Positive Change Virtual Conference

Bridging the Gaps: Building Integrated Systems of Care

April 3 & 4, 2024 | 8:00am to 12:30pm

Event Partners

LCDAC
Millersville University

April 2024 Event

The Positive Change Virtual Conference is an annual event designed to offer practical tools, as well as inspiration and encouragement, to those working in helping professions where addiction & mental health disorders are present.

This year’s theme was Bridging the Gaps: Building Integrated Systems of Care. Our communities continue to both recover from the pandemic and to face increases in resulting addiction and mental health issues. Professionals are rising to the occasion but do experience barriers to helping their students and clients. Conference sessions bridged the gaps between the need for services & capacity, and between the mental health & addiction fields.

The Event By the Numbers

  • 3 Tracks: Mental Health, Prevention & Addiction Treatment/Recovery
  • 11 Sponsors
  • 14 Virtual Vendor Booths
  • 18 Speakers
  • 340 Registrants
  • 325 Attendees
  • 4,899 Attendee Comments, Posts & Questions
  • 118,830 Minutes Attendees Spent in the Platform!

Conference Info

Overview

Speakers

Agenda

Cost & CEUs

Planning Committee

Event Sponsors

Speakers

Merna Aboshusha

Merna Aboshusha

Integration Supervisor, CWS Harrisburg

Merna Aboshusha, BA brings over two years of dedicated experience in refugee resettlement to her role as Integration Supervisor at CWS HBG. She holds a BA in international relations & affairs. Merna oversees employment and intensive case management programs, which provide services and critical interventions to individuals facing psychological challenges due to emotional trauma from war and violence.

Merna’s expertise extends to addressing the unique needs of those with serious medical and mental conditions. With a focus on providing specialized attention, she has successfully navigated the complexities of refugee resettlement, contributing to well-being and integration of individuals facing diverse and challenging circumstances.

Samuel Barlow

Samuel Barlow

Reentrant, Advocate, Author

Samuel “Salem” Barlow is a public speaker, mentor, and author who spent 50 years and five months incarcerated in Pennsylvania prisons.

After spending several months on death row as an 18-year-old, Mr. Barlow won an appeal and was resentenced to life without parole. When the U.S. Supreme Court banned mandatory life sentences for juveniles convicted of murder in 2016, it resulted in a review of old crimes in Dauphin County. The DA recommended him for release, and Governor Tom Wolf commuted his sentence in May of 2019.

Mr. Barlow is the author of Life Without Murder: The Autobiography and an avid advocate for prison reform.

Michael Blanche, MSS, LCSW

Michael Blanche, MSS, LCSW

CCO & Co-Founder, ETHOS Treatment

Michael Blanche, MSS, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker who has over twenty five years of experience providing direct clinical treatment for those who are dually diagnosed with addiction and other psychological issues.

Michael has worked in all levels of care in the treatment of addiction and mental health. He has extensive expertise in establishing and supervising residential and outpatient programs throughout the Philadelphia Metropolitan area.

Michael is also a leading expert in the field of prevention, and specializes in middle school and high school prevention talks and staff development. Providing CEUs on the impact of technology, process addiction, complex trauma, young adult substance abuse and dual diagnosis are just a few workshop titles he has facilitated. Michael is a co-founder and the Chief Clinical Officer of ETHOS Treatment in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Beth Bitler, MSA, CAAP, CFRS

Beth Bitler, MSA, CAAP, CFRS

Owner, Beth Bitler Training & Consulting

Beth Bitler, MSA, CAAP, CFRS has more than thirty years of experience in the fields of family recovery and parent education. Her background includes development of a curriculum for parents in recovery from substance use disorder, oversight of a statewide network of child abuse prevention programs, and administration of a community-based nonprofit. Most recently, Beth held a supervisory position in an inpatient treatment facility, where she provided psychoeducational groups to patients and their families, managed the facility’s Family Services Program, and conducted parenting classes for patients.

Beth has presented seminars and workshops at both national and statewide conferences, as well as continuing education sessions for child welfare and treatment professionals. Beth holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Administration from West Chester University. Her certifications include Family Life Educator, Allied Addictions Practitioner, and Family Recovery Specialist, and she is a Master Trainer for the ACT Raising Safe Kids program.

