13th Annual CASA Conference Sparks Hope for Children in Maryland
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAPRIL 9, 2019
13th Annual CASA Conference Sparks Hope for Children in Maryland
Towson, MD — Maryland CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Association hosted its 13th Annual Conference on Child Well-Being on Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30, at the Judicial College Education & Conference Center in Annapolis, MD. More than 200 child advocates and child welfare professionals participated in the two-day event.
Day one of the conference provided an in-depth look at trauma and trauma-informed care as it relates to child welfare. The Honorable Mary Ellen Barbera, Chief Judge for the Maryland Court of Appeals gave welcoming remarks to a packed crowd. The day also featured plenary and breakout sessions with national and regional experts aimed to help attendees in developing best practices for addressing complex issues. Focusing on the conference theme, Restoring Hope, attendees had the opportunity to hear from an inspiring keynote speaker, then broke out into 16 individual sessions lead by field experts working to ensure that victims of child abuse and neglect receive the attention and services they need.“The conference provided an excellent opportunity for CASA volunteers and the many professionals who jointly serve victims of child abuse and neglect to gain valuable training that will assist them in their work with vulnerable children and youth,” said Ed Kilcullen, state director for Maryland CASA Association. “The quality of the training continues to increase each year and we are fortunate to have a great team of professional partners who are willing to share their considerable knowledge and expertise.”The event’s keynote speaker, Dr. Allison Sampson-Jackson, CEO of Integration Solutions, providing consultation services, educational programs, and technical assistance to human service organizations and integrated healthcare systems, interweaved her own story as a survivor of trauma with her professional experience helping victims of trauma. Attendees were sent through a roller coaster of emotions, laughing and crying throughout her presentation.“It was an honor to present at the Maryland CASA Conference,” Sampson-Jackson said. “The energy and engagement and passion that all the professionals had for helping children and families was inspiring. I was reminded again how, despite the painful situations we see occur in child welfare so often, there are so many of us who want to make it better and who partner with children and families each day to do just that.”Workshops covered topics ranging from “Trauma and the Brain: The Developmental Impact of Trauma in Childhood” to “Working with Juvenile Justice Involved Youth” and “Stories and Discussion: Experiences with the ‘System’,” to name a few. The sessions were led by speakers from renowned agencies throughout the state, including the Kennedy Krieger Institute, University of Maryland School of Social Work, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and The TranZed Institute.“The information, resources, and strategies that were offered to help us help our children and the community were very beneficial,” commented Fay Mauro, a volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Mid-Shore. “The variety of topics and the expertise of the presenters kept me engaged throughout!” she added.This year’s conference was made possible through sponsorships from the Maryland Department of Human Services, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Joan and Peter McGill, Blaque Diamond Enterprise, and ChildHelp. The conference was also supported by grants from the State of Maryland – Administrative Office of the Courts and the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. About Maryland CASA AssociationMaryland (Court Appointed Special Advocates) CASA Association is the statewide organization for 15 local CASA programs that recruit and train volunteers to advocate for children in the child protection system. Last year, 1,371 CASA volunteers served 1,589 children in 21 of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions. Maryland CASA supports the local CASA programs by providing training and technical assistance to program staff, board, and volunteers, as well as increasing public awareness of CASA and assisting with program development. For more information about Maryland CASA or becoming a CASA volunteer, visit www.marylandcasa.org or call 410-828-6761.
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