To join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89285364954

This year's conference has four workshops and will take place on every Wednesday in April, from 9:30-11:00. Each session is 1.5 hours, cumulating in up to 6 hours of CEUs for Nursing, Law Enforcement, Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Legal, and Domestic Violence.

Workshop 1

Wednesday, April 6, 2022 (9:30-11am)

“Together We Stand: Child Abuse Investigations”

Presenter: Kevin McNeil

Science and research show how working as a team not only produces beneficial results for the victim, but it can also improve members of the Multidisciplinary Team’s health and increase the chances of winning cases in court. Detective Kevin McNeil will show why child abuse investigations are different and why they must be treated differently. He will also demonstrate why “Together is Better” when it comes to investigating sex crimes and will speak in detail about why the investigator should develop a working relationship with Child Protective Services, Child Advocacy Centers, District Attorney’s Offices, and other agencies that can assist in the child abuse investigation. By the end of this webinar, attendees will learn why the forensic interview is so essential to child abuse investigations and will be able to identify evidence that some investigators miss while observing forensic interviews (i.e., importance of anatomical drawings, child’s response when talking about incident or suspect, parents’ pre-conference interview; people, places and things child mentions during the interview). 

Workshop 2

Wednesday, April 13, 2022 (9:30-11am)

"He Said, She Said, We Looked: How to Find Corroborating Evidence"

Presenter: Robert Peters, Esq.

Every child sexual abuse case has corroborating evidence, but often child protection professionals do not fully develop this critical piece. Presented by former prosecutor Robert Peters, this workshop will focus on several underutilized avenues of corroboration, with an emphasis on forensic interviews, digital evidence, social media, and maximizing corroborative evidence at trial. By the conclusion of this webinar, attendees will be able to list common repositories for corroborative digital evidence, articulate the utility of social media in child sexual abuse investigations, and describe trial tactics to maximize the value of corroborative evidence.

Workshop 3

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 (9:30-11am)

“The Psychology of Surviving: Forensic and Survivor Perspectives on Trauma and Offender Mindsets”

Presenters: Melanie Sachs & Dr. Timothy Saar

This unique presentation taught by child sexual abuse survivor Melanie Sachs and forensic psychologist Dr. Timothy Saar will provide insight into the impact of sexual crimes on the body, brain, and overall life experience of survivors. Attendees will also enter the mind of an offender on the cusp of adulthood and learn firsthand the perspective of a survivor. By the conclusion of this webinar, attendees will gain insight into the emotional trauma and experience of abuse survivors, be updated on current research regarding sexual predator psychology, and will have a better understanding of common themes articulated by sexual abuse survivors to aid in providing mental health care. 

Workshop 4

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 (9:30-11am)

"Developing a Practice to Address Secondary Trauma"

Presenter: Karen Hangartner, LMSW

Most child abuse professionals know that exposure to children’s trauma affects individuals, organizations, and multidisciplinary teams. While awareness of secondary trauma has increased over the past several years, there is less clarity of practices we should have in place to mitigate the negative impacts. The idea of waiting until 5:00 pm to begin attending to our own needs may not be the best strategy. In this workshop, attendees will explore approaches to incorporate into the workday, which can lead to better understanding of how the work impacts all who engage in a high-stress, trauma-exposed workplace. Attendees will also learn how organizations can create a workplace that supports individuals in developing these protective practices.

Meet the 2022 presenters.

Kevin McNeil worked as a Special Victims Unit Detective for 12 years investigating child abuse crimes. After making the decision to retire from law enforcement, Kevin decided to use his extensive background and genuine insight to educate others on the effects of trauma and abuse, thus creating the Twe12e Project. Kevin has delivered the keynote presentation and workshops at the International Child Symposium on Child Abuse in Huntsville, AL, delivered a plenary presentation and workshops at the San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment in San Diego, CA, and has spoken at events sponsored by Darkness To Light, GNESA, and numerous Child Advocacy Centers across the United States.

Robert J. Peters, Esq. is the Senior Attorney of the Zero Abuse Project, where he develops and delivers state-of-the-art training and comprehensive technical assistance to prosecutors and child abuse multidisciplinary team members on crimes against children. Robert served as Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and Special Prosecutor in multiple West Virginia jurisdictions, where he specialized in the prosecution of sexual offenses, civil child abuse and neglect cases, and juvenile crime. In addition to his prosecutorial experience, Robert authored several child protection-related articles in peer-reviewed publications, including the Florida Journal of International Law, Handbook on Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan, and Christian Ethics Today. Robert is the founder and Chairman of the SHIELD Task Force, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with child advocacy centers and local stakeholders to encourage reporting of sexual abuse and online safety. This initiative has brought age-appropriate abuse prevention education to thousands of school-aged children and numerous civic and community groups. Robert also serves on the WV Child Advocacy Network Board of Directors and the WV Human Trafficking Task Force.

Melanie Sachs currently serves on the SHIELD WV Board of Directors and works with the organization as a contractor assisting with multiple initiatives. Prior to working with SHIELD, Melanie worked for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence as a crisis center advocate and was hired as a Per-Diem Shelter Advocate at the Imminent Danger Shelter. She also has experience as a Family Advocate and Forensic Interviewer and worked for the Child Advocacy Center in Cape Cod, MA. She has more than 10 years of experience presenting and participating in conferences and regularly uses her own childhood experiences to educate others on child sexual abuse. Melanie holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology.

Dr. Timothy Saar has been practicing psychology in West Virginia for over 20 years and has a broad range of experience in clinical diagnosis and therapy, forensic evaluations, and geriatric practice. Dr. Saar is currently the Director of Saar Psychological Group, PLLC and has been an adjunct professor at Marshall University Graduate College and West Virginia State University. He has conducted and supervised thousands of forensic evaluations including adult and juvenile competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, personal injury, as well as parental fitness and child abuse evaluations. In addition to forensic evaluations Dr. Saar’s practice also maintains an active clinical component by providing individual and family counseling services. He received his Ph.D. from Cambridge Graduate College in Los Angeles; his Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles; and his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Southern California.

Karen Hangartner, LMSW, is Project Director for the Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center at the National Children’s Advocacy Center. She has been with the National Children’s Advocacy Center since 2003, spending four years in the Prevention department before beginning work with the Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center. As Project Director for SRCAC, Karen is responsible for developing and delivering training for Children’s Advocacy Centers and Multidisciplinary Teams across 16 states and the District of Columbia. She has conducted more than 200 trainings for MDTs and CACs in the Southern region. She also presents at state, national, and international conferences on a variety of topics including, Secondary Traumatic Stress, Trauma Informed Multidisciplinary Teams, Team Functioning, Leading in a Multidisciplinary Environment, Grant Writing, and Conflict on Teams. She also works with regional and national partners on collaborative projects. Karen received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Athens State University and Master’s in Social Work from The University of Alabama.