Presenters: Danielle Brzusek

Presentation Description: This interactive, skill-building workshop empowers professionals, youth advocates, and families within New Mexico’s child welfare, juvenile justice, and Children’s Court systems to better understand and support individuals with unseen disabilities. Through case studies, small-group discussions, and role-play, participants will explore how limiting beliefs, unconscious bias, and systemic barriers impact engagement and inclusion. Attendees will gain practical strategies to reframe challenges, foster empathy, and create strengths-based, inclusive environments where every individual can thrive—both in service delivery and within their own organizations.

Presenters: Maranda Aguirre, JD; Julia Adams Valencia, JD

Presentation Description: The goal of this workshop is to highlight the legal needs of kinship caregivers as well as the needs of youth experiencing homelessness, and to understand the transformative ways in which a legal case could impact the lives of children and youth by creating a safe and stable home environment, establishing a legal relationship between a child and the adult caring for that child, providing access to education, health or mental health care, a pathway to immigration status, and lastly, a transition into adulthood. The workshop will detail the legal requirements for Kinship Guardianship and Emancipation while also discussing the hardships for these families and youth. The workshop will also encompass how these legal paths cultivate a strong foundation and promote healthy, stable environments for children and youth where they may not have previously existed. The presenters will facilitate a discussion of best practices for serving the legal needs of kinship caregivers and youth seeking emancipation while helping them navigate and access various tools and services to create strength and stability.

Presenters: Cynthia Tessman, JD; Susan Baker, JD

Presentation Description: The presenters will discuss opinions published by the Supreme Court of New Mexico and the New Mexico Court of Appeals that are relevant to abuse and neglect proceedings. The presentation will also cover updates in federal and state law that may impact child welfare law and practice in New Mexico.

Presenters: Leah Crabb; Cecilia Allan; Sara Millspaugh

Presentation Description: This session will provide a brief overview of normative adolescent development and present data on cannabis use in this population. Recent research has shown high rates of cannabis use among adolescents in the United States, as well as increasingly widespread acceptance of cannabis use. However, there is a lack of understanding of the negative impacts that cannabis use can have on this uniquely vulnerable population, which is at a critical point of brain and psychosocial development. We will also include a discussion of the immediate and long-term adverse effects that cannabis use can have on cognitive, social, and mental health functioning in this population. Additionally, this session will address the increased likelihood of juvenile justice involvement that is associated with these difficulties.

Presenters: Dr. Monique B. Mitchell

Presentation Description: “My parents didn’t die, but it felt like that.” When children and teens are separated from their families, they search for belonging while navigating the new contexts and people surrounding them. In this keynote session, Dr. Monique B. Mitchell reveals the questions youth have as they cope with ambiguity and loss in foster care: Why? What? Where? Who? How? When? Drawing from the voices of the youth themselves, Dr. Mitchell will highlight six domains of ambiguity experienced by youth in foster care and will discuss grief-informed best practices to support youth and families.

Live-stream available for virtual attendees.

Presenters: Aaron Payment, BS, MPA, MEd, EdS& EdD; Royleen Ross, PhD

Presentation Description: The extent to which the known phenomena of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Persons (MMIP) exists has been in the public lexicon for nearly a quarter century with little abatement to the crisis. With increased endangerments and limited tribal law enforcement resources, collaborative strategies between tribal and non-tribal organizations are an essential force-multiplier to amplify impact. While a great deal of tribal activism has occurred and federal response including the Tribal Law and Order Act (2010), Savannah Act (2020), VAWA Reauthorization (2022), leadership of former Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland, as well as DOJ Operation Lady Justice (2020) and MMIP Tribal Community Response Planning (TCRP, 2020), more affirmative efforts to establish joint collaborative TCRPs and technical assistance is needed. In addition to these efforts, empowering Tribal youth offers a promising avenue for prevention and early detection. By fostering a “see something, say something” culture, communities can respond more swiftly and effectively to increase the probability to rescue and recovery. This session will introduce these concepts as well as look at practical applications of collaborative multi-jurisdictional solutions. 

Presenters: Helen Bhasker; Camica Ramirez; Michael Munoz

Presentation Description: Safety planning is a fundamental child welfare practice that requires strong critical thinking, engagement, and collaboration skills. From a workforce development perspective, effective safety planning is not just about creating a document — it reflects the agency’s investment in building staff capacity for consistent, high-quality decision-making. This workshop examines the key components of safety planning, including assessing immediate threats, identifying protective actions, and developing behaviorally specific, realistic plans in partnership with families and their networks. Participants will explore how workforce supports, such as coaching, reflective supervision, and peer consultation, enhance the quality and sustainability of safety planning practice. Through interactive case examples and discussion, this session connects safety planning to broader workforce development goals: strengthening professional judgment, improving alignment across practice models, and promoting a culture of learning and accountability in child welfare. Through interactive discussion and applied case activities, participants will examine how reflective supervision and team-based learning enhance professional judgment and promote confident, evidence-informed decision-making. By connecting practical tools with workforce development strategies, this session supports child welfare professionals in creating effective, family-centered safety plans that are both actionable and sustainable. This session will also address common workforce challenges such as high caseloads, decision fatigue, and emotional strain that impact safety assessment and planning.

