Nebraska Educational Planning for Systems-Involved Youth Conference

This presentation will blend together counseling tools and techniques that center diversity, equity, and inclusion to best serve youth. In this participatory session, attendees can expect to 1) explore universal design as it relates to youth engagement and services, 2) learn how to better serve, support, and encourage youth to play a healthy lead role in their own lives and 3) implement DEI related systems, practices, and policies to advance their organization's mission. This session will be led by Dr. Marquisha Frost who is a certified counselor and DEI practitioner.

This presentation will explore the critical balance between advocating for the best interests of system-involved youth and adhering to Individuals Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Attendees will gain insights into how to leverage the law to develop and maintain consistent educational plans. The session will cover strategies to ensure that youth receive all the services and supports they are entitled to, within the least restrictive environment possible. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how to navigate and utilize legal frameworks to advocate effectively for the educational stability and success of system-involved youth.

This session will focus on the impact of trauma on escalation, emphasizing the importance of staying in our rational brains while supporting the people in our care. When students or clients experience a crisis and show signs of escalation, it can be challenging to avoid slipping into an emotional state. We will discuss specific strategies designed to help us remain effective during these situations, such as grounding techniques, maintaining a calm demeanor, and using de-escalation tactics. Understanding how trauma influences behavior and learning to manage our responses can significantly improve our ability to support individuals through their crises.

Youth who experience setbacks often possess unique strengths and perspectives that are invaluable. This session will explore the importance of building social capital and providing access to multiple pathways to success. Attendees will hear inspiring stories from youth who have previously been involved in various systems and are now flourishing through Project Reset, a groundbreaking initiative that connects them to skilled trades and economically viable income opportunities.

A key feature of this session will be a discussion on the theme, "I wish adults who tried to support me then, knew ______ now." This will provide valuable insights into how better understanding and support can make a significant difference in the lives of these youth. Discover how Project Reset creates opportunities for youth to build strong networks, gain valuable skills, and access diverse routes to long-term success and stability.

How are digital platforms influencing youth today? Algorithms, social media, Apps, confirmation biases, misinformation, deep fakes, and A.I. are all playing a role in transforming what we think and feel. Digital wisdom is when we understand how our emotions and decisions are being impacted by calculated digital manipulation or online bad actor influencers. Do teens have the G.R.I.T. to be better digital consumers? The development of digitally wise school communities who Guard, Recognize, Investigate, & Think will provide the G.R.I.T. necessary to protect and mitigate threats of violence posed in digital spaces.

In this session, antisocial behavior in adolescence will be explored. Adolescence is a time of independence-seeking and identity formation that can lead to "rebellious" behaviors. It is also a time when serious mental health problems increase with a corresponding increase in risky behaviors. The presentation will discuss when normal adolescent behaviors cross into mental health problems. Conduct Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Mood Disorders, and trauma will all be discussed. Different trajectories to antisocial behavior (and related mental health problems) will be discussed, their biological bases explored, and brief summaries of treatment options will be discussed. The presentation will focus on the role of the school system in recognizing and intervening in cases of atypical antisocial behaviors.

This session will highlight information from State Statute 79-215 along with how to navigate responsibilities when a young adult is enrolled in your school district, has non-traditional circumstances, and an IEP. Scenarios for learning will be presented and attendees will be able to ask clarifying questions.

In today’s busy lifestyle, many of us push through our days without giving much thought of what the day entailed. We often do not pay attention to how our words and/or actions impacted others. Reflective practice enables us to reach an improved awareness of ourselves, our knowledge and understanding, our skills and abilities, and our workplace habits. Self-reflection allows us to learn and improve future interactions. In this interactive session, attendees will learn what reflective practice is, how to implement skills and strategies, and how to learn from experiences. Attendees will also learn the importance of addressing anxiety and depression which can cause obstacles toward effective reflection.

