What The Participants Are Saying About The Programs

Continuing Education partnered with the Butte County Family & Children's Division of the Superior Court of California to present In Service to Families, Children, and the Courts. Staff from Family Court Services, psychologists, social workers, therapists, and family law attorneys attended this one-day conference event held at California Park Lakeside Pavilion in May, 2001.

"The conference was very effective and accomplished its primary goals. It has begun a move toward a team, community process," said Vahan Hovsepian, an administrator of the Family and Children's Division of the Butte County Superior Court of California.

This training event satisfied the four-hour domestic violence update training requirement for court-appointed child custody evaluators and investigators. It provided eight hours of continuing education credit for MFTs, LCSWs, psychologists, attorneys, and nurses.

CSU, Chico faculty members Joe Russo, Psychology, Vici Taus, Behavioral and Social Sciences, and Beverly Ford, Faculty and Staff Assistance Program participated in this program as part of their professional development.

Ford said the conference was "a great overview of the wonderful resources available with family concerns. It was nice to hear professionals speak about complex family issues. The panels of attorneys were insightful, and they showed diverse viewpoints. We had the opportunity to see the human side that we often don't get to see in a courtroom. This conference inspired hope and shows that we do need to work together as a community to find solutions."

Conference presenters included Julia Weber from the Administrative Office of the Courts' Center for Family, Children, and the Courts, and Anastacia Snyder of Catalyst Women's Advocates. Certified family law specialists Dennis Harvey and Les Hait and family law attorneys Elisabeth Harvey, Monica O'Neil, and Gregory Brislain lead panel presentations. Judge William Patrick from the Superior Court of Butte County, Family and Children's Division presented the court's perspective.