Presenters: Cynthia Aragon; The Honorable John Romero (Ret.); Dominic Lafayette; Donalyn Lorenzo; Jacqueline Yalch

Presentation Description: This session provides the basic foundational concepts and underlying theme for Best Practices regarding the State of New Mexico’s Indian Family Protection Act (IFPA) for child welfare, legal, court, tribal, and community stakeholders and professionals. This session provides a brief historical overview of the development of IFPA. The presentation will address key roles that Judges, Respondent Attorneys, Guardian Ad Litems, children’s attorneys, case workers, families, tribes, nations and pueblos, community stakeholders, and CYFD play in child welfare case outcomes. The presentation will stress how adherence to the foundational concepts in addressing child safety, preservation of family, identity, community, culture, tribal sovereignty, active efforts, meaningful participation and engagement, unbiased, and lack of knowledge and understanding practices can positively impact the lives of our children and families. Collaboration through respect, compassion, and humility is IFPA’s best practice.

Presenters: Cynthia Tessman, JD; Susan Baker, JD 

Presentation Description: The presenters will discuss opinions published by the Supreme Court of New Mexico and the New Mexico Court of Appeals that are relevant to abuse and neglect proceedings. The presentation will also cover updates in federal and state law that may impact child welfare law and practice in New Mexico.

Presenters: Craig Pierce

Presentation Description: Drawing on Dr. Pierce’s extensive leadership and training in trauma-informed treatment and service delivery—including ongoing trainings, coaching, and consulting with CYFD, Juvenile Justice Services, APS, and Santa Fe Public Schools — this session focuses on building sustainable resilience for clinicians, leaders in non-profit organizations, and those in the legal field. Participants explore how to understand and skillfully respond to stress, uncertainty, and emotional demands by differentiating worry, anxiety, stress, and overwhelm, and by recognizing how unmanaged stress contributes to burnout. Grounded in evidence-based frameworks such as SPIRE, PERMA+, and emotion regulation models, the presentation emphasizes mindset, mindfulness, self-regulation, and the protective role of connection, kindness, courage, and community. Moving beyond short-term self-care, clinicians are encouraged to adopt sustainable, values-based practices that support long-term well-being, resilience, and meaningful engagement in their work.

Presenters: Payton Brianne; Jami Myles-Wells

Presentation Description: This interactive session will explore how animal-assisted empathy education can reduce recidivism risk factors, strengthen pro-social behavior, and promote resilience. Empathy for Animals is an innovative, trauma-informed program that pairs shelter dogs with system-involved youth to teach emotional regulation, accountability, and compassion through the human-animal bond. Developed by both Payton Brianne and Jami Myles-Wells, this program demonstrates how animal-assisted learning can support youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems while also giving rescued dogs a second chance at life. Drawing from direct experience in juvenile justice, counseling, and correctional leadership, the presenters will share real-world insights, data from pilot programs, and culturally responsive approaches for reaching youth who have experienced trauma. By connecting youth with rescue dogs, Empathy for Animals reminds us that healing and accountability can begin with compassion—for others, and for ourselves.

Presenter: Dr. Thomas Sexton; Pierce Ferriegel

Presentation Description: This session highlights the collaborative efforts behind the implementation and adaptation of Functional Family Therapy (FFT) across New Mexico. Using examples from communities statewide, presenters will highlight how strong partnerships among service providers, funding partners, and state agencies have supported the expansion and adaptation of FFT to new settings while preserving its core clinical mechanisms and enhancing its cultural relevance. In New Mexico, FFT implementation reflects a deeply collaborative approach. FFT training and delivery have expanded in the state as part of a broader effort to increase access to evidence-based practices for youth and families experiencing behavioral health challenges.

Presenters: Brian Serna, LPCC, LADAC 

Presentation Description: This workshop provides a practical overview of recent reforms to youth behavioral health funding in New Mexico and how these changes are being implemented across the state. Participants will examine the intent behind the reforms, current implementation strategies, and early implications for service delivery at the community level. Special emphasis will be placed on the regional e-SIMs mapping process, including how it is being used to assess capacity, identify gaps, and guide investment decisions. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how these reforms may impact local systems, providers, and the youth and families they serve.

