2022 FALL CONFERENCE  

Presentations:

Safe and sound task force: Longer-term practice implications for foster care services by Janet Kelly, Chair Safe and Sound Task Force and Governor's Special Advisor for Children's Issues 

Securing the future: An in-depth look at staffing issues facing human services based on a statewide workforce study initiated by the Claude Moore Foundation by Dr. Bill Hazel, Claude Moore Foundation 

Meeting workforce challenges with caring, trusted teams by Molly Harlow, assistant Virginia Institute of Government Director for LEAD and SEI

Innovating for intervention: Mobilizing your community to reduce gun violence. A look at the Newport News gun violence intervention initiative by Alan K. Archer, Assistant City manager, City of Newport News, Traci Snell, MS, Senior Family Services Supervisor, Prevention & Self Sufficiency Services, Newport News Department of Human Services, and David Duck, MS, Youth Porgrams and Outreach Supervisor, Newport News Department of Human Services

The Role of community action agencies in the Human Services System by Eric Johnston, President and CEO, Virginia community Action Partnership

Virginia Association of Local Human Services Officials (VALHSO)

Dates: September 29-30, 2022

Location: Omni Charlottesville Hotel, 212 Ridge Mclntire Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Agenda for September 29 and 30, 2022

Thursday, September 29, 2022

8:00 a.m.      Breakfast Buffet

9:00 a.m.      Welcome and Introductions

• Nancy Vincent, President, VALHSO
• Sena Magill, Charlottesville City Council

9:15 a.m.     An introduction to the Behavioral Health Commission

Learn about the work of the newly-formed Behavioral Health Commission (formerly the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century) and participate in a discussion about behavioral health issues, challenges, opportunities, and even small victories experienced in your community and how the state policymakers can help communities in meeting the many pressing needs in this arena.

• Nathalie Molliet-Ribet, Executive Director, Behavioral Health Commission

10:15 a.m.   Break

10:30 a.m.   Safe and Sound Task Force: Longer-term Practice Implications for Foster Care Services

The Safe and Sound Taskforce was initiated by Gov. Youngkin in April 2022 with the purpose of creating safe housing placements for children in foster care. It brings together government agencies and community partners to end the practice of children sleeping in local departments of social services, hotels, and emergency rooms. The Taskforce experienced success in directly addressing the youth who were misplaced and is now pivoting to continue the momentum to ensure that policies and practices are instituted amongst all of the partner agencies to provide the most efficient and effective process of appropriate and trauma-informed placements and community support for all youth in foster care. Attendees will learn how they can be a part of these ongoing efforts.

• Janet Kelly, Chair Safe and Sound Task Force and Governor’s Special Advisor for Children’s Issues

11:30 a.m.   Preparing for the 2023 Legislative Session and Topics of Concern

What should we be focusing on? What are our priorities for the 2023 General Assembly?
What policy issues are we grappling with? How can we improve service delivery? How can we help each other?

12:00 p.m.   Lunch Buffet

1:00 p.m.     Securing the Future: An In-Depth Look at Staffing Issues Facing Human Services based on a statewide workforce study initiated by the Claude Moore Foundation

Dr. Hazel, on behalf of the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, and leaders from Deloitte Consulting will share the results from recent efforts to assess the Human Services workforce challenges in Virginia and present possible solutions. For additional context, Claude Moore engaged Deloitte to perform research on the current state of Virginia’s human services workforce and convene and interview stakeholders in the Commonwealth to gather insights from leaders on challenges and opportunities to strengthen the human services workforce development, and then develop an options report to support Claude Moore and state and local human services organizations in communicating their goals and needs.

• Dr. Bill Hazel, Claude Moore Foundation

3:00 p.m.     Break

3:15 p.m.     The Honorable John Littel, Commonwealth of Virginia, Secretary of Health and Human Resources       

Secretary Littel will discuss priorities and major initiatives for the Health and Human
Resources Secretariat and areas of potential collaboration with local human services officials.

4:15 p.m.     Networking Reception

Sponsored by Aetna

5:15 p.m.     Dinner on your own

Friday, September 30, 2022

8:00 a.m.     Breakfast Buffet

9:00 a.m.     Meeting Workforce Challenges with Caring, Trusted Teams

Leaders can work on many of the workforce challenges that Human Services faces now and in the future. Caring, trusting teams are built for VUCA environments and the new way of working. In this interactive session, learn how to create caring, trusting teams that provide support for team members in dealing with secondary trauma, that improve morale by making teammates feel more connected to each other and their common purpose, and that create psychologically safe cultures that make employees want to stay.

• Molly Harlow, Assistant Virginia Institute of Government Director for LEAD and SEI

10:30 a.m.  Break

10:45 a.m.  Innovating for Intervention: Mobilizing Your Community to Reduce Gun Violence. A Look at The Newport News Gun Violence Intervention Initiative

Often when governments consider options for combatting violence, the primary focus is on enhancement of legal and law enforcement solutions. This is especially true for gun violence. Increasingly, localities are augmenting their traditional approaches to addressing this national health crisis with innovative new strategies to diagnose and treat the determinants and effects of gun violence. In this session, City of Newport News panelists will present the City’s newly launched, comprehensive community approach to gun violence reduction and blueprint for engaging and investing in neighborhood-based violence prevention solutions.

• Alan K. Archer, Assistant City Manager, City of Newport News
• Traci Snell, MS, Senior Family Services Supervisor, Prevention & Self Sufficiency Services, Newport News Department of Human Services
• David Duck, MS, Youth Programs and Outreach Supervisor, Newport News Department of Human Services

12:00 p.m. The Role of Community Action Agencies in the Human Services System

This session will offer an overview of the intersection of Community Action Agencies with the local human services system, as well as a discussion of the Virginia Community Action Partnership’s planned areas of focus and an introduction to the new President and CEO.

• Eric Johnston, President and CEO, Virginia Community Action Partnership

12:20 p.m. VALHSO Business Meeting

12:30 p.m. Conference ends