![](https://vepimg.b8cdn.com/uploads/vjfnew/13433/uploads/vjf/content/misc/1719946165Screenshot (81).png)
Share Your Expertise with the Children Come First Conference!
We invite you to showcase your expertise and insights to a dedicated audience committed to the well-being of children and families.
Submissions for 2024 are now open!
Join us October 7-8, 2024 for the Children Come First Conference, the largest gathering of its kind in the state of Wisconsin, where parents, professionals, and community members convene to explore innovative approaches and solutions for supporting children and families. This year marks the 34th annual event with the theme "From Surviving to Thriving."
On this page, you can find all the information you need to submit your presentation proposal and become a valued contributor to our upcoming event. Join us in shaping a brighter future for children and families!
Our conference covers a wide range of topics related to children and families. Below are some areas of interest, but please feel free to propose presentations on other relevant topics.
Don't miss this opportunity to share your expertise and contribute to meaningful discussions at the Children Come First Conference. Submit your proposal today!
Dealing with stress is critical for our mental health. Power Your Mind: Tools to Build Resilience (PYM), equips young adults with the ability to identify their feelings and situations that get them worked up, problem solve to deal with the symptoms, and communicate in a peaceful manner, leading to healthier relationships with family, friends, and others. The PYM workbook uses graphic novel panels to illustrate situations and resolutions to deal with life's daily irritations. For over 87 years, Recovery International has helped adults achieve healing using a peer-led, self-help method and cognitive behavioral tools to manage anxious thoughts and impulses. Developed by psychiatrist Dr. Abraham Low as an adjunct to professional therapy, this young adult version meets many CASEL Social Emotional Learning Standards and is being used around the country. This workshop will introduce you to self-help concepts and valuable tools to cope with life's daily, common stressors.
Angela Sullivan
Phil Robinson
Emma McGovern
Rebecca Green Blanks
Phyliss Greenberger
Heidi Roettger
Jill Ellinwood
Legardea Jackson
Building better brains during early childhood is both an art and a science. This science-driven presentation is designed for those passionate about helping children maximize their fullest developmental potential. By combining personal stories and scientific insights, we will take you on a deep dive into the young child's mind. Discover how to supercharge the young brain using the key pillars of early brain development. Learn effective teaching strategies to prime the brain for a lifetime of success. This interactive presentation is filled with practical advice and hands-on tools to elevate your knowledge of child development.
Dr. Liraz
Come learn about Family Team Meetings and how they are being used in Rock County CPS! We'll explore why we are using Family Team Meetings and the wrap around process, the values we hold, and the success we are seeing in our families.
Robin Gleason
Lee VanZandt
Jay VanZandt
Talking About How Our Systems Are Broken and How My Daughter Cilivea Thyrion died in Milwaukee County Jail while on suicide watch and How I Kerrie Hirte continue to fight for change in our governmental systems
Kerrie Hirte
In some communities and schools in Wisconsin, the Hmong population is about 10%. There are some real issues that are currently facing Hmong children today that many professionals that work with the Hmong just don't understand how to help them. This can be disheartening for passionate professionals who want to help Hmong children, but sometimes feel that they don't have the professional expertise or resources. In my presentation, I will use my life experiences as a Hmong child growing up in poverty in Wisconsin and my 13 years of being an educator and community leader to discuss these real issues facing Hmong children today, especially when it comes to mental health. I will give best practice solutions as to how any professional can move Hmong children from surviving to thriving. Attendees in my presentation will receive knowledge, understanding and resources that will help them to confidently work with Hmong children.
Yauo Yang
My student and I are currently working on a research project examining the role of hospital ERs as potential obstacles to treatment for in-patient mental health treatment. In this research we are examining the role of lack of in-patient beds, provider stigma, lack of trained mental health staff in the hospital setting, and other factors impact the chance of getting needed treatment during a mental health crisis. We are currently interviewing parents about their experiences and with using the ER to seek treatment for their child during a crisis and will have results to present as well as broader information from the literature on this topic.
