Toxic thoughts, depression, and anxiety- our mental mess- are frequently aggravated by a chaotic world and sustained by an inability to manage our runaway thoughts. But we shouldn't settle into this mental mess as if it's just our new normal. Hope and help are available to us, and the road to healthier thoughts and peak happiness may be shorter than you think.  

You will learn the following in this session: 

• How the five steps can help reduce anxiety and depression by up to 81%, according to clinical studies.  
• How science can help us transition from being aware of toxic thoughts to catching and managing them in their early stages.  
• How to capitalize on directed neuroplasticity using the Neurocycle. 
• To apply mind-management to unwire toxic habits and trauma.  
• How to leverage the lessons in the book for their daily lifestyle, including connection, brain-building, sleep, diet, exercise, people-pleasing, toxic perfectionism, overthinking, toxic emails and texts.
• Why mindfulness is not enough and how strategic mind-management through the five steps can take a reader beyond mindfulness. 

Challenging times call for champion leaders. Unfortunately, we have a tendency to talk more about our villains and vices than our victories. In this session I posit a simple question: Could organizational, cultural, or personal hardship be making a heroic leader out of you? Your challenges could be making you the champion your organization needs to accomplish its mission.    

Here’s what you’ll learn:   

• Why your organization needs heroic leaders  
• The 7 Virtues of heroic leaders  
• A 6-Part Heroic Leadership Development Framework that will help your organization create a pipeline of heroic leaders   
• How to overcome the #1 enemy of heroic leaders  
• How to leverage organizational hardship to create heroic leaders 

This session will provide general information on how families may access financial assistance for childcare. The session will cover the availability of services, specific eligibility criteria, and income guidelines.

Join us to learn about preschool suspension and expulsion and work happening in South Carolina to define the issue, develop policy, and support the workforce to reduce or eliminate the use of these practices in early childhood settings in South Carolina. 

During this session, we will describe the policy landscape in our state related to suspension and expulsion. We will explore the process used to draft definitions that can be shared across the early childhood system to develop policies and professional development to reduce or eliminate these exclusionary practices in early childhood. We will highlight current supports in SC to prevent the use of these practices. Lastly, we will solicit feedback from attendees related to their current needs related to suspension and expulsion in their work.  

This session will explore recent developments in South Carolina that allow for greater opportunities for persons with disabilities, outline some remaining barriers, and provide a roadmap for true disability inclusion in our communities.

Participants will gain a brief history of the Americans with Disabilities Act, its application today, tools for effective coalition building for legislative and regulatory advocacy, and practices to promote accessibility in their workplace and community.

Have you incorporated AI into your daily workflow? Learn more about AI in this engaging session. 

In 2021 in SC, there were 8,949 founded investigations of child abuse and neglect involving 9,619 cases of neglect and 3,253 cases of abuse. While those numbers alone are startling, the effects of the maltreatment likely won't be seen for years to come. Events like these can lead to negative health and social outcomes in adulthood, and prevention is critical. Children's Trust of SC supports multiple programs and has developed strategic pathways to prevention. This session will paint a picture of child maltreatment and share what we're doing about it.

Discover the things you need to write winning proposals in this session.

Maya Pack, MS, MPA, executive director of the SC Institute of Medicine & Public Health (IMPH) will discuss the Long Term Care Taskforce and Leadership Council, which have been working to inform long-term care policy for disabled and aging populations since 2013. A recent highlight is their collective work to inform policy to improve our state’s ability to effectively recruit, train and retain direct care workers. SC's use of ARPA funds to support this workforce will be explored and you’ll be invited to provide recommendations for the training and certification of SC’s direct care workforce. Additionally, IMPH will share their recent work on social isolation among older adults and what our state can do to combat the negative health impacts of social isolation.

There are so many messages competing for the attention of those you serve. The question is not only if your message is clear but how does your message overcome the noise of so many other marketing messages. During this session, I will arm attendees with strategies and tactics to "equalize" their marketing messages for greater clarity and volume, so their messages can overcome the noise and reach more people than expected.

Children are spending less time outdoors immersed in nature. The time children spend outdoors and their relationship with nature helps them understand the world and wonder surrounding them while impacting their overall well-being. As childhood has moved indoors, reconnecting children to the natural world is critical to lessen the negative effects on children's physical, cognitive and emotional development. This presentation will address why it is important to connect children and nature and how to enhance outdoor spaces where children spend time. The research will be summarized, and lessons learned will be shared.

