Conference Agenda

Registration - Building C 

Rooms for the day:

C46 - building C 4th floor

C10 - building C 1st floor

D33 - building D 3rd floor 

7:30– 8:15 a.m. REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST (Room C46)

8:20 – 8:30 a.m. WELCOME (C46)

8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Session 1 PDU 1.5

1. Child Life in Private Practice (C10)

(Advanced) Domain: Professional Responsibility

Colleen Cherry, MA, CCLS / Play Well Child Life Services 

Discover the requirements for creating a Child Life Private Practice 

2. The Basics of Foster Care: Supporting Vulnerable Kids (C46)

(Intermediate) Domain: Intervention

Jessica Vroman, MA, CCLS / Kaiser Permanente Roseville  

The most recent data collected shows there are around 55,000 children in foster care in the state of California. Of those, estimates are that somewhere between 40-72 percent of them will require ongoing medical treatment so it is highly likely that Child Life Specialists will encounter this uniquely vulnerable population in their work. Given by a CCLS who also happens to be a foster parent, this presentation will focus on education regarding how the foster care system works, and how to provide appropriate interventions when working with children in foster care.  

3.  We’re  All in This Together: Supporting A Patient’s Return to School after Hospitalization (D33)

(Entry) Domain: Intervention

Alexis Castro, MS, CCLS / Stanford Medicine Children’s Health  

Grace Williams, BS, CCLS / Bakersfield Memorial Hospital

This presentation will introduce attendees to the elements of a school reentry program and provide tools to support a patient through this process after hospitalization or a new diagnosis. Aspects of school reentry support will be highlighted, including social emotional preparation and relationship building with schools. Small group activity will provide exploration of tailoring tools discussed to unique patient populations. 

10:10 – 11:40 p.m. Session 2 PDU 1.5

1. Crossing the Grief Bridge: Supporting Families Coping with Illness and Loss   (C10)

(Entry/ Intermediate) Domain: Intervention 

Shani Thorton, MS, CCLS, RWWP / Child Life Mommy Private Practice 

This experiential workshop will allow attendees to learn a new therapeutic activity that can be used for children individually or within a group. Through the metaphor of crossing over a wooden bridge with planks representing struggles and hopes, attendees will have a deeper understanding of their grief journey. After self-reflection and discussion, attendees can facilitate this therapeutic activity with a diverse population coping with illness and loss. 

2.  Play…the Trauma Informed Way!    (C46)

(All Levles) Domain: Intervention 

Chloe Kelleher, MA, CCLS / UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital 

Kim Ong, MS, CCLS /  UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital  

During this presentation participants will gain understanding of the importance of therapeutic play and its role in practicing/promoting trauma informed care. Via case examples and discussion, learners will gain understanding of the need to prioritize therapeutic play as CCLS’ and strengthen their practice/competency in its facilitation.

11:50 – 12:50 p.m. SESSION 3  PDU 1.0

1.  Their Urgency is Not Your Urgency – How assessment guides child life interventions for trauma related patient care.  (C46)        

(Intermediate) Domain: Assessment

Lauren Alvarado, MS, CCLS II / Children’s Hospital Los Angeles 

Alex Rogers, MS, CCLS III / Children’s Hospital Los Angeles 

When supporting children and families who have experienced something traumatic, child life specialists work as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. This presentation will focus on how child life specialists utilize their assessment skills to ensure the timing and manner of how information is shared, meets the developmental and psychosocial needs of the individual patient and family.

2.  Needle Phobia in Patients Chronic Illness  (D33)

(Intermediate) Domain: Intervention 

Brittany Arias, MS, CCLS / Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s  

Eliana Tarazon, LCSW / Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s   

Child Life Specialist and Social Work collaborate to provide preparation, reduce/manage anxiety, and promote family-centered care for patients with chronic illnesses who have needle phobia. This presentation will explain the different roles that Child Life Specialists and Social Workers actively play when providing support to patients with chronic illness and needle phobia.

3. Did Anyone Read the Instructions? Fact Checking Institutional Knowledge Around Pain Management  (C10)

(Entry) Domain: Professional Responsibility 

Hillary Knouse, MA, CCLS / UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland  

Many practitioners learn how to perform/support procedures and how to use medical tools through a kind of oral transmission and mentorship in the medical setting. Through personal anecdotes, this talk aims to give attendees a new perspective on the pain management tools Child Life Specialists use and advocate for in the hospital, as well as tactics and resources for dispelling common myths about these tools and promoting their optimal use.

1:00 -1:45 p.m.  LUNCH

1:50 – 3:20 p.m. SESSION 4 PDU 1.5

1.  A Teddy Bear Clinic Guide to Support Children with Special Needs in the Hospital and in the Special Education Classroom (C10)     

(Entry) Domain: Intervention   

Blanca Lilia Hernandez, MA, CL / Kaiser Permanente Oakland 

This presentation will describe the creation and implementation of teddy bear clinic curriculum activities created to support young children with special needs in the hospital and in the special education classroom setting. The goal of this project was to help children with special needs feel empowered through activities that would allow them to normalize fear-inducing medical experiences through medical play.  

2.  Creating & Measuring the Effectiveness of Child Life Intervention Tools  (C46)

(All Levels) Domain: DEI, Intervention   

Erin Shields, MA, CCLS III / Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Mandy G. Flores, BA, Program Coordinator, Literally Healing Expressive Arts & Therapies Department

Speakers will highlight the therapeutic book review process at CHLA and discuss the idea for submitting a research grant to create their own tool. From there they will discuss book development process (with opportunity for group discussion on what items a CLS may want to include and why), meeting with the illustrator, stakeholder surveys, and how to make sure the tool meets requirements at your institution (by discussing content review/approval at their organization). Lastly, the speakers will touch on the IRB process (identifying verified tools, consents, communication with research community) and how they are measuring the effectiveness of using this tool versus their standard practice. 

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. SESSION 5 PDU 1

1.   Beyond the Hospital: Creating a School Based Child Life Program  (C10)        

(Intermediate) Domain: Professional Responsibility   

Sarah Miller, MA, CCLS Renewal Room Coordinator, Golden Valley River School

Ryan Sutton, M.Ed. Principal, Goldan Valley River School 

Presentation will outline the creation of a school-based program for a K-8th grade school that utilizes the principles and expertise of a Certified Child Life Specialist to meet the social, emotional, and developmental needs of children in a post-pandemic climate by providing them with a peaceful space to take a break when dysregulated or upset, as well as receive skilled support with coping, self-regulation, conflict management, and mindfulness.  

2.  HEART Program: A creative and healing program in an outpatient setting  (C46)

(Intermediate) Domain: Intervention 

Natalie Chicas, MA, CCLS / Shriners Children’s Southern California

Samantha Castillo, MS, CCLS / Shriners Children’s Southern California

This session will discuss a creative and healing arts program developed by child life specialists in an outpatient facility. The HEART (Healing Environments, Arts, Resources and Therapies) Program brings together powerful restorative experiences and therapies to enhance the recovery process for our patients and their families – healing mind, body, and spirit. We will discuss how to work with other disciplines to enhance patient care. We will also review types of programs, benefits and budget. 

Professional Development Units

A PDU is a unit of measure for tracking professional development credits and are used towards recertification for the Child Life Specialist (CCLS) credential. Certificates of attendance will be provided for attendees with the completion of program evaluation. 

Please save your conference program and Certificate as proof of your attendance. 

*All PDUs must be recorded in increments of at least 30 minutes or .5 PDU.