Melissa Bonstead-Bruns
Bryanna Brost
Ellie Kone
Jenna Singer
Get ready to discover the Youth Wellness Hub! Previously known as the Children's Mental and Behavioral Health Resource Navigator, this free, confidential online tool helps parents, caregivers and professionals navigate mental and behavioral health services for children and young adults under 21. By answering a few questions about the child, the Navigator provides a customized guide to connect them with the necessary resources and support. Overcoming barriers like insurance, costs, and access, the Navigator simplifies the process, reducing frustration and confusion. During this presentation, we'll dive into the key features and benefits of the Youth Wellness Hub, showing you exactly how this tool can revolutionize your approach to mental health services. You'll learn how to use the Hub to create customized mental health resource guides tailored to individual needs. We'll also highlight the vital role of community input and professional collaboration in maintaining and enhancing the Hub, ensuring it remains a reliable resource for everyone.
Julia Michalski
Elizabeth Olsen
Parents in recovery face a unique set of challenges. Recovery is a journey with constantly changing dynamics that require specialized supports. Parenting is an ongoing, everchanging challenge. When a person finds themselves walking both paths simultaneously, it can increase isolation, decrease connection to others, and bring specific challenges to the forefront. While originally intended to look at these social supports and sense of belonging, it became apparent throughout the listening sessions that the gaps in services and lack of support in the community - for both themselves and their children - were responsible for a significant level of isolation and needed to be addressed.
Presenters will share findings from the Connection & Belonging: Voices of People in Recovery report, highlighting the need for more connection, communication, and collaboration across systems. We will discuss lessons learned and practices to center people in recovery by lifting voices and shifting decision-making power to the recovery community.
Maddie Breager, MPH
Marissa Meagher MPH
Danielle Florence
Family Centered Treatment-Recovery (FCT-R) is an innovative practice and systems-of-care model that weaves together the evidence-based Family Centered Treatment (FCT) model and best practices in substance use treatment. FCT-R addresses substance use and the underlying family systems and trauma histories that contribute to and maintain the cycle of trauma and addiction. This intensive, home-based approach removes barriers associated with traditional substance use treatment and leverages the power of the family system in the recovery process. FCT-R navigates the complex interplay between addiction and trauma from the context of family by addressing the intersection of substance use, trauma and the resulting impact experienced by all family members. FCT-R empowers the family to lead the recovery process by engaging family strengths, values and attachment bonds.
Emily Klingenberg
Sam Ryan
Caregiving for a family member or friend can be stressful physically, emotionally, and financially.
Join UW Extension for a free 1 hour virtual workshop for caregivers of children with special health and behavioral needs to learn about self-care strategies and techniques to increase relaxation and reduce stress.
Alicia Utke-Becher
Do you need help getting quality and equitable services through your school district? Come and learn some valuable free resources available to help you navigate through the system. After 33 years working in education and now 3 as a family services/disabilities coordinator I can share some of my experiences both providing services and working with families and school districts to get quality services in our inclusive Head Start setting. There will be time for sharing your experiences and asking questions.
Polly D Imme
Parenting can be challenging! Practicing self-compassion can help us manage the ups and downs of parenting, and modeling self-compassion can help our children grow self-compassion, too.
Join Jamie Lynn Tatera, creator of the Self-Compassion for Children and Caregivers program, to learn a framework for growing self-compassion and resilience that can both help you support yourself as well as help your children to thrive.
Jamie Lynn Tatera
Vicki Tylka
Wendy Peterson
Adapting to adversity is a struggle we all have. We often do not think of resilience as a skill set but rather a way of being. In this training, participants will learn about the components of resilience, and how their practice can influence the building of resilience in their students. We will look at the effects of a system that struggles to naturally cope with that adversity and the relationships it takes to build resiliency.
Katie Berg
Howard-Suamico recently pivoted their approach to reunification following a recent emergency. Howard-Suamico staff will share their experiences, learnings, and partnerships that help to ensure that all of us are as proactive as possible with school safety.
