Pre-Conference Institutes

Please join us for one of this year’s three pre-conference institute options. All sessions will take place on Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at Houston’s Westin Galleria, 5060 W. Alabama Street, Houston, TX 77056. Conference registration is not required to attend pre-conference institutes.

Pre-Conference Institute #1: Staying Ahead of the Opioid Drug Crisis

Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Westin Galleria, Houston

Cost: $50 for TNOYS members, $75 for non-members

America’s opioid epidemic has become a national crisis, grabbing media headlines and prompting action at the highest levels of our government. Vulnerable youth and families are most severely impacted by the crisis, with increased rate of families impacted by substance use disorders that results in homelessness, trauma, and involvement in state systems. Parental substance use is the fastest growing reason that children end up in foster care and many state foster care systems are overwhelmed by the number of incoming children entering the system due to the opioid epidemic. This pre-institute will offer practical information to help participants better understand substance use, misuse and substance use disorders and the various impacts of the opioid epidemic on youth and families. The pre-institute will highlight innovative and best practice programs and offer creative ideas that providers can implement.

Presented by Lori Holleran Steiker, Ph. D., ACSW, Operation Naloxone, University of Texas at Austin; Julie McElrath, LMSW, LCDC, University High School; Sierra Castedo, The UT Center for Students in Recovery; Jessica Cance, MPH, Ph.D., Center for Health Statistics, DSHS; Karen Palombo, LMSW, LCDC, Women’s Substance Use Disorder Specialist, HHSC; Marco Quesada, DFPS Investigations, Alicia Kowalchuk, D.O., Baylor College of Medicine

 

Pre-Conference Institute #2: #MeToo: How Providers Can Prevent and Respond to Sexual Assault

Sponsored by Pegasus Schools

Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Westin Galleria, Houston

Cost: $50 for TNOYS members, $75 for non-members

The international #MeToo movement is shining a spotlight on sexual assault and harassment and encouraging more survivors to come forward. This impacts youth-serving organizations, whose clients are often survivors, and may even be perpetrators, of sexual assault.  Join TNOYS to learn about the issues of sexual assault and harassment from various angles, including community-wide initiatives to prevent sexual assault, programs that provide treatment for sexually aggressive youth, initiatives to support young survivors and help them heal, and resources to prevent abuse and false allegations within your organization.  Together, we can respond to #MeToo by strengthenting the role that our organizations play in preventing and responding to sexual abuse and harassment.

Presented by Robert Ellis, Keith Bradbury, and Eric DeHoyo, Pegasus Schools; Mike Riley, Praesidium; Katherine Barillas, Ph.D., TNOYS, Texas DFPS Child Sexual Aggression Workgroup; Laramie Gorbett and Shelli Collins, Texas Association Against Sexual Assault; Martha Pacelli, Houston Area Women’s Center

 

Pre-Conference Institute #3: Youth Mental Health First Aid

Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Westin Galleria, Houston

Cost: $50 for TNOYS members, $75 for non-members

Youth Mental Health First Aid is a national curriculum designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. Youth Mental Health First Aid is primarily designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics covered include anxiety, depression, substance use, disorders in which psychosis may occur, disruptive behavior disorders (including ADHD), and eating disorders.

The workshop will be presented by Sebastian Ramos and Lauren Richter, LPC-S from Connections Individual and Family Services.