Monday, June 1st, 3:45PM - 5:00PMB1 Collaborative Safety in Action: The Bridge Between Policy, Practice, and Citizen Voices. In this workshop, learn about the Systems Learning Review process. Grounded in Safety Science, it is a model that assists in gaining a better understanding of how organizational decisions are made. Minnesota’s Hennepin County includes members of its Citizen Review Panel in reviewing decisions and conducting systems mappings using this model. The process focuses on learning the “second story” which helps in gaining an understanding of the “why” behind decision-making. Years of research have shown that assigning blame might decrease accountability because it inhibits the ability of an organization to understand and improve. The Systems Learning Review creates a learning environment that shifts from blame to accountability, invites trust and promotes staff engagement, values multiple perspectives, and takes into account the complexities of the child welfare system. This approach engages Hennepin County staff and citizen review panel members in exploring decision-making and making recommendations for systemic improvement. Attendees will leave this workshop with knowledge, resources, and ideas for strengthening partnerships between panels and county child welfare staff. B2 Building a CRP from the Ground Up: Learning from the Design and Implementation of North Carolina Child Welfare Citizen Review Panels John Eller, BSW, MBA, Health Management Associates (HMA) This workshop presentation will review North Carolina Department of Social Services (NCDSS) efforts and demonstrate how they can be replicated to develop a sustainable and credible CRP process. North Carolina previously utilized Community Child Protection Teams to accomplish the responsibilities of Citizen Review Panels (CRP). NC passed legislation in 2023 requiring the North Carolina Department of Social Services (NCDSS) to establish discreet CRPs. In 2025, NCDSS contracted with Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA), to gather information on nationwide best practices, identify effective strategies, and support the establishment of regional CRPs in North Carolina. HMA conducted interviews with experts from CRP teams in selected states to learn more about their organizational structures and processes and met invested parties in North Carolina to learn about historical practices and to gather recommendations for the future model. Lastly, NCDSS reviewed current child protective services data in relation to population data to ensure parity across regions. Leave this workshop with new strategies on how to strengthen your local CRPs. B3 Nonprofit Collaboration - An EPIC Model Don Wells, Just in Time for Foster Youth As nonprofits face shifting and uncertain funding resources alongside increasing need for supportive services, new approaches to achieving social impact are that much more necessary and urgent. Come learn how this year, Lucky Duck Foundation and Prebys Foundation sought nonprofit partners to change that persistent reality. By offering multi-year seed funding to innovative, impact-driven collaborative efforts that also address current barriers and explore root causes of the challenges we address, they provided the impetus for the creation of a new model of collaboration to serve young adults impacted by the child welfare system.The result? A multi-organizational partnership that will proactively share experiences, expertise, and empowering resources to prevent homelessness, empower employment success, and create reliable connections for young people, ages 16 to 28+, through one interconnected ecosystem that provides access to all the resources and relationships needed to achieve self-sufficient, satisfying lives. Leave with key elements on how you can get started, and how you can enhance social impact collaboration in your community. B5 Safe Systems Improvement Tool for Reviewing Fatalities and Near Fatalities Tiffany Lindsey, Center for Helping Professionals This workshop provides an overview of the National Partnership for Child Safety and its Safe Systems Improvement Tool (SSIT) for Major Injury/Fatality Reviews. The SSIT examines fatalities and near fatalities at a systems-level with a family-centered focus. Wyoming recently integrated this approach into its CJA Task Force meetings with Citizen Review Panel Members. During the session, we will explain the rationale, purpose, and structure of the National Partnership for Child Safety and highlight Wyoming’s experience as a practical example of implementation, supported by the insights of its Citizen Review Panel. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how the SSIT can strengthen local child fatality review processes. 62 millis |