5th Annual Northeast Juvenile Firesetting Conference

5th Annual Northeast Juvenile Firesetting Conference

It's Never Just Firesetting: Interventions for Complicated Kids

Learn Best Practice from National Experts

Network with Professionals from Throughout the Country

Leave with Tools & Strategies You Can Use

Register by 4/1/11 & the May 12th Pre-Conference Institute is FREE!

FREE Thursday Networking Breakfast for First 40 Registrants! Sponsored by MPIUA

CLICK HERE for Printable Schedule

CLICK HERE for Accommodations & Travel Information

PAY BY CHECK: please complete online registration and on bottom right of form click "View" below "OTHER PAYMENT OPTIONS" or CLICK HERE for PRINTABLE REGISTRATION FORM and mail with check.

All workshop descriptions at bottom of page

Workshop Descriptions

Thursday, May 12th  Pre-Conference Institute

1A. Assessment, Investigation & Intervention Planning: Multi-disciplinary Training for Experienced Professionals

Successful intervention with problem firesetting often requires the active involvement and cooperation of fire service, law enforcement, and mental health professionals.  This multi-disciplinary sharing of expertise and resources is a critical component to developing responses that have a higher likelihood of eliminating problem firesetting.  This workshop will provide professionals from these groups, who have a base of experience, discipline specific guidelines for completing either a comprehensive behavioral assessments as well as law enforcement investigations.  Participants will be given the opportunity to work in multi-discipline work groups to develop assessment and investigation strategies for live case scenarios as well as developing an intervention plan in response to assessment and investigation findings.

1B. What Were You Thinking!?: Expanding Motivation Profiles

For the past several decades the motivation profiles that have been used by professionals to describe the reasons why children become involved in fire has evolved to reflect a diverse population. Understanding a youth’s motivation has always been considered as an important factor in determination of the most appropriate intervention response and this it remains a critical variable in fire prevention efforts.   In 2010, the release of the Firesetting Risk Assessment Tool-Youth (FirePsych, Inc) identified 13 individually distinct motivations for firesetting, from “simple curiosity” to “severe disturbance”. This workshop, appropriate for all disciplines and all experience levels will provide through lecture, interview excerpts, and YouTube/media examples a thorough review of the current firesetting motivation profiles as described in the FRAT-Y. Benefits and limitations of motivation profiling will also be discussed as well as tips for motivation interviewing and incorporating motivation considerations within intervention planning.

2B. A Tale of Two Interviews: Examining Fire Service and Mental Health Interview Formats

The opportunity to conduct a personal interview with a juvenile who is responsible for setting a fire presents a unique opportunity for the mental health or fire service professional to gather critical information.  While this information does not  help to predict firesetting in the future it does provide valuable direction in intervention planning.  This presentation will explore juvenile firesetting interviewing strategies and content from two perspectives, the fire service and mental health.  While they are often designed for different outcomes they can share similar strategies and skills.  An examination of the use and value of certain lines of questioning in order to develop individual intervention plans will be conducted.

Friday, May 13th Conference

General Session: Vision 20/20 in 2011- The Future of Prevention & Fire and Life Safety Education

We all know the devastation from fire that occurs every single days and we are all dedicated to making our nation safer from that devastation. The goal of Vision 20/20 is a simple one- to marshal forces for the development and support of national strategic agenda for fire loss prevention. In the spring of 2008, the Vision 20/20 National Forum brought  some of the brightest minds in fire safety together in Washington, DC to help determine how best to achieve this goal. Findings from the Vision 20/20 initiative are based on the collective knowledge of experts from across the nation of the fire problem and from experience in the field. These strategies were determined to have a direct impact on the loss of life and property from fire in both  the short and long term. This workshop will provide an overview and update on Vision 20/20 activities and online the future of fire prevention and fire and life safety education efforts in the United States. 

1. Slash and Burn: Self-Injurious Firesetting

This workshop will explore the prevalence of self-injurious behavior among adolescents with specific attention to injuries related to fire and heat as the injury source. While there is a growing number of books, articles and research focusing on the topic of self-injury, little research is available regarding its specific links to firesetting behavior. This seminar will explore the relationship between the two along with how to distinguish self injury related to fire and heat from other modalities of self injury. Myths and generalizations about self-injury, the increasing rates of these behaviors across populations, and the emotions of adolescents who self injure will be identified and discussed. Potential parallels between certain clusters of firesetting youth and self harm styles will be explored along with recommended treatment approaches to utilize when developing safety plans and firesetting interventions with those who self-injure by burning.

