As organizations continue to seek increased impact with children, families, and communities, it is key to create a culture of continuous learning, improvement, and innovation. This session will cover various strategies for effectively implementing quality improvement and human-centered design (HCD) systems.

This session will share how human-centered design can be helpful for engaging staff at all levels and delve into how Congreso de Latinos Unidos implemented a comprehensive HCD that spanned the whole organization and more than 50 programs. Participants will leave with practical tools, tips, and techniques for shifting from a culture of compliance to a culture of innovation.

Learning Objectives

• Key components of human-centered design and how they can be applied to the interconnected topics of quality assurance, quality improvement, performance management, and quality management (especially related to multi-service agencies and government-funded programs)
• Review a newly created Human-Centered Program Design Toolkit, developed by Congreso, which includes specific techniques that have been adapted for use in human services
• Challenges and opportunities associated with the shift from a culture of compliance to a culture of innovation, including practical steps to take in your organization to create buy-in and positive impact for staff and the communities you serve

Presenters

Stan Capela
VP for Quality Management
HeartShare Human Services of New York

Brendan Conlin
Chief Program Officer
Congreso de Latinos Unidos

The “Great Resignation” is creating a burden on organizations nationwide, especially in meeting contractual deliverables, retaining skilled staff, and recruiting new staff. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics stated that COVID-19 contributed to one of the largest employee attrition rates, particularly in health care. Nonprofit management teams critically rely on strong leadership from within, and oftentimes, staff are promoted into management roles based on clinical excellence but are not provided a strong foundation related to leadership competencies like:

• Self-awareness
• Supervisory alliances
• Critical thinking as a supervisor
• Organizational management and administration
• Staff development
• Professional standards
• Program development
• Quality assurance related to performance evaluations

That is why every organization needs a “bench” of skilled players on their team. This workshop will discuss a Leadership Training Academy’s 12-month curriculum for new and emerging leaders that develops these competencies.

By examining behavioral health case studies, participants will learn about components of a successful organizational response to low staff morale and burnout. Participants will also learn about needs-based assessment processes aimed at identifying future leaders internally and gain practical tools to improve retention in their own organizations.

Learning Objectives

• How to maximize the “we” in our post-pandemic workplace by proactively ensuring staff retention and building positive team morale despite ongoing barriers and challenges
• How investing in your team by using systematic problem-based learning and self-reflection can result in higher employee retention rates, improved employee morale, and ultimately better client outcomes
• Real-world case studies related to the “Leadership Training Academy” that effectively demonstrate how employee investments can improve organizational performance outcomes and staff retention

Presenters

Erin Saylor
Managing Director of Behavioral Health Services
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT

Courtney Seely
Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT

The child welfare system is impacted by and is an agent for systemic racism in the U.S., with Black and Brown children disproportionately represented. Inequity and trauma are negatively impacting the children in their daily functioning, as well as staff dealing with vicarious trauma and burnout. All these factors and more encourage us to avoid conversations about race and identity within residential treatment facilities, and we simply cannot.

This workshop is an introduction to ways in which the Hephzibah Children’s Association has puzzled through these complex issues. The organization’s Children’s Equity Committee tackles ways to address issues of race, ethnicity, power, and gender both in direct work with the kids and in support of staff and the Hephzibah community. It is a voluntary and open group of staff within the group home in varying roles ranging from direct care staff on the units to the social workers, therapists, a behavioral-analyst, and a nurse. Its focus has been twofold; creating safety within the group to support difficult and emotional topics and not burden staff of color, and consistently reassessing according to the feedback from the children on what they need. This session will help participants prioritize perseverance over perfection with lessons learned from Hephzibah Children’s Association.

Learning Objectives

• Lessons learned by Hephzibah Children’s Association and actionable guidance on in addressing issues of race and identity
• The connection between discomfort, perfectionism, and white supremacy and guidance on modeling, reckoning with, and moving through imperfection as a barrier to educating, building resilience and encouraging connection with youth in care
• The benefits and successes of this work

Presenters

Lucy Scott
Clinical Coordinator
Hephzibah Children’s Association

Nicole Roby
Behavior Analyst
Hephzibah Children’s Association

Focusing on simple, practical, and adaptable strategies that can be effectively integrated into the busiest of days, this workshop will provide an overview of the impact of chronic elevated stress on physical and mental health based on our current understanding of neuroscientific research. Utilizing a combination of didactic information and experiential exercises, participants will learn the seven evidence-based stress busters and how to incorporate them into their own daily lives, as well as applying them to their work supporting others.

Learning Objectives

• Seven evidence-based strategies for mitigating toxic stress
• Organizational practices to reduce the impact of toxic stress in staff, youth, and families
• An individualized plan to enhance personal well-being using the seven stress busters

Presenters

Ellen Kinoy
Clinical Director
Lincoln Families

Phoebe Harris Millman
Clinical Director for School-Based Services in Contra Costa County
Lincoln Families