G1. KELLI WOOD, LCSW
But I’m Not Safe to Tell You
While child abuse investigations should not be exclusively reliant upon a child’s formal disclosure, the information gathered from it is vitally important to informing such investigations. When children are not safe to disclose, however, investigations are compromised, halted or worse closed, and children dependent on outside intervention are at continued risk of experiencing abuse that they were too afraid to verbalize. Utilizing literature and case examples, this session will identify common threats to a child’s safety in disclosing abuse, as well as prospective multidisciplinary approaches of support in mitigating those threats and increasing a child’s security toward disclosure.
Biography: Kelli received her B.S from Georgia State University and M.S.W. from Clark Atlanta University. She began her career working as an after-hours social worker at Children’s HealthCare of Atlanta (CHOA), where she conducted psycho-Social assessments of children who presented to the Emergency Department due to concerns of child maltreatment. Kelli continued her career at CHOA by becoming a Forensic Interviewer at The Stephanie Blank Center for Safe and Health Children, which is a medical model Child Advocacy Center. As a member of a Multidisciplinary Team of Physicians, Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, Post-Doctoral Fellows, Social Workers and Forensic Specialists, they were tasked with the mission of providing Forensic Interviews and Forensic Medial Evaluations to children, ages 0-18 years old, who were identified as possible victims of child abuse, sexual exploitation, and witness to crime. It was at The Stephanie V. Blank Center that Kelli’s passion for working with survivors of commercial sexual exploration was ignited. She had the awesome opportunity to assist in the development of the center's Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) Program, CSEC Multi-disciplinary team meetings, and CSEC book-bag initiative which provided bags, clothing and toiletries to CSEC survivors. In 2012 Kelli relocated to Charlotte, NC where she joined the team of Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center as a Forensic Interviewer. Kelli has conducted over 3000 forensic interviews, presented at both national and local child maltreatment conferences, and have been a frequent guest lecturer at multiple high schools and Universities on the topics of Child Maltreatment, Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking and Forensic Interviewing. Currently, Kelli is the Director of Response Services overseeing the family advocacy, forensic interviewing and intake teams and is an adjunct professor in the social work department at Winthrop University’s MSW Program.
G2. JENNIFER DOBEY, MPA, MSCJ
Just Pretend You Can’t Hear It: Innocence Lost; Justice Found
Understanding the implications of intimate partner violence (IPV) upon families, especially those with children, is a crucial skill for all tasked with investigation of child maltreatment cases. What started out as an extreme child neglect case, resulted in the discovery of many years of sexual assault on multiple victims. The eldest child (then 14 years of age) and her mother gave birth just months apart, after having been impregnated by the same adult male; the latter’s husband. Without the persistence of one social worker who refused to look away from the home and a detective who refused to believe the children’s silence, these children may very well still be in the familial home. This case is a perfect example of the need to understand the intersection of IPV and child welfare as the power and control seen within cases of IPV was apparent during interviews with both the adults as well as the child victims. This case study will take participants through the initial report and false denials by the child victim through successful prosecution and the critical effect intimate partner violence had upon this case.
Biography: Sgt. Jennifer Dobey is a 23-year veteran of the Winston-Salem, NC Police Department. Sixteen of those years have been spent in the Special Victims Unit where she investigated hundreds of child maltreatment cases. In 2022, she became the supervisor of that unit which comprised of nine (9) detectives, the largest section in her Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. She is a trained forensic interviewer and the lead instructor for her department in the areas of Investigation of Child Abuse and Child Sexual Assault, Juvenile Law and Intimate Partner Violence for police recruits and advanced in-service training for sworn officers. She is the Team Leader of the Crisis Negotiators and the President for the NC chapter of APSAC. Sgt. Dobey has provided instruction to SANE nurses both locally as well as at conferences put on by the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) and has presented to MDTs through trainings hosted by the North Carolina Association of DAs. Sgt. Dobey has a BA in Sociology from Salem College, a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from East Carolina University and a Master of Public Administration from Appalachian State University. Her current research interests include a local look at ACE scores within her community as it pertains to violent crime, both victimization and perpetration as well as interstate consultation on human trafficking cases with regard to system failures. When not at work, she spends time with her girlfriend Lauren, their daughter, Emily and their six horses (among other farm animals).
G3. JIMMY WIDDIFIELD, JR., MA, LPC
The Rainbow Response: Lived Experience Panel on Respectful Strategies for Helping LGBTQ+ Children and Their Families
Children and adolescents who are LGBTQ+ and/or gender expansive account for a significant number of the child population in the United States and that number is steadily increasing. Compared to their sexual majority peers, these children experience more adversity and trauma which can be unintentionally perpetuated by professionals who do not know or understand best practices with this population. Through a moderated panel discussion with people with lived experience, participants will learn about common misconceptions and accurate information about LGBTQ+ youth and families, strategies for enhancing engagement and working with these families, and be able to identify reputable resources for helping LGBTQ+ youth and families.
Biography: Jimmy Widdifield, Jr., MA, is the Project Director of the national Training/Technical Assistance (TTA) Grant for Child Abuse Professionals at the National Children's Advocacy Center. Mr. Widdifield is an experienced TTA provider in child maltreatment with specific experience with children and adolescents with problematic (including illegal) sexual behavior, the recipient children, and their families; LGBTQ+ youth; and supporting multidisciplinary teams that investigate child abuse and neglect. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oklahoma who is trained in several evidence-based treatments that address childhood adversity and trauma.
G4. JULIE SCHROER, BA
The Intersection of Initial Investigative Interviews and the Forensic Interview
A look at how the FirstCall Initial Investigative Interview and the Forensic Interview can work together for your cases, children, and team.
Biography: Julie has spent the last decade working with Children’s Advocacy Centers and Multi-Disciplinary teams to investigate and intervene in child abuse cases, first as Executive Director at her local CAC and then with the state chapter, Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina. She came to this field after working in manufacturing, small business, and community development with degrees in Economics & Management and Mechanical Design and certificates in Non-Profit Management and Higher Education Teaching. Julie considers building the relationships between CACs, MDT and the children and families we serve as the most important aspect of her work. She believes that developing trust and cooperation through service to each other is the foundation for those relationships. She lives in the mountains of western North Carolina and loves working with CACS and MDTs across the state.
H1. JIMMY WIDDIFIELD, JR., MA, LPC
KETCHUP: Shared Humanity and Elevating the Professional Response to Child Maltreatment
KETCHUP is, indeed, universal in our society. As a condiment, some people enjoy it on a few foods or none, while others slather it on everything. We include it on the table along with a range of other condiments and food items. When everyone arrives at the table, they are comforted when they recognize what is familiar to them and have what they need and want and know they are welcome at the table. Similarly, we as child abuse professionals and the children and families we serve each bring to the table our own condiments, that is, our shared humanity of commonalities and differences. When we recognize our shared humanity, we are better at helping all children and families impacted by maltreatment have the best outcomes possible. Together during this plenary, we’ll learn how to keep every traumatized child uplifted and positive by finding our shared humanity and identifying ideas for how to use that humanity to elevate our response to child maltreatment.
Biography: Jimmy Widdifield, Jr., MA, is the Project Director of the national Training/Technical Assistance (TTA) Grant for Child Abuse Professionals at the National Children's Advocacy Center. Mr. Widdifield is an experienced TTA provider in child maltreatment with specific experience with children and adolescents with problematic (including illegal) sexual behavior, the recipient children, and their families; LGBTQ+ youth; and supporting multidisciplinary teams that investigate child abuse and neglect. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Oklahoma who is trained in several evidence-based treatments that address childhood adversity and trauma.