Shanece Bowman, BSW

Shanece Bowman, BSW

Programs Manager, Touchstone Foundation

Shanece Bowman, BSW is the programs manager for Touchstone Foundation. She graduated from Millersville University with a bachelor’s degree in social work, where she is  currently finishing up her master’s in social work.

Shanece brings 12 years of experience to Touchstone, including past roles as clinical assistant at WellSpan Philhaven, case aide at Bethanna Foster Care and Adoption, and CNA/nurse aide team leader at Conestoga View Rehabilitation Center.

Shanece is passionate about good mental health for children and families. She is also dedicated to reducing stigma for those with mental healthcare needs, and equipping providers to serve them well.

Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP

Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP

Founder, Therapist & Trainer, Lancaster School of Psychodrama and Experiential Psychotherapies

Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP is a trainer, psychotherapist, author, and consultant in private practice in Lancaster, PA, and the founder of the Lancaster School of Psychodrama and Experiential Psychotherapies.

She is the author of Show and Tell Psychodrama: Skills for Therapists, Coaches, Teachers, Leaders; co-author of Integrating Psychodrama and Systemic Constellations: New Directions with Action Methods, Mind-Body Therapies and Energy Healing with Ronald Anderson; and Healing Eating Disorders with Psychodrama and Other Action Methods: Beyond the Silence and the Fury with Linda Ciotola.

Karen is a board-certified trainer of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy. Learn more about Karen at www.realtruekaren.com and subscribe to her e-newsletter for professionals.

*Karen is offering 1 CE credit for LPCs, LMFTs and psychologists for those who take her Day 2 workshop, Energize & Engage Your Groups with Action.*

Kristi Dively, DO

Kristi Dively, DO

Medical Director, Retreat Behavioral Health

Kristi Dively, DO did her undergraduate work at West Chester University and attended medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Memorial Hospital in York, PA, and worked in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona, as well as Lancaster, for five years.

Dr. Dively then worked in a non-clinical position for four years doing Medicare compliance reviews before getting back into patient care and working in addiction medicine. She is currently the medical director at Retreat Behavioral Health in Ephrata, PA.

She is board-certified in OB/GYN and a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is also board-certified in Addiction Medicine and a fellow of the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine.

Kimberly Ernest, PhD, LPC

Kimberly Ernest, PhD, LPC

Executive Vice President, Pennsylvania Counseling Services

Kimberly Ernest, PhD, LPC is a licensed clinical psychologist and professional counselor with 20+ years working with individuals, couples, and families navigating community re-entry. She specializes in helping clients with a history of substance use disorders or/and problematic sexual behavior and a history of justice involvement due to sexual offending. She is an SOAB approved supervisor and certified in the treatment of adolescent sex offenders.

Recently, Dr. Ernest moved from working predominantly with the adult population to training, supervising, and providing services to children and adolescents to prevent out-of-home placement. She provides clinical supervision and trains those working in community mental health. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of North Texas and master’s from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Anna Brendle Kennedy

Anna Brendle Kennedy

Executive Director, Touchstone Foundation

Anna Brendle Kennedy is the Executive Director for Touchstone Foundation. She holds a master’s in urban and regional planning from the University of California- Irvine, and a BS in geography from The Pennsylvania State University. 

Anna serves as co-chair for the Pennsylvania Health Funders Collaborative, on the steering committee of the Coalition for the Common Health, on the legislative affairs committee for Mental Health America, as a Board member for the Partnership for Public Health, and as a volunteer Girl Scout troop leader. She is a founding member of Let’s Talk, Lancaster, changing the conversation about mental health. 

Gregory A. Krausz, MA, CAADC, LPC

Gregory A. Krausz, MA, CAADC, LPC

Director, MARS & Owner, Monocacy Counseling Assoc.

Gregory A. Krausz, MA, CAADC, LPC is the director of Mid Atlantic Rehabilitation Services (MARS) in Bethlehem, PA; owner of Monocacy Counseling Associates, adjunct faculty member at Moravian Theological Seminary, and a consultant/trainer with the Council on Compulsive Gambling of PA.

He is a graduate of Moravian Theological Seminary in 2002 with a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counseling. He has been a counselor, and program director in the addiction and mental health counseling field for the past 27 years. Greg was awarded the 2016 Bishop Kortz award for excellence in the field of Pastoral Counseling from Moravian Theological Seminary.

