Conference Listings provides descriptions (excerpted from the sponsoring agencies) and contact information for upcoming national conferences that focus on such areas as child welfare, children and families, HIV/AIDS, addiction/recovery, and infant development. If you would like to list a conference, please contact the Resource Center.

Other National Conferences

Child Welfare League of America - Conference Database

Child Welfare Information Gateway - Conference Calendar

2008 National Conference on Child Abuse Prevention
Dates: May 19-22, 2008
Sponsor: Prevent Child Abuse America
Location: Midwest Airlines Center, Milwaukee, WI

It is the only national conference focused on the prevention of child abuse and neglect through a variety of strategies including home visitation, research, parent education, public policy and advocacy, parent leadership, and integrated services for family support.

15th Annual National Foster Care Conference
Dates: May 21-23, 2008
Sponsor: Daniel Memorial Institute
Location: Orlando, FL

This year's Foster Care Conference will address a wide variety of problems facing Foster Care Specialists, Foster Parents and various Social Service Professionals who desire to enhance their skills in order to create the best foster home environment. Each general session and workshop will present innovative ideas on how those of us working with youth can deal with these ever-changing situations. One of the main missions of Daniel is to help professionals, clients and their respective organizations establish and maintain an effective and comprehensive Foster Care Program.

HIV/AIDS 2008: The 20th Annual National Conference on Social Work and HIV/AIDS
Dates: May 22-25, 2008
Sponsor: Boston College Graduate School of Social Work.
Location: Washington, DC

There will be three major plenary sessions.  Also, a specialized "leadership track" will be offered for those who wish more in-depth training in this area.  There will also be an optional legislative advocacy opportunity on Capitol Hill for those who wish to combine their conference learning with social action.  In addition to these special sessions and events, there will be over 100 sessions presented by AIDS social workers as well as many exhibits, social events, a job fair, and other networking opportunities.

NADCP’s 14th Annual Drug Court Training Conference
Dates: May 28-31, 2008
Sponsor: National Association of Drug Court Professionals
Location: Americas Center, St. Louis, MO

It is the largest conference in the nation focusing on substance abuse and criminality. Attendees learn design tools and skills to plan, implement or enhance their drug court or other program solving court. Sessions are designed to reflect issues specific to the populations served, including juvenile, adult, family, tribal and DWI courts.

Fitting the Forum to the Family: Emerging Challenges for Family Courts
Dates: May 28-31, 2008
Sponsor: Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Location: Vancouver, BC

The program features 80 conference sessions, new three-hour advanced workshops, pre-conference institutes and four plenary sessions. Nearly 200 presenters, including Janet R. Johnston, Ph.D., Hayne Wai, M.A., Jennifer McIntosh, Ph.D., Peter G. Jaffe, Ph.D., Julie Macfarlane, Ph.D., LL.M., Woody Mosten, J.D., and Joan B. Kelly, Ph.D. will address the latest topics that impact children and families.

Twenty-fourth Annual National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Dates: June 1-5, 2008
Location: University of Wisconsin-Stout
Sponsor: National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

This unique rural alcohol and drug abuse conference provides participants the opportunity to personally interact with other rural alcohol and drug abuse professionals, federal agency representatives, and nationally known institute faculty and resource persons. Key resource persons from throughout the United States will present 12 hour in-depth tracks, 4 1/2 hour mini-workshops and 1 1/2 hour special topic sessions on current, innovative and emerging topics.

2008 HIV Prevention Leadership Summit
Dates: June 11-14, 2008
Sponsor: National Minority AIDS Council
Location: Detroit, MI
 
This year's Summit will again include institutes, workshops, roundtables, and other sessions geared to planning groups, health departments, and community-based organizations providing HIV, viral hepatitis, STD, and TB prevention services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) capacity building assistance providers, and other federal and national partner agencies involved in HIV, viral hepatitis, STD, and TB prevention.

The goal of the meeting is to bring together leaders in HIV/viral hepatitis/STD/TB prevention - both veteran leaders and new leaders - to disseminate and exchange information and lessons learned, and network to enhance program planning and management. The conference agenda will be developed through an abstract process. This process will help ensure the participation of prevention staff from across the nation.

S.O.S.: Sistas Organizing to Survive: Black Women's Conference on HIV/AIDS 
Dates: June 20-22, 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Sponsor: Florida Department of Health, Bureau of HIV/AIDS
Registration deadline: May 30, 2008

The objectives of the conference are to (1) educate black women about HIV/AIDS and other diseases affecting black communities; (2) empower black women to take control of their sexual health; (3) connect black women to HIV/AIDS resources; and (4) offer tools to enable black women to educate others where they live, work, play, and worship.

