Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: May 8, 2014
Each year on Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, our nation renews its commitment to promoting the well-being, mental health, and positive social development of all children and youth. Communities across the country organize public awareness events to mark the occasion, including youth rallies, social media campaigns, and activities with children that promote community conversations about the importance of caring adults in enhancing resilience in youth following traumatic experiences. To access resources for organizing an awareness day event and for more information on children’s mental health, visit the Web site of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Conference on Children, Youth, and Families: May 14–16, 2014
Organized by the National Council on Crime & Delinquency, this conference will bring together practitioners and researchers in the child protection, foster care, juvenile justice, and education systems. The event, which will be held in San Diego, CA, will feature sessions on a range of topics, including The Positive Youth Justice Initiative, Rape Is Not Part of Their Sentence: How the Prison Rape Elimination Act Addresses Sexual Violence in Juvenile Detention Settings, Introduction to Restorative Justice, Advancing Multi-Sector Collaboration To Prevent Violence and Injury, and Addressing the Links Between Multiple Forms of Violence. Registration information is available online.
National Conference for America’s Children: May 18–21, 2014
Sponsored by Prevent Child Abuse America, this conference will cover a range of topics, including healthy childhood development, public policy, what's working in the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and the latest on messaging and corporate responsibility. The conference will be held in Jacksonville, FL. Registration information is available online.
Child Sex Trafficking: Law Enforcement Response: May 19–21, 2014
Sponsored by OJJDP, the Office of Justice Programs, and the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program, this training is designed to provide law enforcement investigators, human trafficking task force members, and social service providers with the information necessary to properly understand, recognize, and investigate cases involving child sex trafficking and exploitation. The training will be held in Knoxville, TN. Registration information is available online.
Missing Children’s Day: May 25, 2014
May 25 was first proclaimed as Missing Children’s Day by Ronald Reagan in 1983. Each year, OJJDP organizes the U.S. Department of Justice’s commemoration with a ceremony honoring the heroic and exemplary efforts of agencies, organizations, and individuals to protect children. This year’s event will take place in the department’s Great Hall on May 21. The OJJDP-supported National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) will participate in the ceremony. See NCMEC’s safety and prevention resources for families and professionals focusing on child abduction, child sexual exploitation, and Internet safety.
National Court Appointed Special Advocates Conference: June 7–10, 2014
At this event, sponsored by the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association, more than 1,200 CASA and guardian ad litem staff, board members, volunteers, judges, attorneys, and other child welfare professionals will gather to connect with peers and learn from leaders in the field. The conference will include more than 50 workshops and institutes, general sessions, and an exhibit hall featuring information and resources for the field. The conference will take place in Grapevine, TX. Registration information is available online.
American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children Annual Colloquium: June 11–14, 2014
This event will feature institutes and workshops that address aspects of child maltreatment, including prevention, assessment, intervention, and treatment. Seminars have been designed for professionals in the fields of mental health, medicine, nursing, law, law enforcement, education, prevention, research, advocacy, child protection, and allied fields. Organized by the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, the colloquium will be held in New Orleans, LA. Registration information is available online.
Global Youth Justice Training Institute: June 17–19, 2014
This training institute, hosted by Global Youth Justice, is primarily designed for adults who are enhancing, expanding, or establishing youth justice diversion programs, often referred to as teen court, peer court, youth court, student court, and youth peer jury. The event, to be held in Provincetown, MA, includes more than 20 peer-to-peer training sessions and a half-day grant-writing session. Registration information is available online.
Coalition for Juvenile Justice Annual Conference: June 18–21, 2014
The conference, “Looking Back, Planning Ahead: A Vision for the Next 40 Years in Juvenile Justice,” will focus on lessons learned in the areas of practice, policy, and research since the passage of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act on September 7, 1974; the implications of these lessons for the future of the juvenile justice field; and emerging issues. Hosted by the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ), the event will include thematic workshops and training tracks, informative general session plenaries, state juvenile justice specialist and disproportionate minority contact coordinator business meetings, the CJJ Council of State Advisory Groups' meeting and executive board elections, and regional and CJJ committee meetings. Registration information is available online.
International Family Violence and Child Victimization Research Conference: July 13–15, 2014
Sponsored by the Family Research Laboratory and the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, this conference, to be held in Portsmouth, NH, will bring together researchers and scientist–practitioners from a broad array of disciplines for the purpose of sharing, integrating, and critiquing accumulated knowledge on family violence. Registration information is available online.
77th Annual NCJFCJ Conference: July 13–16, 2014
This conference, to be held in Chicago, IL, will feature a wide range of juvenile and family law topics, including child abuse and neglect, trauma, custody and visitation, judicial leadership, juvenile justice, sex trafficking of minors, family violence, drug courts, psychotropic medications, children’s testimony in court, detention alternatives, substance abuse, and the adolescent brain. Registration information is available online.
Forensic Interview Training Clinic: July 14–18, 2014
This 40-hour training, offered through the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, teaches a structured narrative interview approach that emphasizes best practices based on research. The training will provide practice in interviewing skills in a supportive environment with feedback from experienced and knowledgeable professionals; guidance on explaining and defending interview techniques in court; and information on state-of-the-art forensic interview theory, research, and techniques. The event will take place in Burien, WA. Registration information is available online.
9th Annual National School Safety Conference: July 28–August 1, 2014
To be held in Orlando, FL, this conference will offer 45 sessions led by recognized authorities in the fields of school safety, bullying, crisis management, mental health, and more. Individuals who work in school administration, school counseling, school-based policing, and college campus security should plan to attend this event. The conference is sponsored by the School Safety Advocacy Council. Registration information is available online.
Diversion Certificate Program: September 10–12, 2014
Organized by Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform in partnership with the Juvenile Law Center and the National League of Cities, this certificate program will bring together individuals and teams of prosecutors, law enforcement officers, probation staff, and other local leaders who are committed to strengthening their diversion efforts. It seeks to promote a juvenile justice system that is comprehensive and collaborative, trauma-informed, community-based, and outcome-driven. It also seeks to promote the use of the least restrictive options necessary for the safety of youth and the community, family engagement, and developmentally appropriate options for youth. Applications are due by May 30; more information is available online.