Workshop Descriptions

Homelessness: Implicit Bias: Impact on Decision-making – Rita Cameron-Wedding

This presentation is designed is adaptable for a multi-disciplinary audience including social worker and judges as well as practitioners from other youth serving systems, e.g., education, mental health and juvenile justice. The decisions made at any point along the decision-making continuum have the capacity to promote bias within  judges using a multi-disciplinary focus this presentation describes how decisions informed by implicit bias in other youth serving systems, e.g., education, juvenile justice and mental health can effect decisions that fall within the purview of child welfare.
Much of the bias that occurs in public systems is unintentional. Even people who believe they treat everyone the same can discriminate in subtle but consequential ways. Bias reflected in language, attitudes and actions however slight could effect the application and interpretation of policies, procedures and the law in ways that contribute to racial disparities.

Recovering from the Shame, the Guilt, and the Embarrassment- Dominic Carter, Veteran Newsman, Mental Health Advocate, Child Sexual Abuse Survivor, Author, and Speaker

This presentation is about Dominic Carter’s triumphant struggle to overcome his mother’s Mental Illness but it is also a heart-wrenching journey of Childhood physical and sexual abuse. Dominic’s own biological mother sexually abused him. Dominic is a nationally known journalist, but he believed his life-long secrets were so horrendous and embarrassing that he would take them to his grave, vowing to never reveal them.  Dominic will discuss his tremendous highs and devastating lows, and what makes him the successful journalist that he is today. By using his own life to illustrate his point, Dominic proves that while it may be difficult, the work of conference attendees here at the conference is saving lives. Dominic grow up on welfare in the housing projects of NYC, and never had a father. Dominic will talk about the deep pain of the fact that no man has ever signed his birth certificate, and detail how the only man in his life, was his grandfather, who was a heroin addict. Dominic Carter’s life of overcoming numerous obstacles in life was profiled by Oprah Winfrey, in her magazine.

Advancing Cultural Competence by Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences- Allison E. Farrell, MPH, LISW-CP, ACM

In this session, participants will learn about the original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study and the link between childhood adversity and adult health outcomes. The session will cover neurobiology, brain development, individual and population level impact, and the important role of prevention in building resiliency. Participants will engage in discussions on the impact of ACEs and learn how to effectively work with children and families impacted with adversity.

Culture of Poverty- Its Influence on Success – Sheila Albergottie, LMSW

This interactive workshop will provide information and experiences to increase knowledge of the different types of poverty and how knowledge of the mental model of poverty will improve outcomes. The presenter will identify those factors and issues that influence a worker’s impact when working with customers in poverty and will review successful strategies as identified by Ruby K. Payne, PhD, in A Framework for Understanding Poverty that will enhance interventions.

Assessing Need for Interpreters and Working Collaboratively to Address Communication Needs among Families in a Clinical Setting – Roger Williams, LMSW, CT, QMHI-S, Director for Deaf Services, SCDMH

Working with an interpreter is both a challenge and an opportunity. The act of interpretation is more than a one-to-one translation of one language to another. It also requires cultural mediation and the ability to bridge two differing world views. If you are flexible, creative and open, you can gain new perspectives on not only your consumer and their linguistic community, but yourself and your other consumers. This workshop will provide a general overview of how and when to use interpreters within the clinical setting, as well as provide information about the unique dynamics and challenges which result. As has been observed many times “Something gets lost in the translation”. This workshop will demonstrate how something can  also be gained.

LGBTQI Cultures: What Health care Professionals Need to Know about Sexual and Gender Diversity – Dr.  Alex Karydi, LMFT, CSAC, CAC, SCYSPI Program Director

The session will help professionals, who work in a wide-range of settings, understand the critical role of acceptance and rejection in contributing to the health and well-being of individuals who identify as LGBT.  The presenters will offer a wealth of resources for making any setting more equitable, inclusive and welcoming from an LGBT standpoint.  The information provided will help improve their professional climate to better support LGBT community members, promote general awareness of LGBT needs and provide LGBT equity.

