Empowering Communities for Brighter Futures
A New England Approach to Youth Diversion
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Grappone Conference Center
Concord, NH
Summit Sessions
New sessions are being added everyday! Check back often!
Two exciting opportunities to see Dr. Vincent speak at the 2026 Summit…
Keynote Presentation | 8:50am-9:50am
Using Risks, Protective Factors, and Science to Maximize Youths’ Success
This presentation draws from years of research on implementing risk-need-responsivity approaches, and recent findings from the Youth Protective Factor Study to provide practical information about improving youth outcomes. Use of risk assessment and diversion efforts result in better outcomes than business as usual.
Snapshot Session | 11:40am-12:20pm
Risk Screening: What to Use and How?
This presentation will provide a review of existing risk screening instruments, how to choose the best fit for your system, and the use of screening to guide diversion decisions.
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Block A | 10:10 – 11:25
Block A | 10:10 – 11:25
Track: Diversion Models, Programs & Practices
Same Skills, Different Places: DBT Across Settings
Psychological health skills are essential for youth success, yet many non-clinical professionals lack structured tools to teach them. Principles from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) will be explored in ways that translate effectively into diversion, school, and community settings. Participants will gain developmentally appropriate strategies to strengthen emotional regulation and decision-making.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Differentiate psychological skill-building from general coping strategies.
- Integrate at least one DBT-informed technique into a youth-serving setting.
Presenter
Beth Salvi-Hudgins, LICSW
Founder
DBT For You
Block A | 10:10 – 11:25
Track: Systems, Collaboration & Measuring Impact
All Roads Lead to Diversion: Statewide Tools and Local Innovation
Expanding diversion statewide requires more than vision—it requires structure. Statewide toolkits, program directories, and coordinated guidance are helping jurisdictions strengthen and expand youth diversion access. Participants will examine how state-level infrastructure supports local innovation and improves consistency across communities.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate how statewide diversion tools can strengthen local program development.
- Identify one opportunity to expand diversion access within their system.
Presenter
Megan Horton, BA, BS, MS, JD
Supervisor, Youth Justice Team
Indiana Office of Court Services
Block A | 10:10 – 11:25
Track: Equity, Youth Voice & Relationship-Centered Practice
Circle Process: Reflect on and Enhance Our Work with Youth
New England Diversion staff hold significant knowledge and experience working with youth and their families but rarely have the opportunity to reflect and learn from each other. This session will create the conditions for reflective sharing, inviting participants’ stories and wisdom from the work, as well as sharing resources and ideas. By the end of the session, participants will have expanded their network of colleagues, learned about each others’ practices with youth, and experienced a circle process.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Connect with colleagues from across New England to share and learn effective diversion practices.
- Identify one new strategy to enhance youth engagement and accountability.
Presenters
Marc Wennberg, BA
Principal Consultant
Community Reentry
Jon Kidde, MSW
Principal Consultant
Green Omega, L3C
Block A | 10:10 – 11:25
Track: Equity, Youth Voice & Relationship-Centered Practice
Controlled Fire: Where Lived Experience and Law Enforcement Partnerships Ignite Change with High-Risk Youth
An innovative diversion model is redefining collaboration by pairing mentors with lived experience alongside law enforcement and corrections to support high-risk, justice-involved youth. Participants will explore how clearly defined roles, shared accountability, and coordinated system navigation strengthen engagement and outcomes. Practical strategies for building sustainable cross-sector partnerships will be examined, with attention to equity and youth-centered practice.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Analyze how lived-experience mentors enhance engagement and accountability within diversion ecosystems.
- Develop one actionable strategy to strengthen collaboration between mentors and system partners.
Presenters
Evenor Pineda
Intervention Services Director
Manchester Police Athletic League
Tony Hebert
Intervention Specialist-CHOICES Youth Mentor/Advocate
Manchester Police Athletic League
Block A | 10:10 – 11:25
Track: Equity, Youth Voice & Relationship-Centered Practice
Recovery Allyship: What does it mean and how to support youth & families affected by problematic substance use
Substance use among justice-involved youth demands responses grounded in health, dignity, and partnership. Recovery allyship reframes engagement by emphasizing nonjudgmental language, stigma reduction, and resource connection. Participants will examine practical approaches to building recovery-friendly diversion environments that strengthen youth and family outcomes.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate use of recovery-supportive language.
- Develop one strategy to strengthen recovery-friendly practices.
Presenters
Heidi Cloutier, MSW
Co-Director of Training, Director of Wildcats for Recovery
University of New Hampshire Center for Children’s Behavioral Health
Michelle Lennon, CRSW
President/CEO
Archways Resource Center
Block B | 1:30 – 2:45
Block B | 1:30 – 2:45
Track: Diversion Models, Programs & Practices
Moving from Punitive Diversion to a Community-Based Restorative Model
Transitioning from punitive approaches to a restorative, trauma-informed model requires intentional redesign. Connecticut’s experience will be explored, including policy revisions, partnership development, implementation, and the lessons learned. Participants will reflect on their own systems and identify opportunities for restorative growth.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate diversion practices for restorative alignment.
