Overview:
The 16th annual Shield Our Children from Harm Professional Conference will be held at
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. It is a joint effort between the
Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, the Child Advocacy Center of Grafton and Sullivan
Counties at DHMC, and The Family Place Child Advocacy Centers of Windsor County.

Keynote:
Working with Families, Maximizing Children’s Resilience
Alice M. Forrester, PhD (clinical psychology), CEO, Clifford Beers, New Haven, CT
In leading the agency, Dr. Forrester oversees behavioral health services and advocacy for
children and families with an emphasis on an integrated, whole-family approach to care.

Featured Speakers:
• James Metz, MD, University of Vermont Medical Center
• Erin Barnett, PhD, Dartmouth Trauma Interventions Research Center
• Amanda Gopal, LSCW, The Hundred Movement, Skyland, North Carolina

Other Highlights:
• Strategies to de-escalate triggered or traumatized children and families
• Strategies for supporting resilience and healing in victims of child maltreatment
• Understanding trauma bonds between traffickers and their victims
• A closer look at forensic photos and what they can tell us