Title: “A Child Who Was Sentenced To Die In Prison Reflects”
Presenter: Bobby Bostic
Summary: Bobby Bostic reflects on his 27 years in prison and how he used that time to mature from a child to a manchild. He will talk about what 27 years in prison was like and it impacts a person. He will reflect on his life journey and how the prison experience is for a child. Bobby will leave significant space open for questions so he can answer them to reflect more on his journey and give them insight into prison and that journey where kids sometimes end up.

Title: Hidden In Plain Sight: Understanding the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
Presenter: Diane White, CSEC Coordinator
Summary: We will be defining sex trafficking, familial sexual abuse, sextortion, teen survival sex and CSAM among others. We will also discuss what makes a child more vulnerable to this sexual exploitation – those who identify as LGBTQ+, foster children, or a history of drug use in the home are just a few risk factors. I will also discuss ways to identify victims, such as tattoos, street slang they use, and other behavioral indicators. I will stress the trauma-informed approach to dealing with victims and survivors, including decriminalizing the victims. I’ll discuss the multi-disciplinary team’s role in these cases, and I will also have real cases that we can study as a group. CSEC is a growing crisis in Missouri, so legislation was enacted to address this. The Legislature established that four Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) are to be designated as a CSEC site. Children’s Center is one of these four that has been selected, and we are working closely with the three other sites and Missouri Network Against Child Abuse (MO-NACA) to develop statewide and site-specific protocols for these types of crimes against children. The workshop may contain hard language and images, but there will not be any CSAM shown.

Title: Adolescence as an Opportunity, not an Obstruction
Presenter: Sarah Johnson, Senior Defense Counsel for The Gault Center
Summary: Adolescent development is a legal and scientific framework that must be holistically woven into Missouri’s juvenile legal system, from shaping advocacy by defense attorneys to decisions made by deputy juvenile officers, legal officers, and judges. Adolescent development should inform best practices at every stage of a juvenile court proceeding including, charging decisions, guilt or innocence, transfer, mitigation and disposition. This session will focus on national practices, science, adolescent development and emerging adult principles, positive youth development, and Supreme Court precedent to refocus our conversation and commitment to adolescence as an opportunity instead of an obstruction to court proceedings.

Title: The Power of Dialogue: Restorative Approaches to Justice
Presenter: Tammy Harper, Chief Deputy Juvenile Officer, 22nd Judicial Circuit
Summary: This workshop explores the philosophy and practice of restorative justice and its growing role within the Missouri Family Court – Juvenile Division. Participants will gain an understanding of how restorative approaches differ from traditional, retributive models and why they better address the needs of victims, hold youth accountable, and strengthen communities. The session will highlight the history and guiding principles of restorative justice, while showcasing practical applications in St. Louis City, including Victim/ Offender Dialogue, Neighborhood Accountability Boards, and Community Service/Restitution programs. Through this discussion, participants will learn how restorative justice not only repairs harm but also fosters competency development, community engagement, and safer outcomes for youth and families.

Title: Leaving your Baggage Behind: Ensuring Fairness, Accountability, and Integrity through the Use of Object-Based Inquiry
Speaker: Bill Prince, Chief JO/Family Court Administrator
Description: This hands-on workshop, will, through the use of object-based inquiry activities, help participants create a space to discuss issues related to access to justice, diversity and inclusion, procedural fairness, and mitigation of bias in decision-making when working with youth and families served by the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.

Title: Understanding Survivor Behaviors: Boundary Testing & Returning to Abusers
Presenter: Sheri Lopez
Summary: This 1 hour and 45-minute workshop provides participants with a deeper understanding of why human trafficking survivors may test boundaries
and, at times, return to their abusers. Through the lens of lived experience, attendees will learn how trauma bonds, fear, manipulation, and unmet needs can shape survivor behaviors that are often misunderstood by service providers, families, and communities. The session will highlight common patterns, dispel myths about “choice,” and equip participants with practical approaches to respond with compassion, patience, and
consistency. By the end of this workshop, participants will be better prepared to support survivors in their healing journeys without judgment, while reinforcing safety and trust.

Title: High Stakes: The Impact of Cannabis on Adolescent Well-Being
Presenter: Megan Payton, MS, CRADC, Program Director
Summary: This session examines the impact of cannabis on adolescent mental health, addressing current trends, risks, and developmental concerns. Attendees will explore evidence-based strategies to engage youth, support recovery, and promote long-term well-being.

Title: Behind the Fear: Supporting Immigrant Families in an Age of Uncertainty
Presenter: Nidia A. Lopez, Children’s Alliance of Kansas
Summary: Immigrant families across Missouri and the nation are facing intense fear and uncertainty due to changing immigration policies, misinformation, and a lack of culturally responsive systems. Juvenile officers and case workers are often on the front lines, supporting youth whose families may be reluctant to engage or afraid to seek help. In this interactive session, we’ll explore the real-life impact of immigration issues on families, drawing from trauma-informed theory, lived experiences, and practical strategies. Attendees will learn how to recognize signs of fear, respond with empathy, and build bridges of trust that empower families—rather than retraumatize them. Through group discussion, real-world scenarios, and actionable tools, we’ll work together to create safer, more welcoming practices for all. Whether attendees are experienced in working with immigrant populations or just beginning to navigate this terrain, this session offers a powerful blend of reflection, skill-building, and hope.