Presenters: Maria Fernanda Ferrer-Hernandez

Presentation Description: Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD, and learning disorders affect millions of children and families across the U.S., yet access to timely diagnosis and care remains a significant challenge—especially for Spanish-speaking and bilingual communities. This session will provide a clear overview of what neurodevelopmental disorders are, how they’re defined in the DSM-5-TR, and how they commonly present in clinical and educational settings. Participants will gain insight into the shortage of trained providers and how this shortage disproportionately impacts families who face language, cultural, and systemic barriers. Real-world examples will illustrate how limited access to bilingual specialists, translated materials, and culturally informed care can delay identification and treatment. The presentation will also spotlight the resilience of families navigating these systems and share practical tools and resources that providers can use to improve equity and accessibility in their own practice. Attendees will leave with strategies to better support children and families from diverse linguistic backgrounds and contribute to a more inclusive model of neurodevelopmental care.

Presenters: Shelby McDaniel; Spence Spencer, MPA; Chasity LeBlanc, Certified Family Peer Support Worker; Heaven Valdez, Certified Youth Peer Support Specialist

Presentation Description: Join us for an engaging workshop designed to address the challenges and benefits of integrating Youth Peer Support and Family Peer Support Specialists (YPSS/FPSS) into youth and family-centered programs. This session allows participants to collaborate and reflect on the organizational evolution required to successfully embed these vital roles. We will explore how to reframe integration challenges as opportunities to build a more competent, collaborative, and resilient workforce and service system. Through interactive group activities, attendees will identify common obstacles and benefits, and brainstorm innovative strategies to enhance collaboration between staff, YPSS, and FPSS. This workshop will feature group collaboration, poster presentations, and a live poll to capture collective insights and experiences. Designed for a multidisciplinary audience including administrators, service providers, and advocates from child welfare, juvenile justice, and behavioral health, this session will equip participants with practical, solution-focused strategies to leverage the unique skills of peer specialists. Leave with actionable methods to build a stronger foundation of support for the youth and families of New Mexico.

Presenters: Josh Pando, AOC ADR Statewide Program Manager

Presentation Description:The New Mexico Children’s Court Mediation Program is committed to providing quality mediation services for system involved families and professionals statewide. The Program is operated and administered by AOC with federal funding and support by CYFD. Mediation is available at every stage of a child abuse and neglect case and is designed to assist everyone involved to work together to make decisions that are in the best interest of the child. Through a panel discussion with Program Mediators, Attorneys and a Resource Parent with lived experience participating in open adoption mediations, the presentation will explore issues discussed in mediation, types of mediation services CCMP can provide and how participants in mediation can effectively participate and prepare their clients for mediation.

Presenters: Brooke Silverthorn, JD; Heather Kestian, M. Ed, J.D

Presentation Description: In the complex landscape of child welfare, progress depends on connection—between law and practice, advocacy and care, counsel and casework. This session invites child welfare agency attorneys and social workers to explore innovative strategies for building trust, understanding each other’s roles, and aligning around shared goals for child and family well-being. Through creative co-training models, interactive problem-solving, and real-world case simulations, participants will uncover how cross-disciplinary learning can strengthen decision-making, improve outcomes, and create a more unified, responsive child welfare system. Together, we’ll reimagine collaboration—not as parallel work, but as a shared foundation for meaningful change.

Presenters: Dylan Pell MSW/MPH

Presentation Description: Mental health is a major public health issue impacting all of us. In 2023, suicide was the second leading cause of death among adolescents and topics like social media are changing how young people spend their time having substantial behavioral implications. This presentation will including a brief introduction of key trends in the mental health of New Mexican youth and their parents. Following an outline of the problem, attendees will be invited to join the epidemiological process and help explore questions about the "hows" and "whys" of these important findings in a structured table top exercise. By the end of the session we will all have an improved understanding of the problem bringing together the lived experience of attendees with the population data.

Presenters: Maranda Aguirre, JD; Julia Adams Valencia, JD

Presentation Description: The goal of this workshop is to highlight the legal needs of kinship caregivers as well as the needs of youth experiencing homelessness, and to understand the transformative ways in which a legal case could impact the lives of children and youth by creating a safe and stable home environment, establishing a legal relationship between a child and the adult caring for that child, providing access to education, health or mental health care, a pathway to immigration status, and lastly, a transition into adulthood. The workshop will detail the legal requirements for Kinship Guardianship and Emancipation while also discussing the hardships for these families and youth. The workshop will also encompass how these legal paths cultivate a strong foundation and promote healthy, stable environments for children and youth where they may not have previously existed. The presenters will facilitate a discussion of best practices for serving the legal needs of kinship caregivers and youth seeking emancipation while helping them navigate and access various tools and services to create strength and stability.