4th Annual Southwestern Fatherhood & Families Institute
Date: July 9, 2008
Sponsor: Fathers and Families Coalition
Location: Tucson, Arizona

FFTA 22nd Annual Conference on Treatment Foster Care
Dates: July 13-16, 2008
Sponsor: Foster Family-based Treatment Association
Location: The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center, Texas

Training-of-Trainers: HIV/AIDS Stigma and Access to Care
Dates: August 7-8, 2008
Sponsor: National Minority AIDS Council
Location: St. Louis, MO
 
This two-day training is designed to prepare selected participants to become part of the HIV/AIDS Stigma Training Network as consultants.  Participants will spend Day one learning the HIV/AIDS Stigma and Access to Care curriculum.  On Day two, participants will present a module of the curriculum, followed by peer critiques of their presentation, training, and facilitation techniques.  All participants will be required to implement the training one time in their communities within six months of completing the Training-of-Trainers course.  Upon completion of the training in their community, participants will be added as Certified Stigma Consultants for the HIV/AIDS Stigma Program and may be called upon for future trainings.

9th National Conference on Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention
Dates: August 26-28, 2008
Sponsor: The National Children's Advocacy Center
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

2008 National Lifespan Respite Conference: Home Grown: Cultivating Caregivers
Dates: September 4-6, 2008
Sponsors: The Iowa Respite and Crisis Care Coalition and its planning team, in collaboration with ARCH National Respite Network
Location: Des Moines, Iowa

This conference provides the opportunity for respite professionals, advocates, families and consumers from around the United States to come together to find better solutions to meet the needs of caregivers in our communities, states and in the nation. This year’s conference is based on the theme “Home Grown,” and will cover topics such as growing fields of knowledge, planting seeds of change, watering hope and care, nurturing promising programs, and cultivating outcomes for caregivers.

International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
Dates: September 7-10 2008
Sponsor: International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
Location: Hong Kong, China                                                                                              

Children around the world face different forms of maltreatment: some unique to their locations and many more than transcend cultures and nations. Apart from removing and preventing child abuse and neglect, the theme of the XVIIth ISPCAN Congress hopes to stimulate participants to move the world "towards a caring and non-violent community" emphasizing "a child's perspective" along the way. This congress will attempt to explore the theme and the best interest of the child through the eyes of a child. Hopefully communities in the future may strengthen the role of the child's perspective in policies and practices and in early child participation.

International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma
Dates: September 14-17 2008
Sponsor: Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma
Location: San Diego, CA

The conference brings together international and national leaders, consumer-survivors, and those working on the front-lines with children, families, adult victims and offenders. The goal of the conference is to coordinate efforts, to bridge gaps and to comprehensively examine strategies that prevent violence, abuse, and trauma.

National Conference on Women, Addiction and Recovery
Dates: September 15-17, 2008
Sponsors: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and our partners, New Century Institute and the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association.
Location: Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina in Tampa, Florida

This conference offers the opportunity to share research, showcase promising practices, infuse knowledge into practice, and discuss implementation of effective interventions for women with substance use disorders.

2008 United States Conference on AIDS
Dates: September 18-21, 2008
Sponsor: National Minority AIDS Council
Location: Miami, FL

USCA is the largest AIDS-related gathering in the United States. Over 3,000 workers- from case managers and physicians, to public health workers and advocates, PLWHAs to policymakers- gather to build national support networks, exchange the latest information, and learn tools to address the challenges of HIV/AIDS.

World Forum 2008: Early Intervention and Prevention
Dates: September 29- October 1st, 2008
Sponsor: Child Rights Information Network
Location: Wales, United Kingdom                                                                                   

The International Forum for Child Welfare is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion of the rights and well being of children globally which recognizes the contribution of effective leadership in the challenge of making the world a better place for children. This conference will address topics such as evidence-based approaches, service innovations, strength-based approaches, community engagement, and equality and diversity.

2008 National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children
Dates: October 6-8, 2008
Sponsor: National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
                                                                                                       
This is a three day event providing training on the latest research and best practice strategies for Drug Endangered Children effects at the community, state and federal level. The conference will include topics related to child welfare, environmental health, medical, prevention, the judiciary and drug courts, substance abuse and mental health, continuum of care and topics specific to Tribal Nations.

NIMH Annual International Research Conference on the Role of Families in Preventing and Adapting to HIV/AIDS
Sponsors: The National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, HHS; Bradley Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital (Lifespan Partners); Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)
Dates: October 6-8, 2008
Location: Providence, RI
Call for Abstracts: Oral presentations and workshops: June 1, 2008; Posters: September 18, 2008

This conference is designed to present research findings on family processes and HIV disease. Primary objectives focus on: Family processes associated with the epidemiology of AIDS and high-risk behaviors of family members; Family configuration and functioning as predictors of adaptation at different stages of  HIV/AIDS; Stress and coping strategies mobilized by families infected and affected by HIV and AIDS; Family issues of multiple losses, death, bereavement, child custody and permanency planning; Models for mental health services for families with a life-threatening disease; Strategies for analyzing family data. For more information contact: wpequegn@mail.nih.gov, allisonsu@mail.nih.gov, rkytle@mail.nih.gov

Hope 2008 | International Conference on HIV/AIDS
Dates: October 10-12, 2008
Sponsor: Hope 2008
Location: Mumbai, India                                                                                                

This conference intends to cover a wide variety of topics associated with HIV/AIDS. Some of these include HIV/AIDS awareness education, ethnic dimensions (Culture, migration and HIV issues), Social Work in HIV/AIDS, focus on women and minorities, family therapy in HIV/AIDS,  HIV/AIDS and youth/elders, among much more.

