation will discuss what mental health is like for a minority male coming from the perspective of multiple minority male clinicians. We will also discuss different approaches that can facilitate treatment, and things we have all done as clinicians that made treatment and assistance more difficult unintentionally. Until we acknowledge that culture can be a problem, it will be difficult to make progress.

The Experience of Youth in Foster Care – Past, Present, and Future
Olivia Snoke, Intersection Professional (Aged-out of Foster Care, Foster/Adoptive Parent, Life Skills tutor & IL Coach, Advocate), Founder & CEO, Emerging Phoenix

Olivia Snoke will share about the evolution of foster care in America from the perspective of someone who grew up in foster care. Presenting input from youth in Virginia’s Fostering Futures about areas they feel people don’t understand and how it can impact them long into adulthood. She will highlight child welfare’s obligations to serve and support the 18% of children that will age-out of foster care and some tools to increase the chances youth will become happy healthy adults able to achieve their goals.

Family Driven Practices

How Change Happens: Stories of Joy and Connection in Secure Child Therapy (Session 1)
Somer George, Ph.D., LPC, Clinical Director & Supervisor, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; Hannah Jarrett, MA, Therapist, Intake Coordinator, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; Rob Whelan, MA, Therapist, Assessment Specialist, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; Heather Gunn, LPC, Therapist, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; LaTonya Bolden, LCSW, Therapist, Supervisor, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; and William Whelan, Psy.D., Program Director, Supervisor, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center

In the research on psychotherapy efficacy, most studies have highlighted the prominence of the therapy relationship in facilitating and creating change. This has been the foundation for the Secure Child Intervention with the premise that the therapist-caregiver relationship sets the stage for change in the caregiver-child relationship. This experience combined with helping parents recognize their children’s emotions and needs, and finding ways to meet those needs, often leads to significant changes in their view of the child, and in turn, shapes the child’s emotions and behavior toward health.

In this presentation we will focus on what happens in therapy that changes parents and eventually changes their children. We will share video-clips from evaluations and stories of important emotional shifts in therapy that led to healing and change.

Strengthening Your Role: Training for Parent Representatives
Nicole Anjum, CPRS, Virginia Family Network and Peer Recovery Specialist Program Manager, NAMI Virginia

Empower your voice and learn strategies to use when part of decision-making groups.

Uncover ways to feel prepared and empowered to utilize your lived experience within decision-making groups. In this training, you will explore:

Different roles for a Parent Representative
Key principles of family leadership
Techniques for sharing your story and amplifying family voices
And learning to Remember your Why!

Self-Care

Wellness Within Reach: Practical Self-Care for Families Navigating Youth Mental Health
Sarah McFarland, Registered Peer Recovery Specialist, Certified Personal Medicine Coach, Mental Health Coach, Family Support Partner, UMFS and Danielle Pitchford, MSW Supervisee in Social Work, Senior Intensive Care Coordinator, UMFS

This dynamic, 90-minute workshop explores how self-care and wellness practices can empower families navigating mental health services. Combining lived experience, professional insight, and humor, Sarah and Danielle will lead attendees through practical, family-friendly strategies to prevent burnout and enhance resilience for families to become self-efficient. Participants will leave with tools to promote sustainable self-care and stronger family functioning.

Leadership Skills

Leading Up, Down, & Sideways: Navigating Generational Differences
Brittney Hyer, SPHR, President of Talent Management, New Story Schools

Effective leadership isn’t just about leading people your own age—it’s about connecting, collaborating, and communicating across generations. Every generation brings unique values, strengths, and expectations to the table. In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to navigate generational differences to build stronger relationships, improve teamwork, and lead with empathy and impact. Whether you’re a young leader managing older team members – or vice versa, working alongside diverse peers, or learning how to advocate up the chain, you’ll leave with practical strategies to lead up, down, and sideways—no matter your age or experience.

Breakout Session E: 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

CSA Basics Track

CSA Financial Reimbursement Process* ***
Kristy Wharton, Chief Financial Officer, Office of Children’s Services (OCS)

Join the CSA CFO for an overview of the CSA financial reimbursement process. This session will provide an overview of CSA appropriations, including administrative funds, SPED Wrap funding, and financial reporting. Improve your CSA financial acumen and maximize the funding available to your local CSA program. The session will conclude with a Q&A session.