Presenters: Phillip Fiuty

Presentation Description: This session will examine the persistent myth of the “Narcan Party,” the false belief that people who use illicit opioids intentionally take turns overdosing and reviving one another with naloxone. While untrue, this narrative endures because it aligns with common misunderstandings about drugs and drug use. The session will also address related myths, including beliefs that fentanyl causes fatal overdose through casual contact, that drug sellers deliberately contaminate substances to increase profits, or that fentanyl is commonly present in cannabis and vaping products. These misconceptions generate fear and confusion, diverting attention and resources from the real harms of an unregulated drug supply. When policies, legislation, and enforcement are shaped by such narratives, stigma and shame are reinforced while those most at risk are overlooked. Drawing on historical context and contemporary harm reduction efforts, this session invites participants to critically examine how drug-related narratives are constructed and sustained, challenge taken-for-granted assumptions, and develop more informed, compassionate approaches to improving outcomes and reducing harm.

Presenter: Kate Bunch, LPCC; Alexis Smith, LMHC

Presentation Description: Across NM’s human service systems, professionals often describe the same individual, family, or circumstance using very different language. These linguistic differences, while unintentional, can profoundly impact how people are perceived, influencing decisions, trust, and healing. This session aims to explore how language operates. Through a trauma-informed and CPP-informed framework, participants will explore how the words used in reports, hearings, and multidisciplinary meetings can unintentionally reinforce trauma narratives. Or, on the other hand, strengthen connection and safety. Using case vignettes informed by interviews with representatives from attorneys, CYFD, and victims alike, attendees will “translate” common legal and clinical language to align cross-system understanding and amplify the lived-experiences of those our systems are working to support. Grounded in NM’s cultural and community context, our session offers practical tools for integrating trauma-responsive communication across CYFD, courts, and BH systems. Participants will grow strategies to increase transparency, predictability, and shared vocabulary, strong foundations that empower collaboration, promote healing, and strengthen systems of care.

Presenter: Lindsey Fooks; LaDonna Giron; Kirsten Dick

Presentation Description: The custody hearing is the first setting before the Court in an abuse and neglect case. This workshop will take attendees through the structure and required findings and orders out of the 10-day Custody Hearing from the Court’s perspective. It will include Court expectations for pre-hearing preparation, information provided to and gathered from parties at the hearing, the requisite probable cause finding(s) under Section 32A-4-18 (including in-depth statute review), orders the Court can and cannot make after a probable cause finding, other key areas of argument appropriate for a custody hearing (return of custody, protective supervision, maintain at home, placement, efforts), and advocacy around family time.

Presenter: Cornelius Bird, Michael Fleischman, Sophy Shore

Presentation Description: The Individualized Planning Process (IPP)and the Individualized Meeting (IPM) are a core component of family-centered child welfare practice, yet their purpose and flow can feel unclear for many legal partners. This workshop offers a clear, practical overview of how attorneys, GALs, and court-involved advocates can engage effectively in family teaming meetings to support stronger outcomes for children, youth, and families. Participants will learn how legal advocacy fits within a collaborative teaming model, how to prepare clients for meaningful participation, and how IPMs inform case planning, including safety and permanency decisions. Through real-world examples and discussion, this session equips legal professionals with strategies to elevate family voice, strengthen communication with partners, and contribute to a more transparent, effective decision-making process. 

Presenters: Veronica Krupnick

Presentation Description: This session invites participants to critically engage with the nuanced intersections of identity, connection, belonging, and safety within the context of child welfare system involvement. Too often, young people interacting with child welfare carry the weight of labels, such as “at-risk” or “troubled,” without the deeper exploration of what led to this moment. The presenter will guide participants in a reframing of “self-destructive behaviors” through personal storytelling of their deconstruction of self while navigating the system. Presented through the lens of lived experience and an Indigenous framework, participants will develop a lasting understanding of how these complex topics impact the trajectory of lifetime well-being and safety for system-involved children and youth. The presenter’s personal journey through foster care, juvenile justice, and transracial adoption has fueled her determination to transform the child welfare system.

Presenter: Chris Mason, Deidre Gordon; Alvin Phan, LCSW; Antonio Maestas; Stacey Scanlon 

Presentation Description: Improving outcomes for youth engaged in anti-social behavior and substance use requires an approach that treats the whole ecology of the youth, including the individual, family, school, peers, community, and provider organizations. This session will focus on how collaboration between service systems indirectly impacts youth behavioral outcomes. The Multisystemic Therapy (MST) process for ensuring engagement and alignment with service systems such as probation, protective services, and community mental health providers will be explored utilizing a real-life case example.

Presenters: Caitlin Goodwin; Renee Reyes; Jessica Orozco

Presentation Description: High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) is a value-based approach to working with individuals with complex needs. This training will provide a brief introduction to HFW, examining the evidence backing the effectiveness of High-Fidelity Wraparound before doing a focused dive into the top five core elements and values that help make Wraparound powerful. We will discuss tips and tools that can be used by anyone serving and supporting the youth and families of New Mexico. We will look at the developmental importance of "empowerment" and explore ways to build opportunities for youth and families to practice decision making skills. When young people and families' Voice and Choice is effectively leveraged, we see an increase in-personal accountability and ownership of care plans. This training will incorporate strategies used in the Wraparound model- like robust strategizing as well as examine tools used in other behavioral health practices- such as Stephan Karpman's Drama Triangle.