ASK about Suicide to Save a Life – Taylor Davis, Ed.S., NCC, LPC-I, SCYSPI

“ASK about Suicide to Save a Life is a workshop for adults who interact with youth or adults at risk for suicide. The program provides participants with an overview of the basic epidemiology of suicide and suicidal behavior, including risk and protective factors. Participants are trained to recognize warning signs—behaviors and characteristics that might indicate elevated risk for suicidal behavior—and how to intervene with a person they think might be at risk for suicide. Using role-playing, participants will practice asking other participants about suicidal thoughts, feelings, and intentions.  Participants are trained to respond to someone expressing direct suicidal communication by seeking emergency care. Participants are also trained to gather more information about a person’s risk and take action consistent with that risk if they identify a person who is not acutely suicidal.  Length of the training depends on which training modules are used.

Office Culture: Practicing Mindfullness- Betsy Fuller, Program Manager I, Professional Development Eligibility Enrollment and Member Services , SCDHHS

How mindfulness practices can enhance your office culture as well as support professional skills of focus, listening, perspective, fruitful dialogue, conflict resolution, team building.

May I Have This Dance? Moving Beyond Diversity to Inclusion – Dr. Katrina Spigner, Founder and CEO of Re-Source Solutions

In 2007, an article was published in the New York Times, entitled, “The Down Side of Diversity.”  However, one may ask, with America proudly touting its identity as the “melting pot” of multitudes of people with differences in race, ethnicity, age, gender, and multitudes of other differences, how could there be a down side of diversity? With this question as the backdrop, participants in this session will explore the answer to that question, while focused in the fact that diversity alone should not be a stand-alone goal for individual, professional, and organizational competence. Rather, coupled with diversity should be intentional inclusion. How do we get there? It happens in the “dance.”

The connection of child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency, focusing on the disproportionate minority contact in both systems (dually-involved youth.)- Lew Rogers, M.A., Juvenile Justice Program Coordinator, Children’s Law Center, University of South Carolina – School of Law , Stephen Scoff

The project is regarding the connection of child maltreatment and juvenile delinquency, focusing on the disproportionate minority contact in both systems (dually-involved youth.) It involves research, recommendations for best court practices for dually-involved youth, a collaborative framework and integrated case coordination system between DJJ and DSS, and better family and community engagement.

Risk and resilience: disparities among South Carolina families- Janice C. Probst, PhD, Director, South Carolina Rural Health Research Center, Professor, Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health

This session will present information about racial and ethnic disparities across key areas that affect family health and well-being in South Carolina: poverty, parental education, health insurance, and neighborhood and family experiences. Newly released survey data on families and adults will be used to compare South Carolina to the national experience.  Attendees will review and discuss potential interventions to improve outcomes across populations.

“Working with the Latino Community: best practices, effective outreach and improved program outcomes”– Ivan Segura

This dynamic workshop explores the rapidly growing Latino community in South Carolina and its impact on health and social issues. The presentation covers topics such as effective outreach, significant cultural traits, social and health issues, acculturation, and inter-generational issues. Attendees will learn about best practices working with the Hispanic community in areas such as addressing health disparities, improving educational outcomes, workforce development, and fostering cultural initiatives.

African Cultural Perspectives on 21st Century Problems – Arthur Kobina Kennedy, D, Family physician, former political refugee, African and health policy analyst and opinion writer. 

“Introduction of key African Cultural features and how they present solutions to some current societal problems.  There will be a brief discussion of African history, highlighting of extended family system and care of the elderly, the young and the weak; discussion of respect for chieftaincy and age and the maintenance of family cohesion; discussion of African traditional religion and integrity.

Community Crisis Response and Intervention: Tips on how to manage crisis and when to ask for help – Amanda Gilchrist

Participants will learn to recognize, manage, prevent and plan for crisis.