Join us for an ACRC Webinar!

2 - 3 p.m. CST

When supporting clients with backgrounds of significant trauma, staff are at higher risk of manifesting secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout within the social services field. These realities can lead to larger challenges including, symptoms for the individual professional, difficulty maintaining staffing needs within the agency, and a withdrawal of system support and funding.

The absence of appropriate training experiences, competencies, and certification standards for professionals within the field can exacerbate staff turnover and hinder therapeutic progress of children, youth, adults, and the families with whom we work. As professionals, we have a responsibility to support the positive progression of the field of child and youth care. This must include the creation of a positive work that encourages self-reflection, emotional regulation, and a continued path toward high quality trauma-informed care.

Join staff from Dover Children's Home and Indiana University as they collaborate on this topic and bring their expertise to the field!

Presented by:

Dr. Deborah Getz is committed to supporting the professionalization of youth work in the U.S. She led the development of the IU APHS major and minor in youth development, actively engages in efforts to support national certification through the Child and Youth Care Certification Board and works to support awareness of issues critical to protecting child safety. Deb has engaged in curriculum development, design, delivery, and evaluation on a wide variety of topics in youth development, child protection, personal financial education, and community engagement. She is particularly passionate about educating youth workers and the public about human trafficking identification and prevention.

Renee Touhey- Childress received both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Social Work through Wheelock College. Since receiving her master’s degree, Renee’s professional focus has been on children, youth and family services through both foster care and residential treatment. In 2015, Renee became the Executive Director of Dover Children’s Home, maintaining focus in population and working to create cultural changes within the organization that promoted and advocated for trauma-informed, restraint-free residential care with the hope to bring these principles to other residential treatment programs. Renee also serves as the Chair of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce Board.

Sarah Gordon graduated from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology and from the University of Southern Maine with a Master of Social Work degree. Sarah has worked with victims/survivors of relationship and/or sexual violence in Maine. During that time, she was an educator and a youth advocate working with students ranging from middle school through college. Following those experiences, Sarah worked on two separate grants through the Office of Violence Against Women to support higher education institutions in developing policies and practices related to disclosures, increasing victim services, and supporting prevention education initiatives. Since 2019, Sarah connected to Dover Children’s Home, a youth residential program in Dover, New Hampshire where she is currently the Director of Treatment Services for the program’s intermediate and independent living program. She has been instrumental in providing trauma-informed care and supporting a resilient workplace culture for all employees. Sarah is a Pinterest enthusiast who enjoys kayaking, group workouts, DIY projects, and bringing board game competition to a new level.

Registration Rates:

Free to Members / $50 Non-Members
Attendance Certificates available upon request