Thursday, April 10

 

7:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Registration​

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8:15 - 8:30 AM

Opening Remarks

Jerid Wedige, HJSA Board President

 

8:30 - 8:45 AM

Conference Welcome

Demoine Adams, CEO TeamMates Mentoring Program

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8:45 - 10:15 AM

Keynote Speaker

 

Empowering Youth: Transforming Self-Identify and Fostering Healthier Life Choices Through Supportive Relationships

Mike Donahue​

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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Mike Donahue is the founder and director of Value Up, a Kearney, Nebraska-based motivational company that focuses on positive school culture. Mr. Donahue has worked with youth all over the world and has authored four books, with the latest titled Value Up.  Mr. Donahue speaks to the issues that impact how students view themselves and the life choices they make that are based on their perceived value identity.  Value Up was created to amplify the value in every student and improve school culture. In this keynote presentation, Mr. Donahue will discuss ways to work with youth to encourage healthier choices, foster trust in healthy adult relationships, and transform their self-identity.  Factors that affect one’s intrinsic value, such as depression, anxiety, bullying, social media, and learning disabilities will be addressed.

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10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Morning Breakout Sessions and Vendor Display

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Resiliency, Self-Esteem, and Teen Relationships:  Teaching Teens to “Value Up”

Mike Donahue

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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In this presentation, Mr. Donahue will discuss the barriers that exist in connecting with youth and examine how trauma shapes their world views.  Ways to connect with young people to reshape negative views will be shared, as well as strategies for building self-esteem, personal value, and healthy relationships.

 

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When Juvenile Justice and Adolescent Brain Development Collide

Amoreena Brady

​Continuing Education:1.5 JJS, ABHS, SA

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Amoreena Brady is a Juvenile Probation Services Division Director at the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation for the State of Nebraska. Ms. Brady has 28 years of probation experience in various settings, including county-based probation in Orange County, California. She received the Nebraska Juvenile Justice Association Commitment in Leadership Award, the Supreme Court Team Award, and Supreme Court Innovation Award.  In her current role, she leads a team to enhance best practices that are implemented within Nebraska Juvenile Probation.  This presentation will discuss best approaches for Juvenile Justice and outline core fundamentals of positive adolescent development. Specific statutes related to juvenile code will be reviewed, as well as research findings that support best practices.

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Understanding and Responding to Trafficking of Minors

Katie Hansen and Sgt. Brett Schrage

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS, ABHS

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Having worked in the Child Welfare field for 14 years, Katie Hansen is now the Director of Anti-Trafficking and Missing Youth Services at Project Harmony. In this role, she establishes program processes and policies for teams. Sgt. Brett Schrage has been with the Omaha Police Department for 15 years. The past 5 years he has served as the Sergeant of the Missing Person’s Unit. He oversees adult and juvenile missing person investigations as well as human trafficking cases.  Through a collaboration with Project Harmony, Sgt. Schrage takes steps to reduce high risk behavior that often leads to trafficking  and provides assistance to those who are actively being trafficked to get out of it. Sgt. Schrage is a recent recipient of the Police Ribbon of Unit Excellence Award and the Kerrie Orozco Award.  In this presentation, participants will learn about trafficking of minors in the Omaha metro area.  The dynamics of trafficking, recognition of signs, and knowing how to respond will be discussed.

 

Active Shooter

Wes Tjaden

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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Wes Tjaden has over 20 years of experience with the Grand Island Police Department.  During 2 of those years, he served as Safety Officer at Grand Island Public Schools. In this session he will introduce participants to the “Run, Hide, Fight” principal and explain law enforcement’s response and responsibilities in an active shooter situation. Prevention and preparation will be discussed, as well as threat assessments for juveniles.

 

Working with and Supporting the LGBTQ Community

Nicole Britten and Niki Svik

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS, ABHS

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Nicole Britten has worked for the Nebraska Supreme Court Office of Dispute Resolution (ODR) for the past three years. In this role, she provides training to mediators and attorneys as well as new Probation Officers. Prior to this position, Nicole worked for Children and Family Services as a Juvenile Services Officer and in Adult Protective Services. She also served as a Quality Assurance Reviewer and was a Program Specialist.

 

Niki Svik has over 25 years’ experience working in Adult and Juvenile Corrections. She began her career as a Juvenile Services Officer and then moved to the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation (AOCP) in 2002. She was a Probation Officer who supervised high risk adults and juveniles. In 2017, Niki transitioned into a role as a Trainer with Judicial Branch Education focusing on New Probation Officer Training and continuing education for court and probation staff. She has delivered numerous trainings and has served on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Correctional Training Personnel. This training will provide an overview of the LGBTQ community and include important definitions, data points, and resources. Participants will learn how to support the LGBTQ community and receive resources. 

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12:00 p.m. - 1:00 PM

Lunch and Vendor Display

Visit our vendors and sign up to win prizes!

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1:00 - 2:30 PM

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

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Resiliency, Self-Esteem, and Teen Relationships:  Teaching Teens to “Value Up”

Mike Donahue

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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In this presentation, Mr. Donahue will discuss the barriers that exist in connecting with youth and examine how trauma shapes their world views.  Ways to connect with young people to reshape negative views will be shared, as well as strategies for building self-esteem, personal value, and healthy relationships.

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Representing Undocumented Youth in Family Court

BriAnn Campos and Jenna Ripke

​Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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As Lead Attorneys specializing in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status with the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement, BriAnn Campos and Jenna Ripke provide pro bono legal services to immigrant youth in Nebraska who have been abused, abandoned, and neglected by one or both parents.  Representation is provided in state court proceedings and before various immigration agencies. This presentation will discuss potential forms of immigration relief for children involved in state court proceedings, with a focus on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). The presenters will discuss eligibility for SIJS, how to obtain necessary factual findings, and other concerns in working with immigrant youth in the family court system.