Presenters: Wyndsor Yazzie, Brenda Rygg; Martin Muñoz; Virginia Tenorio 

Presentation Description: This workshop will present tools and concepts created and used by the Children, Youth and Families Department’s Office of Tribal Affairs’ Indian Child Welfare Consultants and Indian Child Welfare Training Coordinator to enhance competency and understanding of Active Efforts. The team coaches and trains the Department’s frontline investigation and permanency workers and their supervisors in Best Practices to implement New Mexico’s Indian Family Protection Act (IFPA). The team helps workers improve foundational knowledge of ICWA, IFPA, policy and procedure, build relationships and collaborate with sovereign partners, and develop confidence and compassion to work with Indian children and their families by valuing active efforts. The team also honors the spirit of storytelling to help you understand the concept of active efforts.

Presenter: Somi Monju, MSW; Grey Prechtel

Presentation Description: The quote by Terence, a Roman playwright, “I am human, nothing human is alien to me,” serves as a foundation for how we can start to practice seeing others humanity even when they are different from us. This session explores culturally responsive practice through the intersections of race, disability, adoption, and trauma-informed care. Drawing from lived experience as an internationally adopted brown person raised in a white family and professional experience supporting families and children involved in the foster care system, the presenter examines how identity, bias, and personal reflection influence work with marginalized communities.

Presenter: Kristin Dean, PhD

Presentation Description: Approximately 2,300 children are involved with the child welfare system in New Mexico. When children are removed from their biological families, they are most often placed in another home, either with a relative or with foster parents. These caregivers report feeling overwhelmed and ill-prepared to care for children with complex trauma histories. The focus of this session is to increase participant understanding and skills in supporting parents caring for children who have been exposed to trauma. We will briefly review the Resource Parent Curriculum intervention that focuses on enhancing support of resource parents and relative caregivers by providing a combination of emotional support and psychoeducation by a co-facilitator with lived experience. We will also review the literature on the role of caregiver behavior on child outcomes. Following a discussion of techniques, attendees will practice strategies for supporting caregivers and participate in a discussion of the challenges and successes. Finally, we will discuss how the ability to emotionally validate and support caregivers is an important skill when working with all families, particularly those who feel overwhelmed.

Presenters: Shelby McDaniel; Valerie Valles-Pedroza; Youth Leaders from Health Leadership High School 

Presentation Description: How can professionals and caregivers move beyond performative allyship to provide genuine, life-affirming support for LGBTQ+ youth? This interactive workshop, developed and co-facilitated by youth, answers that question directly. Participants will engage in a powerful session grounded in the lived experiences of New Mexico's LGBTQ+ young people. We will begin by establishing a shared foundation of knowledge, including current LGBTQ+ terminology and the importance of gender-neutral language. The core of the workshop is an experiential role-play activity where youth will demonstrate common, often well-intentioned, missteps in adult-youth interactions, followed by a collaborative group problem-solving session to model affirming alternatives. With a specific focus on suicide prevention, we will explore how authentic engagement and validation are critical protective factors, helping adults recognize that identity is not "a phase" but a core aspect of a young person's being. Leave with practical tools and a renewed commitment to creating spaces where LGBTQ+ youth not only survive but thrive.

Presenter: MaryEllen Garcia

Presentation Description: Children who witness or experience intimate partner violence are often the silent witnesses in our systems — profoundly affected yet rarely centered in intervention and policy. This interactive session examines how New Mexico’s network of domestic violence and child-serving providers can strengthen collaboration, compassion, and competency to better meet children where they are. Grounded in the Survivor Standards and a trauma-informed, culturally responsive framework, the session explores practical strategies for supporting children’s healing and resilience. Participants will engage in dialogue and reflection that challenges current practices and inspires renewed commitment to building strong foundations of safety, trust, and stability for New Mexico’s children and families.

Presenter:Dr. Brandon Warrick

Presentation Description: This workshop will adapt key components of the 8-hour Judicial ECHO series, with a special focus on youth and neurodevelopment, exploring how substance use and addiction affect the developing brain, behavior, and decision-making. The session will also address practical and often misunderstood topics such as drug testing—its limitations, interpretation, and role in court settings. Participants will gain insight into how substance use disorders develop, how recovery can be supported through evidence-based approaches, and how judicial decision-making can align with current science to improve outcomes for young people and families. This session is designed to provide judges and court professionals with actionable knowledge, bridging the gap between addiction medicine and the legal system in a way that is relevant, practical, and grounded in clinical experience.