2.There's a Kid in There! Intervening with Developmentally Disordered Youth

Youth with developmental disorders (Mental Retardation, Learning Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental disorder) often exhibit various problematic behaviors, including firesetting. These youth present with specific learning, communication, and relationship limitations that complicate and may even compromise standard assessments and intervention strategies.   Attendees in this workshop will learn the various developmental conditions, recognize how the various disorders differ from each other, identify how they impact fire setting assessment and intervention with the youth and their families, and  will also have an opportunity to learn how to conduct interviews and to assist in developing appropriate child centered interventions and educational strategies.. This workshop is designed to give fire personnel, mental health, education, and law enforcement professionals basic information about children with Developmental Disorders. It is also designed to give interventionist concrete tools to work with special needs youth that are involved with firesetting.

3. Resist the Cookie-Cutter: Interventions for Diverse Cultures

This interactive workshop will take a close look at challenges encountered when working with familes of firesetting juveniles who are from diverse cultural groups and/or are challenged financially. This is not a cookie-cutter program, but what you will discover are best practices for reaching your target audience including how to build trust to influence behavioral change. Additionally, this workshop will explore the "Fire Is" program as a resource for working with families who speak different languages and some strategies imperative for first responders. We'll take a close look at a community through the eyes of an individual coming from another country; we'll discover what the true borders are that keep us from mitigating the fire problem.

4. RAPP-TAPP, Open the Door! Engaging At-Risk Children Under 12

This workshop will share strategies for working with young children( under twelve) using the belief that as interventionists we must engage children and their families when they are interested and promote efficient change.  RAPP-TAPP-C is a project that was developed in late 2008 by Vanier Children Services after they received federal funding to pilot a program for children under 12 who were coming to the attention of police and fire services. A specific component of the program, “The Arson Prevention Program-Children” (TAPP-C), serves children who have involvement with fire activities and aims to engage these children and their parents in  treatment services and education to de-escalate the behavior and to develop healthier coping skills for managing stressful situations and emotions. During this workshop many of the evaluation measures being used will be shared so that participants can incorporate them into their own screenings, assessments, or interventions.  Presenters will share pre and post testing information as well as the Arson Prevention Assessment and Intervention tools developed by Dr. Sherri Mackay of the Arson Prevention Program for Children in Toronto, Canada. These structured tools can be used in determining a risk level which then drives interventions.  Presenters will also share the evolution of their search for an appropriate group model to treat the children and a concurrent group for parents.

5. Stop, Swing, Swish: Sensory Strategies with Firesetting Kids

For the past several decades, literature in the field of occupational therapy has described sensory processing, disorders of sensory processing, and the behavioral and psychological effects of these disorders in children.  More recently, sensory processing disorders (SPD) have been studied in teens and adults, and the relationships among SPD, trauma histories, and impaired functioning within different settings have been of particular interest and emphasis in clinical practice.  Children and teens with firesetting histories often present specific instances of these multiple risk factors. This workshop, appropriate for all disciplines and experience levels, will discuss sensory processing disorders and firesetting behaviors, as well as one example of treatment, including co-treatment within a residential treatment center for boys.

6. Understanding Autism: Response and Impact on Fire Safety Education

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing neurobiological condition in the world. With prevalence numbers rising exponentially over the last six decades, more and more families are living with ASD than ever before. In the United States, one in every 150 American children will have ASD, and it is estimated that figure is one in every 90 boys. Western Europe and Canada carry similar, if not higher numbers, and Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa also face challenges due to their rising numbers and the increasing obstacles to accessing care. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe. This workshop will provide the audience with an overview of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), growth rates, theories, common characteristics, effective communication methods, behavioral symptoms, sensory issues, and some practical skills on how to effectively interact with a person with ASD. Captain Cannata will provide information on how responders can develop relationships with the autism community by working proactively with families, advocacy organizations and school systems. through community days (open house for families of people with ASD), 911 registrations, and how responders can help families prepare for a 911 emergency. Model programs already in use will be reviewed. Fire and Life Safety education for people will ASD will be discussed.