Day 1 of our conference will feature a general session by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) covering California’s new Permanent Foster Care Rate Structure. Starting July 2025, a key part of this rate structure will take effect, requiring the use of standardized high-fidelity Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment for all youth and non-minor dependents (NMDs) in foster care. This important CANS update will be explored in depth during a breakout session later that day.

Breakout sessions to be featured at this year’s conference cover the following topics:

• Strategies to achieve permanency
• Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) – methods to assist in family preservation     
• Wraparound services as a prevention and aftercare program
• Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Harm Reduction strategies
• Enhancing resources and improving education outcomes for foster youth in the juvenile justice system
• Utilizing Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) and Child and Family Teams (CFTs) to support comprehensive case planning