Presenters: Simone Viljoen; Alejandrina Garcia; Leah Crabb

Presentation Description: This session will explore the impact of technology on adolescent development and engagement in the legal process. Research on the effects of technological advances has been growing exponentially and offers critical insight into the impact of technology use on the social, emotional, and cognitive functioning of youth. These issues are particularly relevant at this time as many courts and mental health providers have moved to using videoconferencing in place of in-person appearances or services. This session will discuss emerging trends in technology use in the courtroom, review research on the efficacy of these practices, and discuss their impact on adolescent engagement in the legal process. It will provide attendees with a better understanding of the impact of technology on adolescent development and offer practical insights into the ways it can impact their engagement in the legal process.

Presenter: Veronica Montaño-Pilch; Jacsyn Brickhouse; Lisa Hamilton; Dawn Walters, JD

Presentation Description: This workshop provides the child welfare community with a clear understanding of Education Decision Makers (EDMs) and their critical role in supporting the educational success of children and youth in foster care. Participants will learn when an EDM is needed, where the authority applies, who can serve in the role, and how the appointment process works within New Mexico’s legal and educational systems. The session outlines the responsibilities of EDMs, the collaboration required among systems, and the procedures that ensure compliance with federal and state education laws. The presentation includes visual aids, timelines, and case examples to illustrate how EDMs help maintain educational stability, ensure appropriate services, and address barriers such as school transitions, special education needs, and cultural considerations. Attendees will leave with step-by-step guides and reference materials to support their understanding of the EDM process from appointment to implementation. By focusing on the essential “when, where, who, and how,” this workshop strengthens the foundational knowledge and cross-system coordination necessary to improve educational outcomes for youth in care across New Mexico.

Presenters: Sheila Ciminera

Presentation Description: Meaning is a fundamental part of helping; it creates a sense of purpose and commitment to our work, and compassion for our clients. Clients often look to us to help them find glimmers of light in times of darkness. However, after living through a pandemic and intense societal crisis (aka the horror show), so many helpers feel disconnected and hopeless. Our work may feel futile in the face of ongoing collective trauma and suffering. So what's the point, and how do we go on? Participants in this session will learn concepts from existential therapy and Buddhist psychology that help us to reconnect with meaning. We will explore ways to reunite with ourselves and our purpose. Finding meaning can give us a reason to persist and maybe, even a reason to hope again.

Presenter: Adebayo Ajibade, PhD; Jazmine Contreras, Psy.D; Julie M. Brovko, PhD; April Land, JD

Presentation Description: This presentation will address professional competency in understanding and identifying developmental maturity considerations in justice-involved adolescents and how these considerations impact sentencing outcomes. Throughout the presentation, we will address typical and atypical brain development and its impact on adolescent maturity, tools for identifying normal and abnormal development and maturity, the role of maturity in sentencing considerations for justice-involved adolescents, and opportunities for advocacy and intervention by professionals around and within the justice system. The presentation is intended to improve participants’ knowledge about identifying and intervening to help improve personal (i.e., emotional/behavioral self-regulation, recidivism, etc.), sentencing, and community outcomes for justice-involved adolescents. Cultural considerations for identifying potential maturity deficits, developing and implementing interventions, and communicating these considerations to legal system stakeholders will be discussed throughout the presentation. The information provided will be relevant to a variety of service providers and stakeholders who provide psychosocial intervention or advocate for justice-involved adolescents.

Presenter: Carol Montoya; Miguel Terrazas; Santino Carrillo

Presentation Description: This dynamic panel explores a transformative approach to juvenile justice reform that centers on youth empowerment and community collaboration. Drawing from social learning theory and youth development principles, presenters will share how peer-led diversion programs and community-based initiatives foster accountability, healing, and long-term success—without relying on punitive detention.
Attendees will gain practical insights into:

Presenter: Art Salazar

Presentation Description: The Fact or Myth workshop uses an interactive learning model that blends education with engagement. Through live polling, case-based discussions, and practical examples, participants explore common myths such as “you can overdose by touching fentanyl” or “you can determine pill strength by its color.” Each topic is unpacked with data, current research, and state-specific harm-reduction insights. Participants will examine how misinformation can impact judicial decision-making and explore strategies to integrate factual, trauma-informed language into treatment recommendations and family plans. The session transitions from awareness to action, providing participants with tools to communicate accurate information and strengthen cross-sector collaboration. Group problem-solving exercises emphasize realistic scenarios where prevention, behavioral health, and justice professionals can work together to correct misinformation, enhance case management, and promote consistent care practices.

Presenter: Dr. Jessie Maxwell; Monica J Armas Aragon

Presentation Description: This session will provide introductory information regarding the impact of substance exposure during pregnancy on the developing fetus. Substances will include prescribed and non-prescribed agents, such as opioids and cannabis. Discussion will center around the impact on the infant's development and how to best support this high-risk population. Programs available in New Mexico will be highlighted. Time will be provided for a question-and-answer session.

