The conference is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Don Morris Room of the Memorial Student Center. Programming will focus on youth early diversion efforts and relevant West Virginia data, with seminars, an expert panel and agency and community resource tables.
“When we invest in prevention and early intervention, we invest in the future of West Virginia,” said LaDawna Walker Dean, with the WV Minority Health Initiative, at the Marshall University Minority Health Institute. “Early diversion connects youth and young adults to the right services at the right time, reducing involvement with the justice system while promoting positive behavioral health outcomes, family stability and long-term success. Together, we can create a system of care that supports every young person before they reach a crisis.”
Dr. Patrice Harris will serve as the conference’s keynote speaker. Seminar presenters include Candace Layne, Ed.D., ALPS, LPC, PMH-C, owner and consultant with Imagine Counseling Services, and Steven Slack, B.S., PGCert in accounting, of the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
“The West Virginia Youth Early Diversion Conference is designed to bring professionals, agencies and community partners together to strengthen our collective response to the needs of youth and young adults,” said Dr. Anthony T. Woart, chair of the Department of Public Health in the College of Health Professions and director of the Minority Health Institute. “By fostering collaboration, sharing innovative approaches and building cross-sector partnerships, we can expand diversion opportunities, reduce unnecessary justice involvement and ensure that young people receive the support and services they need to thrive.”
Funding for the conference is provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the West Virginia Department of Human Services’ Bureau for Behavioral Health.
For registration and additional information, visit https://bit.ly/4yI5l3L or contact LaDawna Walker Dean at LaDawna.Walker@marshall.edu.