The Regional Safety Center at NEWESD 101 recognizes that for students to succeed academically, they need to have safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments where their needs are met. Our communities, families, staff, and students face ongoing and new challenges that impact student success. The purpose of this conference is to unite professionals in the field of education, public health, law enforcement, and behavioral health to expand the awareness and implementation of best practices and recommendations in threat assessment, school safety, trauma-informed services, and mental/behavioral health resources. Participants will leave with actionable strategies and enhanced professional knowledge in the pursuit of safer, healthier schools and communities. *Registration fee includes breakfast and lunch each day (August 5 & 6)

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

MONDAY, AUGUST 5: Chin Rodger
“A Mother's Journey to Understand Tragedy and Prevention” 
In this keynote address, Chin Rodger, Mother of Elliot Rodger, will share about the myriad elements of behavior and circumstances that culminated in the horrific tragedy. Chin will further share about the painful process of discovering and exploring in depth the emerging preventive method of threat assessment/management as well as why she believes early identification and intervention would have prevented her son’s tragedy and the many that followed since. She continues to remain focused on supporting professional agencies to prevent future tragedies. Chin has collaborated and supported individuals and organizations working on threat assessment, prevention and management. She is continuing to focus her efforts on understanding the pathway to targeted violence and the path forward for assessment and prevention. Chin is a board member of the Jesse Lewis "Choose Love Movement" having connected with Scarlett Lewis after both experienced the most profound loss from opposite ends of their tragedies - working to bring character and social emotional development to children, and adults in schools, workplace and communities - to choose love, hope and kindness over fear, anger and hate. For more info regarding Chin Rodger's story, click HERE

MONDAY, AUGUST 5:   SSA John P. Skillestad, FBI
FBIHQ - Office of Partner Engagement
Violence Reduction Unit  Active Shooter Program
"Effectively Dealing with Threats of Targeted Violence in School through Prevention and Developing Strategies to Remain Safe when Faced with Active Shooter Situations"
This session will focus on identifying and mitigating threats of violence through positive interactions with persons of concern. The primary goal is to create a safe environment to allow students to thrive and develop by developing a community for those who are marginalized and believe they are not included. Prevention is the key to creating a healthy environment in a school setting. Threat assessment models will be discussed and how to implement them when assessing threats. The presentation will focus on situational awareness and developing individual safety plans and overall strategy to remain safe in any environment. The emphasis will be on the concepts of run, hide, fight through the latest FBI production of Run, Hide, Fight in an Educational Environment.  For more info regarding John Skillestad, click HERE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6:  Dr. Rudy Lorber, Ph.D., ABPP, CTM
Puget Sound Neuropsychological Services
"The Consideration of Mental Health Diagnoses in K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment"
The determination of when and how to factor in Mental Health diagnoses can be a complex process in Behavioral Threat assessment. The prior knowledge of diagnoses can potentially lead non clinicians to erroneous decisions regarding the seriousness of a student threat. Nonetheless, this presentation will examine clinical case examples encompassing a variety of Mental Health diagnoses that can not only be relevant determining the seriousness of a potential threat, but also in the management and long-term planning regarding the individual under investigation. This will include the developmental progression of some diagnostic categories and their relevance regarding the pathway towards violence. Additionally, the importance of, under certain circumstances, undertaking a long-term historical analysis will be examined via presented these case studies. Finally, the presentation will describe how the interpretation of overt behaviors can be highly dependent upon an understanding of the underlying psychopathology. Dr. Lorber is a Neuropsychologist and Licensed Clinical Psychologist who is also a Nationally Board Certified Threat Manager, Nationally Board Certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology, and Nationally Board Certified in School Psychology. In his private practice at Puget Sound Neuropsychological Services, Inc. he conducts Mental Health evaluations as part of comprehensive Behavioral Threat Assessment assessments. For more info regarding Dr. Rudy Lorber, click HERE