State Partners Track

An Overview of DARS Pre-ETS and Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Services
Patricia Hodge, M.A., CRC, Statewide Transition Specialist, Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services

The Division of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) works together with students, youth, families, schools, and community agencies and organizations to provide services that promote successful transitions from school to work and adult life. DRS offers two sets of services to help students with disabilities move from school to post-school life: pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) transition services.

Participants can expect to learn the basics of DARS Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Transition Services, how the services are provided, and all the roles of the partners involved in well-rounded, quality services.

Participants will gain a basic understanding of DARS Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Transition Services so that they are empowered to pass the knowledge on to families, educational teams, and other service providers, and get them connected to their local DARS offices for further information.

Navigating Special Education: Support from VDOE’s Office of Special Education Family Engagement
Chiquita L. Seaborne, PhD, Family Engagement Specialist/Special Projects Coordinator, Virginia Department of Education

This presentation will highlight how the Virginia Department of Education's Office of Special Education Family Engagement serves as a vital resource for families, educators, and community partners across the Commonwealth. We will explore the comprehensive support provided to families of children with disabilities, empowering them to confidently navigate the special education process, understand their rights, and access information throughout their child's educational journey.

Service Innovations & EBPs Track

Adapting PBIS and ABA for Complex Learners: A Data-Driven Framework for Private Day School Success
Jennifer Younger, M.Ed in Special Education, K-12 Leadership, Vice President of Behavioral Services, Rivermont Schools; Kathaleen Tuthill, BCBA, LBA, COBA, M.S.Ed, Director of Autism Services, Rivermont Schools; Ashley Conner, BCBA, LBA, MS, In District Services Coordinator, Rivermont Schools; and Fiesta M. Martin, M.Ed, RVP of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Rivermont Schools

This presentation addresses a critical need in the field: adapting evidence-based practices such as PBIS and ABA to better serve students with complex emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs in nontraditional educational settings. While these frameworks are well-established in public schools, their application within private day schools—where students often require Tier 3-level support across all settings—demands a more flexible, individualized approach. Drawing on the experience of a 17-campus private day school system, this session demonstrates how PBIS and ABA principles can be restructured for high-impact implementation using a real-time, interval-based behavior tracking system. This system integrates universal expectations with individualized goals, enabling immediate intervention, consistent practices, and stronger collaboration with families, LEAs and CSAs. Attendees will review data samples and implementation protocols to see how this model supports decision-making from the student to the system level, resulting in improved academic and behavioral outcomes.

Centering Youth Voice for Transformational Impact in Child Welfare
Selena Clayton, MA, Human Services Counseling, Family Services Supervisor – Family Resource, Newport News Department of Human Services and Hermoine M. Hamlin, M.A. Community Counseling, Family Services Supervisor – Foster Care & Adoption, Newport News Department of Human Services

In this immersive 90-minute workshop, child welfare professionals will explore evidence-based strategies and youth-driven frameworks that place young people at the heart of decision-making. Participants will take a deep dive into defining and operationalizing youth voice, developing a clear understanding of what authentic engagement looks like in real-world practice. Through guided self-audits and barrier analyses, attendees will identify blind spots, strengthen cultural responsiveness, and uncover actionable, community-based solutions. Engaging case studies will highlight youth-led initiatives that have successfully overcome systemic obstacles and sustained momentum for change. Interactive co-design exercises will empower participants to create customized action plans—complete with practical tools, concrete steps, and measurable outcomes. By the end of the session, professionals will be equipped to lead vibrant, youth-centered transformations that elevate and sustain young people’s voices across their organizations.