Dennis Marsili

Dennis Marsili

Adjunct Professor of Criminology, Carlow University

Dennis L. Marsili is a former detective sergeant with the City of New Kensington Police Department, a suburb of Pittsburgh. He worked his way up from patrol officer to patrol sergeant, concluding his active police service in the Detective Division and retiring in 2012. Dennis then moved on to Indiana University of Pennsylvania as the coordinator for the Criminal Justice Training .

The Center’s premier program was the Municipal Police Academy, where Dennis managed faculty and worked with police cadets to ensure basic training was delivered to the students before starting their careers as police officers. He was promoted to director of the Center, spearheading the following new training programs; Act 67 School Security Personnel Basic Training, Municipal Police Field Training Officer Program, Principled Criminal Justice and Police Legitimacy Program, Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics – ICAT, and achieved International Accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies – CALEA.

Dennis retired from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2023—now in semi-retirement he serves as the chairperson for the HEAL PA Police and Community Subcommittee and works as an adjunct faculty in the Criminology Department at Carlow University. Dennis resides in the Pittsburgh area with his wife, Cindy, a former third-grade Catholic schoolteacher.

Govan A. Martin, III

Govan A. Martin, III

Chair & Founder, Suicide Prevention Alliance

Govan A. Martin, III is the chair and founder of the Suicide Prevention Alliance, where his main goals are to ‘Start the Conversation’ concerning suicide with the community, and to bring about a culture of change in how society views suicide by advocating for awareness and training to prevent suicide. A leading advocate in suicide prevention, he collaborates with county suicide prevention task forces, legislators, and state/national leaders in the field of suicide prevention.  

 Govan offers a comprehensive work background in evidenced-based training in suicide prevention, mental health wellness, and social services to save and improve the lives of the community. Before starting his nonprofit work in suicide prevention, he served in the PA State Police for 29 years as a State Trooper. While in the PSP, he was the longest-running Director of the Member Assistance Program (Peer Support Program) for the last 12 years of his career.  

After retiring from the PSP in 2012, Govan started his nonprofit work in suicide prevention. He continues to train law enforcement in peer support and suicide prevention around the country. He is passionate and driven to prevent suicide as he lost his brother, Michael, to suicide in 1980. 

Hon. Stephen P.N. Minor

Hon. Stephen P.N. Minor

President Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Potter County

As president judge, the Hon. Stephen P.N. Minor has overseen all court operations in the Potter County, PA Court of Common Pleas since elected in 2010. He is a member of Potter County Bar Association; chairman of the Potter County Criminal Justice Advisory Board; chairman of the Juvenile Section of the Pennsylvania Conference of Trial Judges beginning in July 2019; and a member of the Continuing Judicial Education Board, from 2017 to 2020.

Judge Minor earned a BA from Mansfield University and a JD from ORU Law School, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In 2017, he was appointed by Governor Wolf to the Juvenile Court Judge’s Commission. He is also an instructor and discussion leader for the New Judge School. Since 2020, he has been a member of the Supreme Court Autism and the Courts Taskforce. In 2021, he was appointed to be is a member of the Judicial Ethics Advisory Board and has been a member of the Judicial Ethics Committee of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges.

Prior to his election as President Judge, Judge Minor practiced law in the Law Office of Stephen Minor, PC in Port Allegheny, PA from 1991 to 2009; was a McKean County Juvenile Mater from 1995 to 2009; and a McKean County Custody Mediator in 2005. He has been a member of the McKean County and Washington County Bar Associations and was admitted to the bar in 1986.

Maricelle Sheldon, MBA, CADC, CPG

Maricelle Sheldon, MBA, CADC, CPG

Owner & Therapist, Maricelle Sheldon Counseling

Maricelle Sheldon, MBA, CADC, CPG is an addictions counselor and psychotherapist with 20 years of experience, and has been in private practice in Lancaster County for the past 15 years. She received her BA in Psychology from Millersville University and her Executive Medical MBA from Alvernia University. She learned the CRAFT model of supporting loved ones impacted by addiction in 2017 from its founder, Dr. Robert Meyer.

Maricelle specializes in working with individuals with substance use and gambling disorders (SUD), co-occurring addiction and mental health issues, as well their families She conducts trainings and workshops on the basics of addiction, changing marijuana laws and the impact of marijuana, experiential therapy techniques, problem gambling, and using CRAFT with loved ones. Find her online at www.mzsheldon.com.

