
23rd Annual Champion for Children Child Abuse Prevention Conference
Every year, the Champion for Children Conference helps communities throughout the Big Country kick off Child Abuse Prevention/Awareness Month.
March 23, 2022
About the Conference
The Annual Statewide Champion for Children Conference March 23, 2022, will be held in Abilene, Texas. Our Theme this year will be Spring into Action! The 1-day interdisciplinary conference will explore key themes related to resiliency in children and their families. This will include a focus on: Concepts and theories of resiliency in children and families across cultures, interventions that help build resiliency in children and families, including prevention and treatment, research methods and findings from the study of resiliency across cultures and contexts.
This conference will be of interest to law enforcement, clinicians, medical support nurses, family workers, social workers, therapists, educators, child advocates, youth workers, community workers and people form the voluntary sector.
Attendees will be able to share their work and ideas regarding factors that are critical to the child and family health, well-being and resilience. The conference will provide a unique opportunity to discuss and integrate the latest work and ideas involving resiliency theory, research and practice. It will reflect a wider discourse that will include solution-focused and various therapy perspectives. Presenters will follow the themes: Resilience and Cultural Issues- the Young Child- Family Work – Mental Health/Well-Being, Vulnerable Children/Young People – Education – Post-modern Perspectives and Research Methodologies and Legal Case studies.

Planning Committee
The purpose of this Champion for Children Conference Planning Committee is to help maximize the quality of the Annual Child Abuse Awareness Conference and providing feedback on how to handle high-level policy decisions and ways to engage agencies and other stakeholders about upcoming changes.
Diana Hall - Chair
Melissa Milliorn - Hardin-Simmons University - Vice Chair
Det. Erin Bennett - Abilene Police Department - At Large
Keziah Chacko - HSU Social Work Student - Secretary
Janna Atkins - West Central Texas Council of Governments
Donald Dolton - Passages Abilene - Technology
Lindsay Poyner - TX Dept. of Family and Protective Services - Conference Presenters
Mia Parker - TX Dept. of Family and Protective Services - Luncheon & Sponsorships
Rosa Rodriguez - Region XIV Education Service Center - Exhibitors
Valerie Araujo - Noah Project - Awards
Ann Willoughby - Hendrick Medical Center - Registration
John Graham - Taylor County Sheriff’s Office
Starla Cason - Betty Hardwick
Maggie Brennen - Methodist Children’s Home
Lee Ann Millender - CASA
Lauren Anderson - CASA
Ashley Burton - 2Ingage
Heather Champion - BCFS
Morgan Pattillo - Communities in Schools - The Big Country
Angela Derrick - TX Department of Family and Protective Services
Melissa Holmans - Passages Abilene
Dyan Garcia - Private Counselor
Rhonda Cox - Betty Hardwick, Region 14
Allison Wesson - New Horizons
Yvonne Myers - Noah Project
Stephanie Robinson - TX Department of Family and Protective Services