Title: Putting Prevention Into Action: Be Part of the Change
Presenter: Randi Hemme, Prevention and Outreach Program Specialist, Missouri Network Against Child Abuse
Summary: As the Missouri Chapter of the National Children’s Alliance and Prevent Child Abuse America, MO-NACA is Missouri’s leading expert in training, community education, and child advocacy for professionals, community members, and partners, who provide children with access to safety, justice, and healing. This session will provide an overview of the work that MO-NACA does, including our Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) initiatives, and training and educational opportunities that we offer. This presentation will also explore solutions to support the safety of children through community education and outreach.

Title: Department of Mental Health: Who We Are and What We Do?
Speaker: Dr. Amber Stockreef, DHS, BCBA, LBA, Interdivisional Children’s Service Coordinator and Dr. Jennifer L. L’Heureux, Chief of Children’s Community Operations, Northwest
Description: The Missouri Department of Mental Health will share an overview of the department, connections, and services available to Missouri families. Participants who attend will be able to share the eligibility requirements for both the Division of Behavioral Health and the Division of Developmental Disabilities, so participants can connect youth and families to an entry point within the system. Participants attending the presentation will also be able to define and share services available to youth and families through the department and its contracted providers. Participants will lastly be able to identify and utilize crisis services for all Missourians they support.

Title: Streets to System: Uniting Courts, Law Enforcement, and Community to End Gun Violence
Presenters: Lonnie Lockhart Bey and Julian Jackman
Summary: Lonnie and Julian, survivors of our systems with lived experience and knowledge will provide a workshop that touches on the following topics:

• Understanding the Roots of Violence; which will dive into Poverty, Trauma, and the Making of a Gang-Involved Youth

• Breaking down the pipeline: From ACEs to arrest

• The role of family fragmentation, educational exclusion, and systemic neglect

•  Inside the Mind – Psychological Triggers of Violence including Habilitation, Identity, and the Culture of Retaliation

• Presentation of the Critical Change Framework

• Gang culture vs. real family: Why youth remain loyal

• Understanding Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) and generational trauma Reimagining Prevention, What Works? Evidence-Based, Culturally Competent Interventions

• Models from Columbia: Critical Change Program and the P.E.A.C.E. and H.O.P.E. Center

• Holistic approaches: SEL, mentorship, wraparound services Systems, Solutions, and What You Can Do From Where You Sit?

Title: Media & Mental Health: Impacts on Adolescent Brain Development
Presenter: Rachel Jones, LPC, Director of Trauma Services
Summary: In this session participants will be able to identify typical adolescent brain development, learn at least 3 ways media exposure changes functioning of the brain, and be able to list 3 strategies for digital health/wellness.

Title: Moving from Conflict to Cooperation with P4 Personality™
Presenter: Anita Brooks
Summary: Conflict is inevitable at work between organizations, agencies, departments, and people—but so is cooperation, when you know how to unlock it. Turf wars, politics, and silos don’t have to stall progress. Through the P4 Personality™ framework, you’ll learn to decode behaviors, defuse tension, and turn friction into forward momentum. This high-energy, interactive session equips you with practical tools to transform interagency conflict into collaboration that delivers stronger partnerships, greater efficiency, lasting results, and stressed-less workdays.

Title: LEADING WITH COURAGE: Tools for Successful Leadership in Rapidly-Changing Times
Presenters: Dr. Juanita Simmons, PhD
Summary: Leading service organizations in today’s time is more challenging than ever before. Workplace climate is impacted by various social and monetary factors that result in employee and client insecurities.  This seminar is designed for leaders of such organizations with an emphasis on handling conflict with courage and shaping culturized climate for effective employee-to-manager relations and better client satisfaction. This participatory seminar explores tools for the following: Relationship Building Skills; Recognizing and Assessing your own Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses; and Assessing Organizational Climate (its socialization systems).

Title: Protecting Our Youth: Advice from Child Molesters
Presenters: Micki Lane, Training Education Director at Child Advocacy Center in Springfield
Summary: Protecting Our Youth: This professional development training is designed to prevent child sexual abuse by deepening understanding of its dynamics, contributing factors, and prevalence within communities. Participants will explore the behavioral patterns of offenders, strategies for prevention, and the roles adults can play in creating safer environments for children. The session aims to equip professionals with knowledge and practical tools to better safeguard children and families, enhance their ability to identify risk factors, and strengthen community-wide prevention efforts. This curriculum is adapted from training originally developed by Cory Jewell Jensen, M.S., who spent over thirty-five years providing treatment to convicted child molesters in Oregon. Her extensive experience informs this evidence-based approach to understanding offender behavior and preventing future victimization.