Preventing youth from entering the juvenile justice system and effectively treating those youth who do enter, remains a complex challenge. Youth often present a broad array of problems – family abuse and trauma, mental health concerns, anger and violence, substance abuse, abandonment and often hopelessness.
Over the last two decades, the Adolescent Conference goals have remained the same - to create the opportunity to come together to discuss the latest advances in prevention, intervention and treatment in adolescent care.
Over the years we have included noted researchers, national experts, treatment providers, community leaders and others, to share findings of effectiveness in adolescent care. Workshops have included stress management, suicide prevention/bullying, intervening with gang-involved youth, faith based collaborations, incorporating e-technologies, cross-over youth, decreasing youth violence, building successful partnerships, sex trafficking of minors, family violence, detention alternatives, gender specific programming, the adolescent brain and many others.
The professionals attending this conference represent every sector of the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and who provide a broad range of services. This conference is designed to meet the needs of professionals working in the juvenile and family courts, the judiciary, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Children and Families, Department of Health, juvenile detention, attorneys, educators, private providers, guardians ad litem, law enforcement, faith based and community leaders, and state and community lawmakers. They all share a common goal - to improve and enhance the quality and effectiveness of services for justice involved youth and their families.
The Florida Juvenile Justice Association is an approved continuing education provider and also gives annual awards to recognize outstanding individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in the areas of direct care services and leadership to youth, families and their community.