Christi Smith, PhD

Christi Smith, PhD

Senior Fellow, Criminal Justice & Civil Liberties Program, R Street Institute

Christi Smith, PhD is a Senior Fellow in the Criminal Justice & Civil Liberties Program at the R Street Institute in Washington, D.C. Dr. Smith analyzes and presents objective policy solutions through publications on criminal justice issues including overcriminalization; parole and probation; community supervision; and reentry and reintegration.

Prior to R Street, Dr. Smith served as interim department chair, academic director and assistant professor at Delaware Valley University in its Criminal Justice Department. Additionally, her practitioner experience includes working as a domestic violence investigator and adult parole and probation officer in the suburban Philadelphia area.

Dr. Smith received a doctorate in public safety with a specialization in criminal justice from Capella University, a master’s degree in criminal justice from West Chester University, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from Delaware Valley College. She serves as an executive committee member on the Bucks County Reentry Coalition and the Chair of the Probation, parole, and Reentry Committee of the HEAL PA Criminal Justice Reform Action Team.

Camille St. James, PsyD

Camille St. James, PsyD

Psychologist, Caron Treatment Centers

Camille St. James, PsyD is a staff psychologist at Caron Treatment Centers in their outpatient offices in Plymouth Meeting, PA. After 20+ years in corporate communications, she returned to school to obtain her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Chestnut Hill College and embarked on a journey that focuses on service to others, self-exploration, and a commitment to leave the world better than she found it.

Dr. St. James’s research and interests are oriented around the broad themes of diversity, justice, spirituality, professional development, and treatment access and utilization. Her clinical work is concentrated in the areas of addiction, trauma, women’s health, and spirituality. Her theoretical orientation is grounded in psychodynamic theory and informed by evidence-based practice, including relational, family systems, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral techniques, and EMDR.

As an adjunct faculty member at Chestnut Hill College, Dr. St. James has taught a range of topics at both the undergraduate and graduate levels with a particular focus on diversity and cultural humility.

Shelby Witmer

Shelby Witmer

Family & Child Services Coordinator, Mental Health America

Shelby Witmer is the Family & Child Services Coordinator at Mental Health America of Lancaster County. She has a background in education and a passion for supporting families struggling with mental health issues. She hopes to use her life experiences to empower other families to get the help and support they need.

Shelby provides IEP Advocacy support to help foster positive supports between home and school. “My goal is to end the stigma of mental health and provide support and compassion for those who are struggling with it. Nobody is alone and we all struggle with something so let’s support each other.”

Angela Tornatore Work, MS

Angela Tornatore Work, MS

Deputy Director, PA Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission

Angela Tornatore Work, MS is responsible for assisting the Executive Director of PA’s Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission in the development, implementation, and direction of programs in the areas of juvenile court policy and practice and juvenile probation policy and practice.

She oversees the administration of the Commission’s Center for Juvenile Justice Training and Research at Shippensburg University. She also serves as the project coordinator of Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES), a statewide initiative introduced to sustain and enhance activities begun under Models for Change and to implement evidence-based practices at every stage of the juvenile justice process.

Ms. Work obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh with a dual major in administration of justice and sociology, and an MS in education from St. Bonaventure University.

Past roles at JCJC include Director of Administration and Grant Programs and Director of Quality Assurance in Juvenile Justice. In each of these roles she provided court consultant services including technical assistance and advice to juvenile court judges and chief juvenile probation officers. Additionally, Ms. Work has served the Juvenile Justice System Enhancement Strategy (JJSES) Leadership Team as co-leader to stage 3 activities.