This session aims to shed light on the unique challenges faced by veterans and the comprehensive support systems designed to address their needs. During this session, we will explore a range of topics, including healthcare services, mental health support, housing assistance, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, and educational resources tailored specifically for veterans. Our panelists, comprising of veterans themselves and professionals in the field, will share their insights and experiences, providing valuable information on accessing and maximizing these supportive services, as well as the eligibility criteria and application processes associated with each. Additionally, we will explore the importance of community engagement and collaboration in ensuring the successful implementation of these services.   

South Carolina has several organizations that support affordable housing, including housing authorities, non-profit organizations, and state agencies. Learn about the comprehensive approaches and innovative solutions that are addressing housing needs across the state. This session promises to provide valuable insights into the current landscape and future prospects of affordable housing, equipping you with a deeper understanding of this critical issue.

How does your organization measure its performance against its stated mission? Patrick will share research from his Ph.D. studies, illustrating the three levels at which nonprofits measure (or don't measure) their work. From business metrics to program outcome measurement to community-level metrics, Patrick will share examples at each level, help participants examine their mission statements, and more effectively communicate their impact. This workshop will be highly interactive as the group challenges and helps each other with live coaching from Patrick.

Extensive research has explored and documented the importance of early experiences and how they shape the growth and development of young children. Promoting children's social-emotional health in these early years is essential to South Carolina's bright future. Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) promotes strong emotional health through a continuum of multidisciplinary services and supports essential in healthy development, preventing mental health problems, and treating mental health disorders. SC Infant Mental Health Associate is an interdisciplinary association of professionals working to promote nurturing relationships for infants, young children and their families through resources, policies and practices to foster positive mental health and well-being.

Join us for an engaging breakout session that delves into the world of supportive services for older adults. As our population ages, it becomes increasingly important to provide comprehensive care and assistance to enhance the physical, emotional, and social well-being of our senior community members. This session will explore the various types of supportive services available, including healthcare, social services, and community resources. Our expert panel of professionals in the field will share their insights and experiences, providing valuable information on best practices, successful case studies, and the latest research findings. Whether you are a healthcare professional, caregiver, or simply interested in learning more about this vital topic, you will gain a deeper understanding of the programs that are available to promote independence, dignity, and overall well-being for older adults.  

We look forward to welcoming you to this informative and inspiring session! 

What if we could make it easier to navigate complex systems of available benefits? What if we could reduce duplication of work and address health holistically, connecting health care providers and social care providers through a shared network, using a common language? SC Thrive’s Thrive Hub is a South Carolina specific social care platform that is an essential part of the evolving social care field. It was built especially for the social serving sector with input from South Carolina social care leaders. Learn more about the different features of Thrive Hub and how technology can help you address health holistically in your community.

Are you thinking about adding volunteers to your workflow? Volunteers CAN build capacity within your organization if you have the capacity to manage them well. This session will provide tools to help you analyze your organizational needs, promote for the volunteer position and build into your volunteers to help keep them coming back for more—retaining a volunteer = not having to do this all over again! Join me in ways to help you identify, recruit, train, and retain volunteers to meet your organization or program needs.

Communities in Schools is the nation’s largest provider of integrated student supports, serving 3,270 schools in 28 states and The District of Columbia. In this session, we will focus on the importance of relationships, and not just any relationship, but the Search Institute's framework around creating and sustaining Developmental Relationships. Learn how Developmental Relationships allow us to surround students with a trusted network of integrated student supports so that ultimately, we can empower students to stay in school and achieve in life!  

Discover more of Thrive Hub's Case Management capabilities during this live demo.

More than one million lives were lost to COVID-19, and many of these deaths unexpectedly happened to the young and old. In many cases of these unexpected deaths, family members did not have an opportunity to discuss with their loved ones what mattered most. This interactive session will focus on the benefits of early advance care planning conversations with our loved ones, patients and clients. We will address the myths about end-of-life conversations and explore options for community support when a loved one becomes seriously ill.

From insurance to fundraising compliance and corporate governance to employment issues, the nonprofit staff makes daily decisions that have a legal impact. Don't let the boring title fool you! This session will use stories and examples to review the areas with the greatest risk for nonprofit organizations. It will offer short checklists to help you and your staff make good decisions for your organization.