Healing Through Creativity
Dates: October 10-19, 2008
Sponsor: Healing Through Creativity
Location: West Virginia State University, WV                                                              

Healing through Creativity features positive-focused expressions that will help trauma survivors and promote understanding. Survivors and supporters share the fun and excitement of creativity without the fears of judgment or undeserved guilt and shame. The event promotes community awareness about the needs of survivors of trauma to the body, mind and spirit.  Workshops, speakers and displays promote prevention of assault and abuse.

Healthy Brain Development: Key Impacts and Interventions
Dates: October 22-24, 2008
Sponsor: Lane County, Oregon Health and Human Services
Location: Eugene, Oregon                                                                 

This regional conference will provide cutting-edge research, prevention strategies and intervention techniques to maximize child brain development. The goals for this conference are to: (1) present current research and prevention science on brain development of children ages zero through adolescence, and (2) provide evidence-based strategies and tools to promote healthy brain development aimed at children ages zero through adolescence and their families who are challenged by risk factors such as substance use, trauma, environment, violence and poverty.

HOW CONNECTIONS HEAL: Founding Concepts/Recent Developments in Relational-Cultural Theory and Practice
Dates: October 24-26, 2008
Sponsor: Jeanne Baker Training Institute
Location: Boston, MA
                                                                                                                  
The Fall Intensive Training is a unique opportunity for the intensive study of Relational-Cultural Theory (RCT). Developed at the Stone Center, this approach rests on the premise that growth-fostering connections are the central human necessity and disconnections are the source of psychological problems.  In particular, relationships are profoundly influenced by cultural contexts.

UC Davis National Child Abuse and Neglect Conference                                                                Dates: October 27-29, 2008                                                                                             
Sponsors: UC Davis Children’s Hospital; California Clinical Forensic Medical Training Center at UC Davis; & The Office of Continuing Medical Education, UC Davis Health System; CAARE Diagnostic and Treatment Center, UC Davis Children’s Hospital; Department of Pediatrics, Center for Human Services, UC Davis Extension
Location:  Sacramento, CA                                                                                              

The Twenty-Seventh Annual UC Davis National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect and accompanying institutes are designed for professionals involved in the investigation, evaluation, and treatment of abused and neglected children and triers of fact. The conference is planned to advance knowledge and practice standards of professionals in the fields of medicine, nursing, social work, mental health, and criminal and juvenile justice.

Promoting First Relationships
Dates: October 27-29, 2008
Sponsor: NCAST-AVENUW Programs
Location: Seattle, WA                                                                                            

A 3-day Learner's Workshop: Participants learn a unique consultation and intervention strategy they can integrate into their work whether in the high risk, special needs, child care, or other early childhood fields. The strategy can be used one-on-one with parents and also with child care providers and early childhood teachers responsible for group care. Because Promoting First Relationships is a positive, strengths-based model, caregivers are open to the intervention and gain competence, and thus investment, in their caregiving. Trainers use various learning approaches including video case studies, role-playing, and reflective dialogue.

Alliance for Children & Families
Dates: October 28-30, 2008
Sponsor: Alliance for Children and Families
Location: Baltimore, MD                                                                                                    

This conference provides the opportunity to expand peer connections within the national network of nonprofit human services leaders at the annual premiere event of the Alliance for Children and Families. This conference addresses best practices, promising program and organizational innovations, and fine-tuning of leadership and advocacy skills.

16th Annual HIV/AIDS Update Conference
Dates: October 29-31, 2008
Sponsor: Valley AIDS Council, Texas/Oklahoma AETC
Location: South Padre Island, United States

An International exchange of ideas, collaboration, and education to aid in the fight against HIV/AIDS. 

2008 NAEYC Annual Conference                                                                                      
Dates: November 5-8, 2008
Sponsor: National Association for the Education of Young Children
Location: Dallas, Texas                                                                                                     

More than 20,000 early childhood professionals from around the world attend the NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo to discuss the everyday issues of our work with children and families.

Conference on Differential Response in Child Welfare
Dates: November 12-14, 2008
Sponsor: American Humane
Location: Columbus, OH

This conference brings delegates from the United Stated and Canada to explore the implementation of Differential Response as a way of transforming how families cooperate with child welfare systems. This conference will build knowledge and skills, and provide an exchange of ideas on implementing and sustaining differential response in child welfare.                                                                       

Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health 20th Annual Conference
Dates: November 21-23, 2008
Sponsor: John Hopkins University, Annie E. Casey Foundation, BC Innovations
Location: Atlanta, Georgia

23rd National Training Institute (NTI) of Zero to Three
Dates: December 4-7, 2008                                                                                                      
Sponsor: Zero to Three
Location: Los Angeles, California

The National Training Institute is the most comprehensive early childhood development conference for professionals seeking to enrich their knowledge and practice from leading experts in the field. NTI attracts professionals in mental health, early intervention, family support, social services, child care, child welfare and health care.