Michael Juech
Matt Krueger
Join TMG and self-advocate(s) as they share creative ways to practice self-care and learn how practicing self-care has made their lives healthier, fuller, and more meaningful. Additionally, learn how self-care techniques can open new doors to wonderful opportunities, such as expanding your connections in your community and making new friends. This presentation will focus on self-care for individuals, caregivers, and family members. This interactive presentation will use pre-recorded suggestions from self-advocate, along with ideas from attendees to highlight how to successfully use self-care daily. Attendees will explore wellness strategies that encourage maintaining a healthy relationship with oneself and transmit those good feelings to others. Finally, self-care exercises will be practiced that encourages maintaining a healthy relationship with oneself and transmit those good feelings to others. TMG will offer creative resources and ways to incorporate self-care for everyone.
Paul Mross
Play is a natural part of learning. Creativity and joy for school can be increased with incorporating purposeful play throughout the day. Play supports the development of emotional regulation and enables complex language growth. Children can be over scheduled, over stimulated and over managed, which can stifle their independence and hinder their engagement in the world around them. Parents and educators should have knowledge of the developmental stages of play and that play can come in many forms at home and at school. We'll discuss how Mackeben Elementary has integrated play within our content as well as in free choice opportunities. Our school community has also shared resources and have partnered with parents to bring back play into their child's lives.
Marcie Marzullo
Learn how a Support Broker can help you achieve your goals! Support Brokers work closely with care teams to assist members with achieving goals within the home and community. We will discuss the different things brokers can assist with including finding caregivers, hiring them and managing the employee/employer relationship. Come learn about what all a broker can do to help you live a self directed life!
Behavior management is one of the most effective tools for creating a safe, welcoming classroom environment. This training will explore multiple strategies for creating a behavior management system in the classroom, giving teachers new ideas to implement in their rooms. Diving deeper into aggressive behavior, this training will also look at the different reasons children may become aggressive. Teachers will find new ways to combat undesirable behavior in a developmentally appropriate way, looking at aggressive behavior through a new lens. While this training focuses on the classroom, it includes many practical applications that can be adapted for use outside of the classroom, as well.
Stephanie Tuma-Hanson
Ashlee Glowacki
Sophie Michels
I am a therapist in Kenosha and a reptile educator, and have learned about the incredible benefit that reptiles can bring into the therapy session, teaching empathy, mood regulation, trauma healing. In my presentation I discuss the adaptations of reptiles, resilience in their evolution and how we can use these animals as analogies and tools for teaching about our own behavior.
William Stewart
While Chelsea's children's primary diagnoses are autism, there were plenty of other diagnoses along the way, including bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, OCD, cognitive disability, ADHD, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Throw in celiac disease and mitochondrial disorder for good measure. From inpatient hospitalizations to dozens of IEP meetings, Chelsea's children were not expected to thrive (and sometimes surviving seemed dicey). But here these "children" are in their twenties, having gone through college and now employed.
Along the way, Chelsea realized her most important job was to coordinate a multi-disciplinary team to band together to help Justus and Noey be the best respective selves they could be. She had to ignore the bleak reported outcomes, shake off the negative stereotypes, and orchestrate the bar so it could be raised as these two changed tens of thousands of lives by their existence, willingness to share their journeys, and dogged determination.
Chelsea Budde
This presentation will highlight the creation of the Wisconsin Wayfinder: Children's Resource Network by the Department of Health Services. resource and detail how it has connected professionals and families working with children with special health care needs in a simplified way. We will also highlight how Wisconsin Wayfinder works within the System of Care to strengthen partnerships between State divisions and departments to improve access to services and supports for children with special healthcare needs. We will provide an overview of how these free, confidential services can be shared and accessed.
Emily Brach
Michelle Lund
Hasan Davis
Phil Robinson
Hugh Davis
According to the CDC, overdose deaths of kids 10-19 years increased 109% between 2019-2021; deaths involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl increased 182%. Two thirds of adolescents killed had at least one bystanders present, but most provided no overdose response (link:https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7150a2.htm?s_cid=mm7150a2_w)
In 2023, the Verona Area School District collaborated with UW Health and other community agencies to launch a comprehensive campaign to inform students and families about the prevalence and dangers of rising illicit fentanyl in the community. In this presentation, we will discuss how the school district worked with community partners to ensure every parent, staff member, and student were armed with the knowledge and resources needed to survive the deadliest drug epidemic in history.
