Registration is now open for the Michigan Federation's Residential Treatment and Family Preservation Conferences, March 8-9, 2021! 

Both conferences will open on Monday, March 8th with a joint Keynote Session "Finding Purpose in Times of Uncertainty" presented by Victor Strecher, University of Michigan: 

Employees everywhere are experiencing increased stress, anxiety, and isolation. A thriving workforce begins with purposeful people and connection to what matters most and starting at the heart of the matter—emotional well-being. Developing an authentic and shared sense of purpose is foundational to overall well-being in our lives and our organizations—especially now. New data on Americans during the pandemic show that purpose not only amplifies engagement, it improves our mental well-being as well. And employees realize a greater sense of meaning, dignity, and empowerment as a result. A stronger sense of purpose in our work builds resilience to stress, lowers employee burnout risk by helping people live meaningful lives, reduces depression risk, creates an inclusive culture that is open to change, and helps people fulfill a purpose. In this session, you will learn about the science and practice of building purposeful, thriving organizations. Dr. Strecher will explore current scientific research illustrating the positive impact an authentic and well-communicated purpose can have on individuals, teams, and organizations, as well as some keys to help you unlock your own potential.

Followed by a joint General Session "Crisis to Connection: An Imperative for Our Black Boys" presented by Carlynn Nichols and George Winn from The Children's Center: 

Aligned with The Children’s Center mission, To Help Children & Families Shape Their Own Futures, the Crisis to Connection Imperative is centered around improving outcomes for Black boys by addressing trauma and systemic racism in Detroit at the micro (individual), mezzo (intrapersonal and community), and macro (systems and policies) levels. Black boys are disproportionately affected by implicit bias, racism, and a lack of trauma-informed community support systems. They experience trauma at a much higher rate than their white counterparts. This disparity creates unimaginable challenges and keeps them from living their dreams and becoming the amazing people they were born to be. This presentation will explore the three-phase process that The Children’s Center has begun and how they are intentionally calling to action members from various systems that directly impact the lives of Black boys.

The Residential Conference will continue into the afternoon of March 8th and the Family Preservation Conference will start up again the morning of March 9th. 

CLICK HERE to view/download the Conference Program, which includes the schedule-at-a-glance, session descriptions and speaker bios. 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER