Arkansas’ new courthouse dog law will be among the topics presented during this year’s Arkansas Conference on Child Abuse & Neglect.

The conference, led by MidSOUTH, community service unit of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Social Work, is scheduled to run from Sept. 1 through Sept. 3 at Embassy Suites, 11301 Financial Centre Parkway in Little Rock.

Online registration and a brochure are available at http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu.

This year’s theme is “Connecting the Dots: Partnerships for Children.” The conference is a learning and networking opportunity that provides the most current information for those in a position to help abused and neglected children and their families.

Professionals employed in law enforcement, social work, education, legal, and healthcare fields are especially encouraged to attend. Participants can earn continuing education credit hours.

Among this year’s featured speakers:

• James Henry, Ph.D., co-founder and project director of the Children’s Trauma Assessment Center, will lead sessions on identifying and addressing secondary traumatic stress in the workplace; fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; and sexual abuse trauma.
• Ellen O’Neill-Stephens, J.D., and Celeste Walsen, doctor of veterinary medicine, will lead discussions on the comfort that courthouse dogs can provide to sexually abused children as they go through court proceedings. Arkansas enacted a law this year allowing specially trained dogs to accompany children when they testify. Molly B, a trained dog, also will participate in the conference sessions.
• Karen Hangartner, licensed graduate social worker and deputy director for the Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, will lead sessions on work-related trauma exposure and creating trauma-informed multidisciplinary teams.
• Chris Newlin, licensed professional counselor and executive director of the National Children’s Advocacy Center, will discuss recent research on child abuse investigations; the problem of abuse grooming; and the effects of childhood domestic violence exposure.

Registration fees cover workshop attendance, conference handouts, welcome reception, certificate of attendance and transcript, if requested.

For more information, contact conference coordinator Robin Wilson at 501.296.1920 or rlwilson@midsouth.ualr.edu.