Save-the-date

October 28-30, 2026

Hosted by DuPage County

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 

8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  Committee Meetings

8:30 a.m.     Representative Chair

9:00 a.m.     Supervisor

9:00 a.m.      Program

9:00 a.m.      Detention

9:00 a.m.      Officer Safety and Wellness

9:30 a.m.      Membership

10:00 a.m.     CMO/Legislative

10:00 a.m.     Awards

10:00 a.m.     Problem-Solving Courts/Substance Abuse

10:00 a.m.     Sex Offender

10:00 a.m.     Juvenile

10:00 a.m.     Interstate/Intrastate

11:00 a.m.     Information Technology (previously Research & Technology)

11:00 a.m.     Pretrial

11:00 a.m.     Human Advocacy

Lunch Provided 12:00 p.m. -1:30 p.m.

Wednesday, October 28, 2026     1:30-4:30 p.m.

Featuring Amanda Carrasco:  Amanda Carrasco is a family survivor of homicide and sexual assault who uses her experiences to impact the lives of her community and those impacted by the justice system. She is a successful global business owner, dynamic speaker, consultant, and leader who values community and justice.

Wednesday Evening Event:  Information coming soon!

Thursday, October 29, 2026 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Workshops 8:30-11:30 a.m.-3 hour session

• Let’s Be Safe-Home Contact Training (Les Niemi); Tara Woodard):  Field safety and taking precautions is essential when preparing for field contacts. In this course, officers will learn the importance of situational awareness and having a proactive assessment of potential risks. Learners will examine how relational skills, the need for preparation, flexibility/adaptation, the environment, and surroundings impact a successful field visit, from both the officer’s and client’s perspective. Officers will review the safety differences of rural, urban, and suburban visits. Lastly, the course will outline AOIC casework standards and internal policies and procedures regarding field visits.

Workshops 8:30-10:30 a.m.-2 hours session.  

• Field Visits-Philosophy and Purpose (Mary Colleen Powers; Becky Self; Tara Woodard):  Knock, knock…home visits shouldn’t be a stumbling block. This course will help Probation Officers conducting field work incorporate best practices to use while in the field. It will cover AOIC casework standards related to fieldwork and help officers learn to utilize evidence-based practices while completing home visits, field visits, school visits, or any other field related visits. The focus will be on the issue of addressing responsivity/barriers our clients experience, the importance of building relationships through a professional alliance with clients, recognizing the benefits and challenges of working with a client in their natural environment, forming professional relationships with collateral contacts, developing goal-oriented conversations in the field, and will look into the legal aspects related to field work.

Workshops 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.  (1 1/2 hour sessions)

• Communicate to Connect (Mike Drugan):  Strengthen probation officers’ ability to build rapport, manage challenging conversations, and improve compliance outcomes through focused active listening and professional communication techniques.
• Amanda Carrasco Breakout Session (adult)
• How Probation & Detention can work Collaboratively Together to Create a Connected System of Care (Becky Self &Kristen Garfield-Gentile): Youth involved in the juvenile justice system often experience multiple transitions between detention and community supervision. When detention officers and juvenile probation officers operate as a coordinated team rather than separate systems, youth receive more consistent expectations, stronger support, and better opportunities for long-term success. This interactive training explores how both roles can work collaboratively to create a seamless continuum of care that promotes positive youth development, accountability, skill building, and successful community reintegration. Participants will examine the unique responsibilities of detention and probation staff while identifying opportunities to improve communication, information sharing, case planning, behavioral interventions, and family engagement.
• Ireland Youth Justice Agency (Panel)

Workshops 10:00-11:30 a.m.  (1 1/2 hour sessions)