Agenda

8:00 am –
8:15 am		Welcome Video
8:15 am –
8:30 am		Opening Remarks
8:30 am –
9:30 am		Session 1
MENTAL HEALTH
Youth Mental Wellness Needs Assessment Results by Shanece Bowman, BSW & Anna Brendle Kennedy
PREVENTION
Impact of Technology on Adolescent Development by Michael Blanche, LCSW
ADDICTION TREATMENT/RECOVERY
The Intersection of Mental Health, Substance Use & Gambling by Gregory Krausz, MA, CAADC, LPC
9:30 am –
10:00 am		Break- Networking & Sponsor Booths
10:00 am –
11:00 am		Session 2
MENTAL HEALTH
Chaos of Suicide: Suicide Prevention Training (Part 1) by Govan Martin, III
PREVENTION
Reducing Risk & Increasing Resilience in Children of Incarcerated Parents by Beth Bitler, MSA, CAAP, CFRS
ADDICTION TREATMENT/RECOVERY
Systemic Family Work with Caregivers in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders by Kimberly Ernest, PhD
11:00 am –
11:15 am		Break & Networking
11:15 am –
12:15 am		Session 3
MENTAL HEALTH
Chaos of Suicide: Suicide Prevention Training (Part 2) by Govan Martin, III
PREVENTION
Integrated Mental Health for Refugees: Prevention, Intervention & Recovery by Merna Aboshusha
ADDICTION TREATMENT/RECOVERY
Overcoming Barriers to Substance Use Disorder Treatment with Pregnancy by Kristi Dively, DO
12:15 pm –
12:30 pm		Closing Remarks & Evaluations
8:00 am –
8:15 am		Welcome Video
8:15 am –
8:30 am		Opening Remarks
8:30 am –
9:30 am		Session 1
MENTAL HEALTH
ACEs, Brain Development & the Juvenile Justice System by Shelby Witmer
PREVENTION
Treating Trauma & Addiction through the Lens of Cultural Humility by Camille St. James, PsyD
ADDICTION TREATMENT/RECOVERY
Treating Trauma & Addiction through the Lens of Cultural Humility by Camille St. James, PsyD
9:30 am –
10:00 am		Break- Networking & Sponsor Booths
10:00 am –
11:00 am		Session 2
MENTAL HEALTH
Creating Trauma Informed Criminal Justice Systems (Panel – Part 1) by Samuel Barlow, Kelly J. Evans, Dennis Marsili, Hon. Stephen P.N. Minor, Robert K. Reed, MS, JD, Christi Smith, PhD & Angela Tornatore Work, MS 
PREVENTION
Creating Trauma Informed Criminal Justice Systems (Panel – Part 1) by Samuel Barlow, Kelly J. Evans, Dennis Marsili, Hon. Stephen P.N. Minor, Robert K. Reed, MS, JD, Christi Smith, PhD & Angela Tornatore Work, MS 
ADDICTION TREATMENT/RECOVERY
Energize & Engage Your Groups with Action by Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP
11:00 am –
11:15 am		Break & Networking
11:15 am –
12:15 am		Session 3
MENTAL HEALTH
Creating Trauma Informed Criminal Justice Systems (Panel – Part 2) by Samuel Barlow, Kelly J. Evans, Dennis Marsili, Hon. Stephen P.N. Minor, Robert K. Reed, MS, JD, Christi Smith, PhD & Angela Tornatore Work, MS 
PREVENTION
Creating Trauma Informed Criminal Justice Systems (Panel – Part 2) by Samuel Barlow, Kelly J. Evans, Dennis Marsili, Hon. Stephen P.N. Minor, Robert K. Reed, MS, JD, Christi Smith, PhD & Angela Tornatore Work, MS 
ADDICTION TREATMENT/RECOVERY
How Can I Help? Training Families How to Effectively Support Loved  Ones with Substance Use Disorders by Maricelle C. Sheldon, CADC, MBA, CPG
12:15 pm –
12:30 pm		Closing Remarks & Evaluations

Cost & CEUs

This year’s event is three hours per day over two days, for a total of six (6) possible credit hours. Credits* offered:

  • Act 48 for Educators
  • Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Licensed Professional Counselors (LSW, LCSW, LMFT, LPC)

The cost for the full conference is $40, and is $25 for a single day. No additional cost for credits.

*The PA Certification Board (PCB) no longer pre-approves education for addiction professionals.

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2024 Planning Committee

Samhar Almomani, Elizabethtown College; Sharon Czabafy, WellSpan Health; Sarah Herr, Innovo Detox; Eric Kennel, Compass Mark; Heather Lehman, Millersville University; Deb McCoy, Compass Mark; Teri Miller-Landon, Compass Mark; Josh Mountz, Compass Mark; Abby Peters, SHHARP Counseling; Eric Rodriguez, Caron Treatment Centers; Amy Sechrist, Compass Mark; Lisa Starr, Lancaster County Drug & Alcohol Commission; Tim Steffen, Compass Mark; Staci Strauss, Compass Mark; Jessica Weiss-Ford, Millersville University

Be in touch to serve on the 2025 conference planning committee!e y