- Identify one system-level change to increase equity and engagement.
Presenters
Joe Brummer, BA
Founder
Joe Brummer Consulting, LLC
Erica Bromley, MSW
Founder
KADE Consulting
Block B | 1:30 – 2:45
Track: Systems, Collaboration & Measuring Impact
Drug Endangered Children: New Research Findings to Enhance Community Response
Emerging research highlights the complex relationship between parental substance use, childhood adversity, social determinants of health, and long-term behavioral health outcomes. Findings from the Growing Up with Opioids (GrowingOp) Study will be reviewed, with attention to implications for prevention, intervention, and cross-system collaboration. Participants will examine how data-informed practice can strengthen community responses to drug endangered children.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Analyze how parental substance use and co-occurring adversities influence youth behavioral health outcomes.
- Identify at least one research-informed strategy to strengthen prevention or intervention efforts in their community.
Presenters
Dr. Deirdre Colburn, PhD
Research Scientist
Crimes against Children Research Center
Dr. Kimberly Mitchell, PhD
Research Professor
Crimes against Children Research Center
Block B | 1:30 – 2:45
Track: Equity, Youth Voice & Relationship-Centered Practice
Circle Process: Reflect on and Enhance Our Work with Harmed Parties
Engaging harmed parties in diversion work requires intention, structure, and restorative skill. This facilitated circle creates space for professionals to reflect on their experiences, share effective strategies, and explore challenges in supporting harmed parties and their families. Through experiential participation and guided dialogue, participants will deepen their understanding of restorative engagement while strengthening cross-state peer connections.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Connect with colleagues from across New England to share and learn effective diversion practices
- Identify at least one strategy to strengthen restorative engagement with harmed parties and their families in diversion settings.
Presenters
Marc Wennberg, BA
Principal Consultant
Community Reentry
Jon Kidde, MSW
Principal Consultant
Green Omega, L3C
Block B | 1:30 – 2:45
Track: Equity, Youth Voice & Relationship-Centered Practice
Using Lived Experiences to Inform Practice Innovation with Dual System-Involved Youth
Practice innovation is strengthened when youth voice informs system design. This session explores how lived experience narratives contribute to more responsive, equitable approaches for dual system-involved youth. Participants will examine research-informed programs that center experiential insight and engage in discussion about integrating lived experience into diversion and child welfare practice.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the role of lived experience narratives in shaping effective practice with dual system-involved youth.
- Develop one strategy to incorporate lived experience perspectives into program design or service delivery.
Presenter
Dr. Sherri Y Simmons-Horton, PhD, MSW
Associate Professor
University of New Hampshire, Social Work
Block C | 3:15 – 4:30
Block C | 3:15 – 4:30
Track: Diversion Models, Programs & Practices
SMART Girls: Trauma-Informed, Gender-Specific Strategies for Court-Involved Youth
Gender-responsive diversion requires approaches tailored to the lived experiences of court-involved girls. The SMART Girls model integrates trauma-informed care, social-emotional skill development, and peer collaboration to strengthen resilience and engagement. Participants will examine practical tools and implementation strategies that enhance outcomes for girls in diversion and juvenile accountability settings.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify key components of trauma-informed, gender-responsive diversion programming.
- Develop one actionable step to strengthen gender-specific practices within their own program or court setting.
Presenter
Aisha Paraham, MSW
Juvenile Program Administrator
DeKalb County Juvenile Court
Block C | 3:15 – 4:30
Track: Systems, Collaboration & Measuring Impact
Better Together: Juvenile Prosecutors & Court Diversion
Collaboration between prosecutors and diversion programs can significantly influence youth outcomes. Strategies for coordinated engagement will be examined, highlighting how accountability and rehabilitation can coexist. Participants will explore approaches that reduce unnecessary court involvement while maintaining public safety and fairness.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify collaborative practices that strengthen prosecutor–diversion partnerships.
- Develop one action step to enhance cross-system coordination.
Presenter
Katherine J. Muzzy
Prosecutor
Londonderry Police Department
Block C | 3:15 – 4:30
Track: Equity, Youth Voice & Relationship-Centered Practice
Exploring Mindfulness within the Framework of Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-informed mindfulness prioritizes safety, choice, and empowerment when working with justice-involved youth. Participants will explore how traditional mindfulness practices can be adapted to include grounding techniques, movement, and external focus to reduce retraumatization and increase accessibility. Practical tools will be examined to support both youth resilience and provider well-being.
Following this session, participants will be able to:
- Differentiate trauma-informed mindfulness from traditional mindfulness approaches.
- Apply at least one grounding or movement-based mindfulness strategy in a youth-serving setting.
Presenter
Tabetha Leach
PILOT Program Coordinator
Dover Children's Home
New sessions are being added everyday! Check back often!
This event is managed by the NH Juvenile Court Diversion Network (NHJCDN). For more information about the NHJCDN, please return to the NHJCDN Home page.
NH Juvenile Court Diversion Network
10 Ferry Street, Suite 315
Concord, NH 03301
This publication was financed under a Contract with the State of New Hampshire, Department of Health and Human Services. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.