• Amanda Carrasco Breakout Session (adult)
• Use of Evidence-Based Practices with Specialized Populations (Becky Self &Kristen Garfield-Gentile): Core Correctional Practices (CCP) have been shown to improve client engagement, increase motivation for change, and reduce recidivism when implemented with fidelity. While the foundational CCP skills remain the same, effective implementation requires officers to adapt their communication, coaching, and intervention strategies to meet the unique responsivity needs of different populations.  This course provides probation and court services professionals with practical strategies for applying Core Correctional Practices when supervising specialized populations, including justice-involved individuals with serious mental illness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, individuals convicted of sexual offenses, domestic violence offenders, DUI offenders, and juveniles on probation. Participants will examine the unique criminogenic risks, responsivity factors, communication barriers, and supervision challenges associated with each population while maintaining fidelity to evidence-based practices.
• Ireland Youth Justice Agency (panel)

Workshops 11:00 a.m.-12:00p.m. (1 hour sessions)

• Every Journey Begins with First Steps:  Creating a Professional Development Continuum in Community Corrections (Linda O’Brien):  From the first day on the job to the first day in leadership, employee development should be intentional-no incidental.  This interactive workshop explores how one probation department transformed a structured onboarding pilot program into a comprehensive professional development continuum.  Participants will learn how the Probation Promenade evolved into a framework that supports employees through onboarding, the critical first year, new supervisor development, and emerging leadership.  Through practical examples, pilot outcomes, and interactive discussion, attendees will leave with scalable strategies to strengthen retention, engagement, succession planning, and organizational culture within their own agencies.

• Juvenile Probation Transformation (Melissa Spooner)

Lunch Provided 12:00 – 1:30

Workshops 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (3 hour session)

• Let’s Be Safe – repeated session

Workshops 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. (1 1/2 hour sessions)

• Reclaim 13
• Integrating a Brain Injury Approach to Support Clients and Improve Supervision Outcomes (Tim McGavin):  In a previous workshop (Spring Conference), attendees learned about the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the criminal justice system and how agencies can screen for TBI.  This workshop will focus on strategies to effectively engage and work with a client impacted by TBI.  A quick review  of items previously covered will be followed by practical steps officers can take with clients including use of Motivational Interviewing through a brain injury lens.
• Amanda Carrasco Breakout Session (juvenile)
• Hearing Voices (Session limited to 25 participants)(Rachel Rubino; William Rabulinksi; Lupe Blanco):  The Hearing Distressing Voices Simulation is a groundbreaking, empathy-building experience that helps students, mental health professionals and first responders understand the challenges and strengths of people who experience psychosis.
• Communicate to Connect-repeat session

Workshops 3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. (1 1/2 hour sessions)

• Crisis Center
• Integrating a Brain Injury Approach to Support Clients and Improve Supervision Outcomes-repeat session (Tim McGavin):  n a previous workshop (Spring Conference), attendees learned about the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the criminal justice system and how agencies can screen for TBI.  This workshop will focus on strategies to effectively engage and work with a client impacted by TBI.  A quick review  of items previously covered will be followed by practical steps officers can take with clients including use of Motivational Interviewing through a brain injury lens.
• Amanda Carrasco Breakout Session (juvenile)
• Problem-Solving Courts:  An Overview and Role Specific Training (Bill Blundell & Deena Kuranda):  This interactive workshop provides participants with a comprehensive overview of problem-solving courts, including their purpose, core principles, and evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for individuals involved in the justice system.  Attendees will explore the collaborative, multidisciplinary approach that distinguishes problem-solving courts from traditional court models and examine the roles of key stakeholders throughout the process. The second half of the workshop focuses on role-specific training, allowing participants to gain practical knowledge and skills tailored to their responsibilities within the problem-solving court team.  Judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, treatment providers, probation officers, coordinators, law enforcement and other team members wills strengthen their understanding of their unique roles while learning strategies to enhance collaboration, communication, and fidelity to best practices.

(Workshop schedule is tentative.  Additional information added daily)

6:00 – 7:00 p.m.  Social Hour

7:00 -10:00 p.m.  Annual Awards Banquet & Ceremony

Registration Information Coming Soon!