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Conference Program

14^th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect
Gateways to Prevention
March 21 - April 5, 2003
St. Louis, Missouri

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

On behalf of the National and Local Planning Committees and Conference staff, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 14^th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect.

St. Louis, with its world-famous arch, embodies this year's theme, Gateways to Prevention. Budget constraints, particularly at the state level, will undoubtedly impact the work we do in local communities across the country and challenge us to be even more creative in responding to the needs of at-risk children and families. Toward that end, we hope you find that this 14^th National Conference expands your horizons, brings you new knowledge and skills, and strengthens your support networks among colleagues in the field.

Many people have been involved in bringing this 14^th National Conference to fruition. Our deep appreciation to Susan Orr, Associate Commissioner, Children's Bureau, who set the tone and provided overall direction for the Conference. We are grateful to Catherine Nolan, Director of the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect, and Irene Bocella, Federal Project Officer for the Conference, for their guidance and unwavering support throughout the planning process and for the role they played in the development of this program.

The National Planning Committee worked hard to ensure that the Conference program reflected the diversity of our field and opened the door to emerging leaders and innovative approaches to practice. It has been a privilege and an honor to work with the co-sponsoring organizations, so many of which have worked with us in the past. Their involvement speaks volumes about their dedication to the field and to these national training conferences. We are pleased to recognize the staff and volunteers of Prevent Child Abuse Missouri, our local host agency, and its Executive Director Lucia Erikson-Kincheloe. Their hard work and resourcefulness has contributed to the success of this Conference.

We extend our gratitude to Kim Amos, Associate Project Director, and to the Conference staff. Their hard work and commitment has been essential to the planning, organization, and implementation of this Conference.

It has been both a challenge and an honor to serve as the Project Director for the 14^th National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect. I hope you will take full advantage of the opportunities available at the Conference, and that it will serve as a source of information and inspiration as you continue your efforts to improve lives of children and families and the communities in which they live.

With warm regards,

Dorothy V. Harris, ACSW
Project Director

Updated on February 24, 2010