On Friday, April 26, in observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Indiana University Northwest School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) will host the 23rd Annual Forum on Child Abuse and Neglect, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium in the Savannah Center. The event is also sponsored by the IU Northwest Division of Social Work, the School of Nursing, and the Center for Urban and Regional Excellence.

The theme for this year’s free event is “Trauma-Informed Care in Child Welfare Settings.” Continuing-education credits (CEU) will be available for foster parents and licensed social workers who participate.

Check-in begins at 8:15 a.m. followed by a welcome and introduction by IU Northwest Chancellor William J. Lowe.

This year's forum will feature plenary presentations by new Indiana Department of Child Services Director Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura and keynote speaker William Kellibrew IV, an abuse survivor and consultant on trauma-informed care for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).  

Kellibrew’s presentation will address the prevalence of trauma and suggest techniques to reduce the likelihood of re-traumatization. Participants will learn what trauma is, how it affects individuals – psychologically, developmentally, and neurobiological. Additionally, self-regulation strategies will be explored. 

At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to:

• Define trauma and discuss its prevalence in society.
• Explain the effects trauma has on the brain.
• Discuss four strategies to reduce the likelihood of re-traumatization.
• Describe two ways trauma affects people developmentally, psychologically and physiologically.
• Develop two action steps to implement trauma-informed practices in their work.

Breakouts

Breakouts this year will include sessions on trauma-informed care, services for LGBTTQ youth, gangs, abuse prevention and reporting in the schools, and special sessions with local public officials.

Because seating is limited and lunch is provided, early registration is encouraged. Registrants should send an e-mail to iunforum@gmail.com that contains their name, organization, address, phone, e-mail address and the breakout session they wish to attend, and if you are in need of CEUs or a certificate.

Walk-ins are welcome; however those who register after April 22 are not guaranteed seating or lunch.

Live streaming video will be available at: http://www.indiana.edu/~video/stream/liveflash.html?filename=Forum_Abuse

24-hours following the forum, a recorded video of the forum will be available at: http://www.indiana.edu/~video/stream/launchflash.html?folder=vic&filename=Forum_Abuse_20130426.mp4

Parking is available in the main IU Northwest parking lot on 33rd Avenue just west of Broadway and just north of the Savannah Center. Visitors are asked to avoid parking in spots marked as reserved.

Co-sponsors of the forum include: Prevent Child Abuse Lake County; Mental Health America;  Lake Area United Way; The Villages; Early Learning Partnership of Northwest Indiana; Health Education Center; Area Health Education Center; IU Northwest School of Public and Environmental Affairs; IU Northwest Division of Social Work; IU Northwest School of Nursing; IU Northwest Center for Urban and Regional Excellence; Indiana Department of Child Services; Purdue University Calumet School of Nursing; Ivy Tech School of Nursing; Sigma Theta Tau; Geminus Community Partners; St. Monica Home of Franciscan St. Margaret Health;  Edgewater Systems for Balanced Living; and Northwest Indiana Chapter: American Society for Public Administration.

For more information about the 23rd Annual Forum on Child Abuse and Neglect, contact The Villages at (219) 762-3465.

About Indiana University Northwest -- What Matters. Where it Matters.

As one of seven Indiana University campuses, IU Northwest leads the region as the premier, urban campus dedicated to serving the needs of more than 6,000 students from the state’s most diverse and industrialized region. Committed to helping its local Northwest Indiana communities thrive, IU Northwest is best-known for providing a personal, quality and affordable education close to home.  IU Northwest positions its students to be leaders with more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional degree options available from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the School of Business and Economics, and the School of Education. The campus is also host to IU School of Medicine-Northwest, which actively involves students in research and local healthcare needs through its four-year medical doctorate program. For more information, please visit www.iun.edu.