2024 Symposium Agenda

​AGENDA
  • 7:30 AM - Registration & Check In Opens
  • 8:15 AM - Opening Remarks
  • 9:00 AM - Morning Plenary #1
    • "Stop Minding Your Own Business" - Terry Bentley Hill, Attorney & Mental Health Advocate
  • 10:15 AM - Morning Plenary #2
    • "A Wounded Warrior and the Dog That Saved Him" - Staff Sergeant Jason Morgan, Veteran & Best Selling Author
  • 11:30 AM - Lunch Begins
  • 12:00 PM - Luncheon Keynote
    • "Beyond ABC: Needs Facing Children in North Texas" - Cristal Retana Lule, Vice President, Community Relations, Children's Health & Vanessa Simpson, LCSW-S, Manager, Integrated Behavioral Health, Children's Health
  • 1:30 - 2:20 PM - Break Out Sessions #1
    • "Bibliotherapy in the Therapy Play Room: Using Books to Help Children Process Trauma, Grief, and Abuse" - Kelly Pullen M.A., LPC-S, RPT, Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County & Karen Ewing M.S., LPC, RPT, Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County
    • "DBT Interventions Targeting Aggression and Staff Burnout in Juvenile Justice Settings" - Dr. Sheree L. Tarver Sylva-Senette, Clinical Coordinator, Dallas County Juvenile Department Letot Campus
    • "Inclusivity in Care: Overcoming Barriers and Creating Collaborative Systems for IDD and Mental Illness" - Andrew Ahles, LMFT-S Clinical Training Manager, Metrocare Services & Allison Turner, LPC, NCC, Licensed Professional Counselor DDP, Metrocare Services
    • "Verbal Communications: Disconnecting to Connect" - Sergeant Joey Guerra, Plano Police Department
  • 2:30 - 3:20 PM - Break Out Sessions #2
    • "Trendy to Be Depressed: The Hidden Reasons Our Teens Aren’t Getting Better and How to Help" - Leanne Foell, LCSW, Adolescent Speaker & Therapist
    • "State Strategies to Streamline Competency Restoration in Texas" - Dr. Jennie Simpson, Associate Commissioner and State Forensic Director, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
    • "We Didn't Create this Closet: Advocating for LGBTQ+ Clients" - Brian Kennedy, M.S., LPC, Room for Change
    • "The Grey Areas of an APOWW" - Summer Land, Allen Police Department & Terry Qualls, McKinney Police Department
  • 3:30 - 4:20 PM - Break Out Sessions #3
    • "Problematic and Illegal Sexual Behavior in Youth and Adolescence" - Nicholas La Mere, LPC, Dallas County Children's Advocacy Center
    • "Pre-Trial Intervention for Mentally Ill Defendants and Solutions for the Competency Waitlist" - Lee Pierson, Chief, Mental Health Division, Dallas County District Attorney's Office & Kendall McKimmey, Deputy Chief, Mental Health Division, Dallas County District Attorney's Office
    • "Overdose Response Panel" - Misty Harris, LCDC, NCAC, SAP, Collin County Substance Abuse Program Coordinator & Becky Tinney, LMSW, LCDC, CPS, Director of Special Projects, Recovery Council & Siddharth Rangan, Lifepath Systems
    • "Threat Management" - Courtney Runnels, Grand Prairie Police Department & TBD, FBI
  • 4:30 PM - Event Concludes