For youth with and without disabilities, such as brain injury, involvement with the juvenile justice system can be very punitive and traumatic and rarely involves meaningful “rehabilitation.” The experience is often a cycle, and youth with disabilities, such as brain injury, are impacted more significantly at every level compared to their nondisabled peers, becoming more prevalent at each stage of the system.
Preliminary data from a local project BIA-NE is doing indicates up to 75% of justice-involved youth potentially have had a lifetime history of brain injury, and the symptoms they are experiencing are statistically significantly higher than those not indicating a lifetime history of brain injury.
Youth with brain injury may be more vulnerable to involvement in the juvenile justice system when poorly developed reasoning ability, inappropriate affect, and inattention are misinterpreted by professionals as hostility, lack of cooperation, and other inappropriate responses. Youth with brain injury may behave in ways that are perceived to be outside of acceptable norms.
Police officers, attorneys, judges, corrections staff, and probation officers are typically unaware of characteristics associated with youths' disabilities (Keilitz & Dunivant, 1986). Youth with a brain injury benefit from support and preventative services to minimize their vulnerability vs. punitive consequences. Early identification of brain injury can lower the odds of incarceration and assist youth, their families, and their communities in developing more productive relationships and experiences. In addition to prevention, community-based services in lieu of incarceration can provide appropriate sanctions for youth while avoiding the negative outcomes associated with imprisonment.
Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will gain tips for identifying brain injury among justice-involved youth.
2. Participants will identify alternative responses in meeting the unique needs of justice-involved youth with brain injury.

This breakout session will capture the importance of belonging, accepting of lived experiences, and connectedness for powerful and sustainable engagement. One target area is to key on the power imbalance shared within these roles. Participants will learn innovative ideas that drive social change, generate positive outcomes, and promotes larger-scale engagement.
 

This session will cover basic components of the Fostering Educational Success program including pilot study information, emphasis on the need for seamless collaboration, lessons learned, and practical implications for schools, agencies, and stakeholders working to improve the educational outcomes of systems involved youths.

Implicit bias refers to subconscious attitudes and stereotypes that influence our actions, even if we consciously reject prejudice. In the education sector, implicit bias has been linked to racial disparities in school disciplinary actions, and other outcomes. System-involved youth face similar disadvantages and may face multiple obstacles if they hold multiple identities. These disparities have a significant influence in K-12 educational outcomes from attendance to high school graduation rates. Research has found that teachers’ and administrators' implicit biases may impact student outcomes, emphasizing the importance of addressing these biases in educational settings. While more research is needed to draw firm conclusions, this presentation will get us started on understanding and addressing implicit bias and how it can contribute to more equitable learning environments for all youth.

The Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Crisis Continuum Toolkit describes the ideal crisis care system as offering someone to talk to, someone to respond, and a safe place to get help. In this session, the presenters will describe the children's crisis continuum available in the Region V geographical area, developed in collaboration with multiple community partners.

About Region V Systems Behavioral Health Authority

As one of Nebraska’s six behavioral health Regions, Region V Systems was originally created by state statute in 1974 as a quasi-governmental entity with the responsibility of coordinating and overseeing the delivery of publicly funded mental health services for the 16 counties making up the Region V Systems geographical area. Two years later, the Nebraska Legislature added responsibility to each of the six Regions for the development and coordination of substance abuse services. In 2004, LB 1083 (the Behavioral Health Services Act) was passed, repealing the original statutes but re-establishing and renaming the Regions as “Behavioral Health Authorities.” These Behavioral Health Authorities make up Nebraska’s public behavioral health system. For more information about Region V Systems, please visit our website at www.region5systems.net.

Are you working with a client who is frequently sent home early from school or a child with an IEP who has been expelled? Have you been involved in a Manifestation Determination meeting? Join us to learn about the disciplinary protections afforded to students with disabilities This presentation will help participants understand the details of the student discipline code, the purpose and process of a Manifestation Determination, and how to effectively prepare for school meetings that focus on student discipline. Gain the knowledge needed to advocate for the rights and educational needs of students with disabilities in disciplinary situations.