Presenter: Elizabeth Bryant, PsyD; Tiffany Otero, PhD; Kaisa Marshall, PhD; Pat Osbourn, MA, CCC

Presentation Description: This presentation addresses the growing prevalence and complex challenges associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which affects approximately 1 in 31 children according to 2022 CDC data, and centers on the importance of understanding how ASD impacts competency to stand trial (CST), a key component of fairness in New Mexico’s juvenile justice system. The presenters will provide a comprehensive overview of ASD, its core features, and their implications for CST evaluations. Integrating both clinical and legal perspectives, the session will use case examples and interactive discussions to enhance understanding among professionals such as attorneys, judges, probation officers, social workers, and service providers. The presentation will emphasize culturally responsive practices relevant to New Mexico’s diverse populations and highlight communication differences within autistic communities. Finally, it will address current barriers to implementing recommendations for youth with ASD-related CST impairments, encouraging audience feedback and interdisciplinary collaboration to identify creative solutions and improve outcomes in competency evaluations and restoration processes.

Presenter: Dr. Andy Hernandez, Terrie Chavarria

Presentation Description:The trauma of the U.S. Civil War has left citizens of the United States with an incomplete understanding of slavery. From a theoretical point of view slavery across the globe and across the span of human history commonly included a temporary span of forced labor (as was the case for many Native Americans taken as slaves by the European powers) but also included social and cultural alienation and detribalization as well as the threat of a deferred death sentence to be possibly carried out at some point in the future. This concept applies clearly to the taking of Indian slaves in New Mexico during the colonial and a portion of the territorial period even though owners frequently characterized their intentions as part of an officially-sanctioned practice to adopt Indian children, teach them Spanish, raise them in the Catholic Church, and release them upon reaching adulthood. Despite a need to believe otherwise, this practice also uncomfortably resonates with the boarding school era and the epidemic of the placement of Indian children in foster care and/or adoptive services throughout the first seven decades of the 20th century. While also meeting the formal definition of genocide according to international treaty convention, this practice also included the expectation of labor, social alienation, separation from Native culture, and the all too real possibility of death forced upon Indian children in exchange for Christianization and acculturation.

Presenter: Wendy Taylor; Sarah Pukansky

Presentation Description: In October 2025, devastating floods struck southeastern New Mexico, damaging homes, displacing families, and testing the resilience of both the community and the service systems designed to support them. Within hours, CASAKIDS mobilized across its interconnected programs—the Family Resource Center (FRC) and Keeping Families Together (KFT)—to respond. What could have been a purely emergency reaction instead became a model for collaborative, solution-focused intervention. When one family lost their rental home to flood damage, the Family Resource Center provided immediate relief. Recognizing the need for longer-term stabilization, the family was referred internally to the KFT program, which quickly secured a new rental, arranged utility connections, and provided wraparound case management to help the family rebuild stability. This presentation explores how the organization’s internal collaboration framework and trauma-informed philosophy allowed staff to respond cohesively under pressure. Participants will learn practical tools for coordinating services across departments, leveraging community partnerships, and maintaining family stability through crisis. The session highlights how building strong foundational systems of communication and trust—before disaster strikes—creates the infrastructure for effective and compassionate crisis response.

Presenter: Al Worley

Presentation Description: Often, opportunities for adults to actually interact with youth in care are fleeting. Court meetings can take five minutes, and a mentor visiting a client may see them once a week or once a month. Cases get moved around and youth are hard to keep track of, let alone build a relationship with. This can cause frustration on both sides and leads to resentment or mistrust, as well as feelings of powerlessness. As ‘the kid in court’, Al places great importance on the perspective children and teens have of adults working in the child welfare system. This perspective serves as a guiding light on who youth trust, and what behavior is modeled, accepted or rejected. Some of our smallest interactions are huge “tells” to children surviving trauma. So, how can five minutes make an impact? 

Participants will: 

• Connect with your inner self, then connect your purpose with your work 
• Learn about ‘presence’ as a concept for building trust quickly 
• Use “parts” language and visualization (based on IFS concepts) to identify how we show up, as well as how others show up 
• Understand the connection between trauma, the sympathetic nervous system, and how youth “see” adults while in care 
• Discover how to turn short encounters into affirming encouragement 
• Translate “trauma informed care” into realistic to-do’s in your workspace 

Presenters: Ilse Amaya LMSW; Janelle Ortega, M.A

Presentation Description: This session provides an overview of the New Mexico (NM) Infant Mental Health (IMH) Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) Program (hereafter referred to simply as the “Program”) at the NM Children, Youth and Families Department’s (CYFD) Children’s Behavioral Health Services (CBHS) Division. This Program supports clinical services for infants and young children, ages 0 to 5, who have experienced trauma and/or are experiencing mental health, attachment, and/or behavioral problems, targeting the caregiver-infant relationship as the vehicle for restoring and protecting the infant’s or young child’s mental health.