Jenny Lee, LCSW, MSSW
Tamara Sutor
Rikki Conwell
Living in safe, affordable, and inclusive housing is an important social determinant of health for people of all ages. Whether you rent or own your home, housing stability can help families to achieve better health, greater educational achievements, and increased security and safety. And homeownership helps generate wealth building and a pathway out of poverty.
In this session, you'll learn about safe, affordable, and inclusive housing resources for children with disabilities who are approaching adulthood. Resources discussed will include housing counseling, rental counseling, financial wellness education, homebuyer education, downpayment assistance, and financial assistance for safety and accessibility repairs. We will also discuss rental counseling, different types of rental subsidies, and integrated supported rental homes.
Kathryne Auerback
Don takes audiences on a journey from his youth through today. He provides the audience with hope by sharing how he overcame the odds to go on to become a hall of fame broadcaster and entrepreneur. Don uses the Bridges Transition Model to explain his path from surviving to thriving. You'll learn how Stephen Covey's concept of the four unique human gifts helped him understand past trauma and move forward. He'll also provide tips that people can implement themselves to help overcome adversity. This talk touches on sensitive topics around resiliency, drugs and alcohol, childhood sexual assault, and suicidal thoughts.
Don Wadewitz
Tracey will share her personal story of childhood sexual abuse and describe how the weight of this unhealed trauma, in her invisible backpack, directly impacted her ability to learn and function in her childhood and teenage years. As a mental health therapist, she will discuss effective ways to support, encourage and guide children, that have experienced trauma, thrive in social and educational settings.
Tracey Atkinson
Transitioning can be overwhelming. It doesn't have to be. Planning and taking a piece at a time can decrease the stress and smooth the process. We will focus on decision-making while planning transition. When the process is personalized, this can comfortably provide the focus needed to protect your rights, your goals and your wishes. Let's get ready for the next chapter in life.
Howard Mulloy
Hasan Davis
Do you have a child with a disability or do you suspect your child has a disability? Are you feeling upset, nervous, overwhelmed, or frustrated? As a parent of a special education child, I turned my grieving process for my child into empowerment, knowledge, engagement and positivity to help my child's success. Join me for a journey with strategies and knowledge to embrace disabilities.
Carrie Wilson-Smith
I could go...if only I had a caregiver. Haven't we all said this? The shortage of caregivers continues. This interactive session will help families build ideas, resources, and strategies for finding and utilizing caregivers so that their families can survive AND thrive!
Pamela Hencke
Wendy Heyn
Companion animals (pets) provide natural, therapeutic health and wellness benefits similar to the intensive training and work of Service Animals, Emotional Support Animals, and Therapy Animals. Through understanding the essence of the Human-Animal Bond, we will reveal an often overlooked partner (a pet!) in the prevention, maintenance and/or recovery from disease.
Cindy Brosig
1. Innovating and improving services (positive changes) is really important.
2. Why teaming for change is essential (versus the single champion approach to change which is not very successful or sustainable).
3. When teaming for change, it is important to have the perspective of people with lived experience. Why is this true? Small group discussion, then large group share out.
4.What are the best practices for including people with lived experiences on your agency's change team? Distribute handout and review each section. (Rationale was just covered in #3.)
a. Recruiting
b. Onboarding
c. Supporting
5.Closing activity: What did you learn or what was the most important take-away?
Brenda S Freeman
Our rural county had to come up with many creative and collaborative efforts to fill gaps in services ensure that high risk youth and families are being served by the most appropriate interventions. While also igniting of change in a system that his historically reactive not proactive has improved well-being and conduct in our community.
Samantha Zoellner
Sofia Widowski
Is your child in need of a ramp, fence, therapy equipment installed, bathroom adaptations or something else? Learn how Logan's Heart and Smiles can keep your child safe and/or provide accessibility in the home by building these items and other unique projects. Modifications are built to your child's specific needs, goals, and home. You will learn what Logan's can do and the different funding options available. Logan's Heart and Smiles builds accessibility, safety, and sensory modifications for children ages 21 and under who live in Wisconsin.
