Conference
Resources
Our annual conference brings together professionals from a wide variety of disciplines and agencies to provide education on the implementation of best practices to strengthen and improve residential and community-based services for youth and their families. The following resources are provided by our past conference presenters.
2026 Conference Resources
Keynote Speaker
Mike Smith – Founder, The Bay
2024 Conference Resources
"Drug Identification and Current Trends"
Presented by Wes Tjaden – Grand Island Police Department
2023 Conference Resources
"Where in the World are Evidence-Based Practices…for My Population"
Presented by Anne Hobbs PhD and Monica Miles-Steffens, MA, Juvenile Justice Institute at University of Nebraska-Omaha
2022 Conference Resources
"Compassionate Accountability"
Presented by Emily Scoffield
"Be the Best"
Presented by Harvey Alston
"Make it Happen. Shock Everyone."
Presented by Brenda Smith
"Juvenile Justice and the Response to Sex Trafficking"
Presented by Sarah Forrest and Amber Smith
2021 Conference Resources
"System Reform: Seeing the Child and Not the Charge"
Presented by Kim HaweKotte
"Kids & Tech: What to Do When Devices Rule"
Presented by Joshua Wayne
"Building Motivation to Succeed in School & Life"
Presented by Joshua Wayne
"Project AWARE: Supporting School-based Prevention and Intervention"
Presented by Mariella Resendiz & Amber Hartsock
2019 Conference Resources
"The Healing Power of Relationships: Battling Addiction and Rising Suicide Rates in a Selfie Society" Presented by Jennifer Morgan Smith, LMFT
"What Now? Reaching Court-Involved Youth with Real World Answers to their Situations" Presented by Traci Webber, Nebraska Supreme Court, Court Improvement Project
"Queer Here, There, and Everywhere" Presented by Dominique Morgan, Black and Pink, Inc.
"Adolescent Rationality and Development" Presented by David Moshman, Professor Emeritus, UNL and Julie Kinder, Pathfinder Support Services
"Creating a Brave Space for Marginalized Youth Through Resilience" Presented by Cammy Watkins, Inclusive Communities and Barb Jessing, Project Harmony
2018 Conference Resources
"The Numb and the Restless: Drug Use and Other Negative Coping Behaviors" Presented by AJ Frithiof, RedCliff Ascent
"Why Kids Misbehave and What To Do About It" Presented by Brian Mendler, Teacher Learning Center
"Learning to Ride the Wave: Living Your Life with Difficult Emotions" Presented by Kristen Galloway, Boys Town Center for Behavioral Health
"Intersection of Brain Injury and Cognitive Disabilities in the Juvenile Justice World" Presented by Peggy Reisher, Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska and Julie Smith, Nebraska Probation Administration
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Click for "Recognizing and Understanding Brain Injury" presentation notes
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Click for Understanding Complex & Difficult Behaviors handout
"Drug Identification and Current Drug Trends" Presented by Officer Wes Tjaden, Grand Island Police Department
"Juvenile Services Definitions—Defining Services and Interventions for Youth on Probation" Presented by Melissa Koch, Nebraska Probation Administration
2017 Conference Resources
"Boys Adrift and Girls on the Edge" Presented by Dr. Leonard Sax
"The Collapse of Parenting" Presented by Dr. Leonard Sax
"The Medicalization of Misbehavior" Presented by Dr. Leonard Sax
2016 Conference Resources
"Basic Neuroscience of Psychopathy" Presented by James Fallon, PH.D. - University of California at Irvine
"The Psychopath Inside" Presented by James Fallon, Ph.D. - University of California at Irvine
"Why the World Needs Psychopatheic Traits" Presented by James Fallon, Ph.D. - University of California at Irvine
Fabian Ramirez:
"Effective Strategies for working with Traumatized Youth" Presented by Kay Glidden & Maria Fritz - BHECN
"Prescription Drug Abuse: How A Prescribed Drug Becomes a 2nd Problem" Presented by Dr. Allison Dering-Anderson - University of Nebraska Medical Center
"Drug Identification and Current Drug Trends" Presented by Officer Wes Tjaden - Grand Island Police Department
Managing Social Media
2015 Conference Resources
"Big Problem, Tragic Results: Over, Under and Misdiagnosis: What You Can Do To Help" Presented by Dr. Lisa Boesky
"At Risk & Justice Involved Youth with Mental Health Disorders: What You Need to Know" Presented by Dr. Lisa Boesky
"Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault Resources" Presented by the Center for Survivors, Columbus, NE
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CDC: Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Choose Respect Materials
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Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships
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National Center for Victims of Crime – Youth Initiative
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Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
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Bursting the Bubble
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Child Witness to Violence Project