Presenters: Liam Westgate, MSW, MBA, LCSW-C; Donald Hume

Presentation Description: Justice-involved individuals face a significantly heightened risk of overdose following release from incarceration. Although this trend is well-documented, the contributing factors are complex and not fully understood. Reentry into society presents numerous challenges, including disruptions in medical and behavioral health care—as well as significant disruptions to social connections. Research increasingly supports the effectiveness of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) combined with social support in reducing overdose risk among formerly incarcerated individuals. Continuity of care, especially in MAT, plays a vital role in improving outcomes and supporting successful reintegration. This presentation will explore the individual and systemic barriers justice-involved individuals encounter post-release, such as gaps in healthcare access and the impact of trauma. It will highlight the importance of trauma-informed approaches and the role of community-based providers in delivering consistent, compassionate care. Moreover, attendees will gain insights into how individual recovery can have a ripple effect on the health and wellbeing of communities at large.

Presenters: Dylan Pell MSW/MPH

Presentation Description: Mental health is a major public health issue impacting all of us. In 2023, suicide was the second leading cause of death among adolescents, and topics like social media are changing how young people spend their time, having substantial behavioral implications. This presentation will include a brief introduction of key trends in the mental health of New Mexican youth and their parents. Following an outline of the problem, attendees will be invited to join the epidemiological process and help explore questions about the "hows" and "whys" of these important findings in a structured table-top exercise. By the end of the session, we will all have an improved understanding of the problem, bringing together the lived-experience of attendees with the population data.

Presenters: Quinn Donnay, MA; Brooke Tafoya, MSW  

Presentation Description: This workshop will focus on finding ways to heal from burnout, secondary trauma exposure and overwhelm. This is done by shifting our paradigms, even those most cherished views of accomplishment and success. We will focus on ways to stay present and embody our authentic selves within the work of advocating, supporting and nurturing young people. Centering our humanness is the first step. Deepening our understanding of ourselves and the need to regulate our emotions allows us to show-up in powerful ways for those we serve, our families and ourselves. Through this we can find ways to authentically show-up, recharge, and make change. Knowing ourselves and showing up authentically allows us to not only stay PRESENT in our work, but to be healthier, happier, and accomplish more while doing it. We will focus on the following topics: Debunking the “do-more” culture, providing an overview of brain science and how humans operate in a state of overwhelm, systematic understanding of the state of overwhelm, and what we can do about it – learn more about who we are as people in professional roles and how we operate best, practice regular self-regulation, honoring others, being honest with ourselves and learning how to reset and move forward, even in the most challenging situations.

Presenters: Kate Gibbons, Ph.D., LCSW, LISW; Matthew Claps, MSW 

Presentation Description: Case file reviews are required across all human service organizations for oversight and quality assurance purposes. Case consultation and supervision that supports both the professional development and the well-being of staff is also the expectation. Combining these could create a powerful quality improvement process and a structure for ongoing learning opportunities while also meeting agency oversight and regulatory requirements. New Mexico State University’s Center for Innovation has been implementing the Quality Services Review (QSR) as a case review process in New Mexico’s behavioral health and child protection systems in partnership with two state agencies. Learn how qualitative inquiry and Quality Service Reviews (QSR) advance case work, skills of staff, improve the quality of the work with youth and families, and advance agency and youth and family outcomes through the supervision setting. This presentation will include an overview and application of tools, highlight the use of data and implementation strategies to develop practice, and share stories on how they may advance a culture of best practice.

Presenters: Wyndsor Yazzie; Brenda Rygg; Virginia Tenorio

Presentation Description: Indian Child Welfare Consultants (ICWC) with the Office of Tribal Affairs (OTA) in the Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) of New Mexico collaborate with sovereign partners, ICWA workers from Nations/Pueblos/Tribes (N/P/T), to coach, guide, and train State child welfare workers in Investigation and Permanency units in different counties across New Mexico. This session will review the ICWC’s initiatives with the different counties, the collaboration with sovereign partners, the highlights of the consultation seminar, and the outcomes of the sessions. Sovereign partners will provide feedback on the value of collaboration, their experience in the process, and any outcomes they have seen.

Presenters: Al Worley, Speaker & Founder

Presentation Description: Marie Curie famously said, "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." Child welfare relies on the clear understanding that children need safety. However, the power dynamics of adults working to secure that safety often drown out the voice of the youth they are working to help. Al Worley shares, through heartfelt storytelling, a very personal experience of fear and survival both before and after the system. They speak about their own lived expertise, and how courage can empower those seeking to change outcomes for youth.

Live-stream available for virtual attendees.