Angela Wallace
Joe Herr
Kimberly Nesseth
This presentation will empower adults to prevent, recognize, and react
responsibly to child sexual abuse through awareness, education, and stigma reduction. Join the movement toward a world free of child sexual abuse – a world in which adults form prevention-oriented communities that protect the child's right to a healthy childhood.
Kari Vadis
During my presentation I would like to share parts of my journey as a PDA parent navigating the IEP process and what being an advocate has looked like for my family. The challenges of understanding PDA and how it can appear (or be dismissed) during IEP evaluations and the school systems. Discussion and examples of what it means to consider neurology and shift to a neurological approach, and the benefits a neurological approach has for the child as a whole.
Alison Miller
Teaching parents and professionals the difference between self-regulation and co-regulation, emphasizing the importance of connection with overall regulation. Leave with some concrete tools to improve co-regulation with your child.
Rebecca Burda
Martha Haynes
We activate, demonstrate, educate, motivate, stimulate, as validate that trauma prevented with safety helmets when biking, horse back riding, ATVing, etc., is beneficial to health care cost.
Shaun Best
This session provides important, practical, empathic approaches that will help manage challenging behaviors. Handling a disruptive, combative, or argumentative child can be challenging, and the presenter will provide strategies to address those challenges. What do you do when children Temper Tantrums appear? Imagine reducing the time from minutes to seconds of emotional upset or tantrum with proven real-time emotional intelligence, communication tools and skills. Join us for an informative and fun-filled session that will provide impactful information for parents, administrators and teachers.
Bill Stierle
Join Megan Hamm, LPC and Registered Play Therapist, for a transformative presentation designed to empower foster and adoptive parents dealing with challenging behaviors. Megan introduces her H.E.A.R.T. Framework, a compassionate and practical approach to managing emotional outbursts and meltdowns. Learn to shift from feeling overwhelmed to confident, as Megan guides you through understanding the neurobiology of behaviors, applying H.E.A.R.T. as an effective crisis intervention strategy, and fostering stronger parent-child relationships. Gain actionable tools to de-escalate situations, maintain composure, and build a nurturing environment for your child. Don't miss this opportunity to transform your parenting journey and enhance your family's well-being. Join us and start mastering meltdown moments today!
Megan M. Hamm
From a struggling student diagnosed with a learning disability, dyslexia, to a college graduate, Interior Designer, multimillion dollar Account Executive, former University Lecturer, Motivational Speaker, podcast host and so much more, Katey Fortun doesn't give up! Katey has had many different career experiences so far in her 30+ years of life and she takes those experiences and shares them with the world in hopes to inspire people all over the world. Speaking is Katey's super power and she has had the pleasure of speaking to so many kids, teens and adults around world, in person, virtually and on her podcast. It brings her true joy to connect with students and inspire them to know they are amazing just the way they are.
"You can do anything you put your mind to, with a lot of hard work, determination and never giving up!"
Katey Fortun
During this session parents, and those who work to support parents, will learn all about what we can Parent Wellness Circles. Parent Wellness Circles are wonderful ways for parents to normalize the challenges that modern parents face and at the same time enjoy the non-judgmental support of a group of their peers. Over six sessions participants create parenting goals for themselves and with the support of the group and the facilitator make positive movement towards being more of the parent they would like to become. This will be in interactive session.
Holly Hughes Stoner
on April 12, our 17 year old daughter Brooke died by suicide. She was struggling with depression and we sought help for her. On March 8th, We took her to see her primary care dr, who instructed us to take her to the ED. We immediately took her to the ED where we had a horrible experience. Brooke went from begging for help, to begging to just go home. The resident at the ED said he was fine with sending Brooke home because we had "good communication" with her. He sent her home, knowing that she had two prior suicide attempts, and knowing that we would go home and wait months to get her into therapy. We were on several wait lists to see a therapist. We had started her on meds. But none of it was enough. She passed away while she was waiting for help.
Julie Elfers
HOTEL BLOCK CLOSING SOON! Don't miss out on the Special Discounted Room Rates ending on Friday, September 6, 2024. If you have not registered for the conference or booked your room yet, time is running out!