Family Driven Practices

How Change Happens: Stories of Joy and Connection in Secure Child Therapy (Session 2)
Somer George, Ph.D., LPC, Clinical Director & Supervisor, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; Hannah Jarrett, MA, Therapist, Intake Coordinator, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; Rob Whelan, MA, Therapist, Assessment Specialist, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; Heather Gunn, LPC, Therapist, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; LaTonya Bolden, LCSW, Therapist, Supervisor, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center; and William Whelan, Psy.D., Program Director, Supervisor, Secure Child & Virginia Attachment Center

Centering Youth Voice: The Power of Youth Support Partners in High-Fidelity Wraparound
Felecia Cook, MDiv, Virginia Wraparound Implementation Cener (VWIC), Trainer/Coach, UMFS; Kali Abebe, CPRS/RPRS, Youth Support Partner, Valley Community Services Board; and Emily Clark, LCSW, Senior Project Manager, UMFS

This session highlights the critical role Youth Support Partners (YSPs) play in elevating the voices of youth within the High-Fidelity Wraparound process. Participants will explore how YSPs use their lived experience to build authentic relationships, foster trust, and support youth in identifying their strengths, needs, and goals. Through real-world examples, real talk and practical strategies, this presentation will demonstrate how centering youth voice not only enhances engagement and outcomes but also transforms systems to be more youth-driven. Whether you're a practitioner, supervisor, or system leader, this session offers insight into the power of youth-peer collaboration in driving meaningful change moving forward.

Lived Experts Leading the Way: Co-Creating Care for Child Welfare-Involved Youth
Michelle Turner, BS, MSHS, CEO/Founder, Here Now Health; Katie Berry, PhD, MSW, Translational Research Specialist, Florida Institute for Child Welfare; Paris Carroll, LMHC, Vice President of Mental Health Clinical Services, Hazel Health; Brittani M. Kindle, LCSW, Clinical Consultant, Here Now Health; and Jaime Gogg, BA, New Ventures, Manager, Healthworx Studio

This panel highlights the essential role of lived experts in co-designing and delivering care models that truly meet the needs of youth involved in the child welfare system. Panelists with firsthand experience navigating foster and kinship care, behavioral health services, and Medicaid will share how centering lived expertise leads to more equitable, effective, and sustainable solutions. The discussion will explore strategies for ensuring those most impacted lead the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of care models that reduce service delays, maintain continuity through placement changes, and increase engagement with youth who are often hardest to reach. Attendees will gain practical insights on centering lived expertise in program leadership, co-creating solutions that build trust with communities, and scaling evidence-based practices—including, but not limited to, tech-enabled approaches—that are grounded in real-world constraints and focused on better outcomes for youth and families.

Leadership Skills

Listening to your Frontline Worker’s Voice: Are you speaking the same language?
Claudette Carter Henderson, DSL, MS, DSS Director, Lancaster County Department of Social Services

While leadership is necessary to achieve agency goals, worker voice is an integral part of achieving those goals. Worker voice is the active involvement of workers in shaping business strategies, policies, and programs that impact them. Frontline workers make up 70 to 80% of the U.S. workforce. Though closely connected, the terms voice, empowerment, and accountability are conceptually distinct. Managing voice, empowerment, and accountability during change is complex. The environment of human services workers is ever evolving to comply with federal, state and local programs, guidance, and policies.

In this session we will discuss how voice, empowerment, and accountability can enable or constrain a worker’s capacity to achieve personal and agency goals. We will also explore strategies to navigate change while supporting worker voice, empowerment, and accountability.

Empowered Representation: Maintaining Professionalism in the CSA Parent Representative Role
Cristy Corbin, CPRS, President, Family Support Partners of Virginia, Inc. and Anna Antell, LCSW, Lead Program Consultant, Office of Children’s Services (OCS)

Parent Representatives play a vital role in the CSA process, offering a unique and powerful perspective that can lead to significant, positive outcomes for youth, families, and system partners. This session will explore how maintaining clear professional boundaries and upholding ethical conduct ensures that Parent Reps remain effective in their role—empowering those they serve rather than enabling dependency or crossing into personal relationships. We will also address the importance of preserving the integrity of the role to prevent it from being misused or driven by personal grievances. Join us to deepen your understanding of how professionalism strengthens representation and reinforces the impact of Parent Representatives in the system of care.

Please note session recommendations:
        * CPMT members
        ** FAPT members
        *** New CSA Coordinators

CONTACT: Liz Fillman, Virginia Tech Richmond Center
Email: lfillman@vt.edu