 

 

Roadblocks to Mentoring Justice-Involved Youth

Anne Hobbs J.D., Ph.D, Sara Moore, Ph.D, and Sadie Brewer

​Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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Anne Hobbs is the Director of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Juvenile Justice Institute. As a licensed attorney with a PhD in Sociology, she specializes in evidence-based practices, community-based interventions, and restorative justice. Dr. Hobbs leads program evaluation and has earned recognition for her impactful contributions to shaping policies that support effective solutions in juvenile justice.  Sara Moore is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Concordia University in Nebraska. Her research focuses on improving interactions with system related youth with particular attention to mentoring. Sadie Brewer is a doctoral student at the University of Nebraska Omaha and works as a research assistant for the Juvenile Justice Institute. She focuses on youth motivations, corrections, mentorship, and rehabilitation.  In this workshop, participants will explore the emotional, educational, and societal benefits of mentoring programs for justice-involved, at-risk youth. Ways to recognize institutional challenges that limit the effectiveness of mentoring programs will be discussed. The session will provide practical, evidence-based strategies for tailoring mentor programs to meet the unique needs of at-risk youth and improve overall program outcomes.

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Inspiring Hope in Justice Involved Individuals- Case Management Strategies for Decreasing Suicide Risk

Brooke Fuhr and Erin Curran

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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Brooke Fuhr has worked for Nebraska Probation for over 11 years in various roles. In her current role as Juvenile Justice Project Specialist, she oversees mandatory reporting including the reporting of suicide attempts by youth on probation. She provides support to probation districts following these incidents and provides training on how to best support youth after a suicide attempt. Erin Curran is a Juvenile Director within the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation (AOCP) Juvenile Services Division.  Her other work experience has included high-risk Juvenile Probation Officer, Juvenile Treatment Officer, Juvenile Drug Court Officer, and statewide trainer for Question Persuade Refer (QPR), Trauma, and Resiliency. In this session, participants will learn how risk factors for suicide can present in case management of justice involved individuals. Strategies in case management will be shared to decrease suicide risk as well as incorporation of evidence based interventions. Learning when and how to capture work through documentation for case management will be discussed.

 

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Through a Teacher’s Eyes- A Call to Action to Reduce School Absence

Sheila Sookram

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS

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Sheila ​Sookram is a special education teacher who coordinates the Brook Valley South OutREACH program for Education Service Unit (ESU) 3.  Her program helps students graduate when they are unable to accomplish that goal in the traditional school setting. She incorporates the latest evidence-based practices while actively advocating for youth. Strengths analysis, school-to-career surveys, and motivational interviewing are some of the tools she uses. In this session participants will learn the risk factors in school related absences for youth at risk. Facts and real perspectives of various stakeholders will be shared, as well as tangible take-action strategies and absence prevention methods.

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2:30 - 2:45 PM

Break and Vendor Display

Visit our vendors and sign up to win prizes!

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2:45 - 4:15 PM

Afternoon Plenary

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Demoine Adams

Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS, ABHS

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Demoine Adams currently serves as the CEO for TeamMates Mentoring, which was started by co-founders Tom and Nancy Osborne in 1991. Drawing on his past experience as a standout football player for the Huskers, Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers, he spends time as a motivational speaker to encourage others to be winners in life.

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4:15 – 6:15 PM

Network Happy Hour

Grand Foyer

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Friday, April 11

8:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Keynote Speaker

Sponsored by Omni

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What We Believe and Why We Believe It: How Should We Approach Juvenile Justice?

Jeffrey Aaron, Ph.D., Judge Lawrence Gendler, and Dr. Richard L. Wiener
Continuing Education: 1.5 JJS, ABHS, SA

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As a clinical and forensic psychologist who serves as Juvenile Justice and Behavioral Health Program Manager for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Dr. Aaron focuses on the intersection of the mental health and juvenile justice systems. He also conducts forensic psychological evaluations for adolescents and adults, with areas of specialization that include adolescent decision-making, sentencing, evaluating confession evidence, and post-traumatic stress. Dr. Aaron is associate faculty at the University of Virginia Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy and faculty at the School of Medicine. 

 

Judge Lawrence Gendler was Sarpy County’s first full-time juvenile prosecutor and its second juvenile court judge, serving from 1992 until his retirement in 2021. He is a member and chairs the Judicial Ethics Committee. He played a key role in Nebraska’s juvenile justice system, leading initiatives like Through the Eyes of the Child and helping establish the state’s first juvenile drug court. As a member of the Supreme Court Commission for the Protection of Children, he developed a mandatory education court report form to improve outcomes for court-involved youth. 

 

Dr. Richard L. Wiener, a Charles Bessey Professor of Psychology and Law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), specializes in legal decision-making and diversity issues in the law, previously directing UNL’s Law and Psychology Program (2002–2015). He serves as a research consultant for the Nebraska Administrative Office of Probation and the Nebraska Judiciary and has received funding from organizations like the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Justice. Widely published in psychology and law journals, he has contributed to multiple books on legal psychology and is best known for his work on jury decision-making, sexual harassment judgments, and emotion in the law.

 

In this workshop, the presenters will challenge attendees to become more aware of their own pre-existing biases regarding how the juvenile legal system functions. Content areas will include what works and what does not in our approach to young people with serious rule violating behaviors, how we come to believe or have confidence in our answers to those questions, and ways we can approach them moving forward if we are genuinely committed to coming to correct conclusions- and effective practices- rather than simply becoming more adept at arguing for what we think we already know. Attendees will also be asked to think about how we balance or prioritize the needs of system-involved youth and the broader public and consider ways to reconceptualize accountability that will lead to the most positive outcomes for youth and the public good.