Conference Focuses on Child Care Needs

Casa Pacifica and the Ventura County Department of Behavioral Health held a mini-conference Thursday aimed at child care and psychology professionals.

More than 75 psychologists, child-care professionals and foster-care providers attended the conference on the grounds of the children’s shelter and residential treatment program, to decide future conference topics and learn about the newest in psychotherapy.

Joan Lovett discussed a new technology used throughout the country called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing--a treatment for those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders.

Other topics for future presentations include bipolar disorders in children, identifying unmet needs in Ventura County’s system of care, communication between public and private service providers, medications used in treating psychiatric disorders and severe emotional disturbances, and the impacts of welfare reform.

“It provided a forum for bringing together people who are interested in working with children to talk about the kinds of things that we’re doing and find out what resources are available,” said Debbie Pell, a marriage, family and child counselor and Casa Pacifica shelter director.

To maintain the momentum begun Thursday, the committee is considering offering the mini-conferences on a quarterly basis. For more information, call 445-7800.