March 2025 Newsletter
In this issue:
- Ray of Hope Event, April 15
- Legal Workshop, April 3
- Child Abuse Prevention Month, Wear Blue Day April 4
- ECCS Touchpoints March 11
- Court Improvement Program Training Registration
- SANE Training Opportunities
- Call for Presenters
Ray of Hope
Join Us
Learn more about the power of primary prevention from South Dakota decision-makers and business leaders. This event will discuss:
- Examples of primary prevention and how SD businesses and organizations can support primary prevention efforts.
- Update on primary prevention policies adopted in the 2025 legislative session.
- Economic benefits of family-forward workplace practices.
- Panel discussion with South Dakota business leaders with family-forward workplace practices, featuring Nan Poppen with First Bank & Trust, Carissa Schoffelman with Click Rain, Michael Olson with Avera McKennan, and Sydney Bartunek with The Compass Center.
Businesses for Babies
72.5% of all South Dakota children under the age of 6 have all available parents in the labor force. Family-forward workplace policies ARE a primary prevention resource. Family-forward policies benefit the business, families, and South Dakota children.
- Businesses: family-forward policies boost competitive advantage, attracting and retaining talent, increasing productivity, and reducing turnovers.
- Families: employees of family-forward workplaces are more satisfied with their work, and engaged in facilitating nurturing and stable environments for their families.
- South Dakota children: parents who work in family-forward businesses experience less stress and enhanced well-being, giving them time to support children’s safety, stability, and build nurturing relationships.
4th Annual Legal Workshop
There is a LIMITED number of registration spots remaining for the 4th Annual Legal Workshop. This FREE workshop on April 3 will feature speakers on Indian Child Welfare Act and Representation of Immigrants and Refugees. Light breakfast & lunch are provided.
Agenda Highlights Include:
- Welcome and Opening Remarks by Chief Justice Jensen
- ICWA: The History and a South Dakota Perspective presented by Dan Lewerns, UND School of Law and Director of Indian Law
- ICWA in Practice presented by Sheldon Spotted Elk, Senior Director of Judicial and National Engagement, Casey Family Programs
- Representation of Immigrants and Refugees presented by Taneeza Islam, Director, SD Voices for Peace
The Legal Workshop is sponsored by the South Dakota Unified Judicial System Court Improvement Program. CPCM and the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law are partner organizations for the event. Find details and registration on SDCPCM.com.
Your support empowers our work. Donate today to make an impact!
Child Abuse Prevention Month
Support the effort to end child maltreatment in April by:
- Wear Blue on April 4 and share an image on social media.
- Attend the ECCS or CIP monthly training session.
- Attend the Legal Workshop or Ray of Hope Event.
- Download and customize graphics and templates for social media and email.
- Refresh your knowledge with the Recognizing and Reporting Child Maltreatment online course.
SD ECCS
A child’s brain undergoes rapid development during the first three years of life, making this period crucial for their overall growth. Each new brain connection formed during this time has been referred to as a “touchpoint,” which is why we named our informational webinar series after this important milestone in a child’s development. Through these hour-long, interactive webinars, our goal is to help you create your own touchpoints across South Dakota, contributing to the healthy development of all the state’s children.
March 11th | 12-1 pm CST
Brain Science in Early Development
Speaker: Laura Jana, MD, FAAP, Pediatrician, Author, and Connector of Dots, Chief Innovation Officer – PSU Evidence to Impact Collaborative
April 8th | 12-1 p.m. CST
How the Huron community collaborated to bring in a Toy Lending Library.
Speakers: Anelis Coscioni-South Dakota Toy Lending Library, Rhonda Kludt-formerly of Huron United Way, Toy Lending Library Board Member, and Gayle Kludt-Kiwanis Club of Huron
Court Improvement Program
The February session, Understanding Trauma’s Impact on the Brain and De-Escalation Techniques, is now available for viewing.
Join us on Wednesday, March 26 for Identifying and Managing Common Mental Health Disorders in Maltreated Children presented by Nikki Eining, University of South Dakota.
Learn more at SDCPCM.com/CIP.
SANE Resources
SANE Injury Assessment & Documentation
This training will focus on different physical exam findings that a SANE may encounter during a sexual assault medical forensic exam and how to appropriately document these findings. Participants will learn how about various definitions and key characteristics and differences, using real exam photos.
- March 19 | 12-1:00pm CT
SANE Refresher Clinical Skills Lab
This one day skills lab is for those who have already been SANE trained and/or are already practicing exams.
- June 26 | 8:00am-5:00pm CT | Parry Center at USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls
For complete SANE Learning Collaborative Resources, visit https://sdcpcm.com/our-work/sane/sane-resources/ (registration required to access complete SANE training library).
Call for Presenters
Proposals are now being accepted for Community Response to Child Abuse Conference presenters.
Share your expertise and best practices with multidisciplinary members from across the region. Help our state to build knowledge in ways to respond to and prevent child maltreatment. Submit your proposal or recommend other speakers by April 30.
Visit https://sdcpcm.com/news/conference/call-for-presenters/ to submit your proposal or learn more.
