Past Trainings
Coercive Control: The Foundation of Domestic Abuse
7/14/2025
10:00am - 12:00pm EST
Virtual via Zoom
Coercive control, more recently being understood as the foundation of domestic abuse, is based on one person exerting power and control over another. The intent is to diminish the victim’s personhood. Offenders wield their control through various strategies including psychological tactics, financial and legal abuse, sexual abuse and use of the children as weapons. Additionally, when the adult victim ultimately decides to exit the relationship, the coercive control often intensifies, known as Post Separation Abuse (PSA). The nuances of this abuse make it often difficult for even the most astute of us to recognize. Learning the red flags and supporting both adult and child victims of this abuse is the primary goal of this workshop.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
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Develop an understanding of Coercive Control and the tactics used by coercive controllers [abusers] to harm adult and child victims.
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Clarify an understanding of the tactics of coercive controllers [abusers] utilized via the judicial system, including Post Separation Abuse.
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Examine the nuances of personality traits that lead to our [incorrect] association with “high conflict” cases.
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Create an awareness of the manifestations of trauma that we may see from victims-survivors.
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Presented by
Dr. Christine M. Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW
Emergency Preparedness for Beaver County
6/6/2025
10:00am EST
Beaver County Emergency Services
351 14th Street Ambridge, PA 15003
Would you know what to do, where to go and how to stay safe in a major emergency or catastrophic event?
Join experts Kevin Whipple and Eric Brewer from Beaver County Emergency Management Services and learn important information about:
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Creating Emergency Plans: Learn how to develop a family emergency plan, including communication strategies and meeting points.
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Building Emergency Kits: Knowing what essentials to include, such as food, water, medications, first aid supplies, and tools.
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Evacuation Procedures: How to safely evacuate your home or workplace and understanding local evacuation routes.
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Communication During Crises: Using tools like NOAA weather radios and local alert systems to stay informed.
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Working with Emergency Services: Understanding how and when to contact local authorities and support services.
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Protecting Vulnerable Groups: Tailor emergency plans for children, the elderly, or pets.
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Community Preparedness: How to collaborate with neighbors and local organizations to ensure collective safety.​
Presented by
Kevin Whipple, Deputy Director
Eric Brewer, Director
Beaver County Emergency Services
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Mandated Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse: Knowing Your Role in the Protection of Children
5/15/2025
9:00am EST
Location:
Sisters of St. Joseph - Baden
1020 State Street
Baden, PA 15005
Receive in-person training from a local victim services professional who is an expert in recognizing and reporting child abuse and provide comprehensive services to victims and families in your community.
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This in-person training, “Mandated Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse: Knowing Your Role in the Protection of Children”, is approved by the Departments of Human Services, Education and State, is eligible for Act 48 hours and meets the requirements for training under Act 126. This training also includes continuing education for licensees in a health-related field.
Training objectives:
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Learn the elements of child abuse, definitions and categories of abuse.
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Your duties as a mandated reporter, including how to make a report and protections for those who report.
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The connection between child abuse and neglect and long-term health outcomes.
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Signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect.
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How to respond to a disclosure of child abuse.
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Practice scenarios to help build your confidence.
Presented by
Stacie Scheel,
Community Education Specialist, Women’s Center of Beaver County
4/11/2025
9:00am - 4:00pm EST
Virtual via Zoom
Bridges out of Poverty
Individual Lens Workshop
This workshop is a comprehensive approach to understanding poverty. Bridges Out of Poverty uses the lens of economic class and provides concrete tools and strategies for a community to understand, address, and alleviate poverty.
Participants of this workshop will:
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Examine the resources by which you create stability
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Discover the causes of poverty
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Create and analyze mental models of economic environments
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Discover the hidden rules of economic classes
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Analyze language and story structures
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Discuss stability within family and support systems and the importance of building social capital
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Learn new tools and strategies for improving relationships and outcomes
Presented by
aha! Process, Inc
a Ruby Payne company
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3/28/2025
9:00am EST
Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit
147 Poplar Dr.
Monaca, Pa 15061
Brain Injury 101
This training will discuss the basics of brain injury: what it is; how often it happens—and to whom; and its effects on thinking and behavior. It will also describe basic interventions to improve everyday functioning and communication as well as resources available in Pennsylvania.
At the end of this training, participants will be able to:
• Identify common cognitive and behavioral consequences of brain injury
• Describe those populations that are at greatest risk of brain injury
• Identify resources available to learn more and/or connect to brain injury services
Presented by
MJ Schmidt
Training and Outreach Coordinator,
Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania
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2/07/2025
9:00am -
10:00am EST
Virtual via
MS Teams
Fighting Off Fatigue, Failure & Fear; Finding Retention and Resiliency for Leaders
Presented by Laura Widger, LCSW-R and Breanne Abbott, LCSW
Laura and Bre provide an engaging presentation that normalizes the stress we encounter as helping professionals, leaders, and humans. They will not only offer you an opportunity to assess the symptoms you may be experiencing, but offer useful ways for each participant to build a tool kit for themselves, recognize their stressors, create a plan to move past survival and find a healthier more balanced version of themselves while supporting staff.
Laura and Breanne are two trauma therapists who contemplated a career change during the peak of 2020 stress, and came to the realization we must “practice what we preach or get out of the business!” Through their research and passion for helping others, they combine both their clinical knowledge with conventional wisdom to help navigate their own wellness journeys and felt inspired to share.
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Gender Diversity 201
12/9/2024
12:00pm - 3:30pm
Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit
147 Poplar Dr.
Monaca, Pa 15061
With Persad Center’s “LGBTQ+ 101” as a foundation, our “Gender Diversity 201” training focuses in on the specific experiences and needs of the Gender Diversity community; transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender fluid, etc. This training examines some of the health, social and legal disparities facing the gender diverse with a discussion of vocabulary, definitions and pronouns. We look at how living within a context of discrimination and exposure to systemic aggression and micro-aggressions can lead to internalization and unhealthy behaviors. The subject of bathroom usage and the gender diverse is covered with an overview of what guidance federal laws and statutes provide.
The workshop uses extensive hands-on activities; large and small group exercises, role playing, situational scenarios as well as individual and one-on-one activities designed to help the participant understand what their past experiences with the subject of gender have been and how that is informing their current outlook.
The program concludes with group exercises synthesizing all of the training’s elements, giving participants practical examples of what they can do to provide support and advocacy for the gender diverse community.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Participants will learn how Systemic Aggression and Micro-Aggressions can negatively effect the gender diverse.
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Participants will learn the difference between transgender and non-binary individuals.
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Participants will learn the federal laws and regulations regarding bathroom use and the gender diverse in employment settings.
Presented by
Ted Hoover
Trainer, Persad Center
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LGBTQ+ 101
11/8/2024
9:00am - 12:30pm
Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit
147 Poplar Ave.
Monaca, Pa 15061
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"LGBTQ+ 101" is a basic training covering fundamentals of the LGBTQ+ experience. We look at current terms, definitions and vocabulary; explore the social context of discrimination and examine some of the physical and behavioral disparities experienced by the LGBTQ+ community. There’s an extended look at SOGIE (Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity & Expression) with an examination of the challenges and issues facing trans and non-binary people with a discussion of current best practices for working with that population. The program finishes with a look at what you and your organization can do to create a safe, welcoming environment.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Workshop participants will learn the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity.
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Participants will learn the context of discrimination in which the LGBTQ+ develop and the wide range of health disparities growing out of that.
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Participants will learn the most current terms used by members of the transgender community.
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Participants will learn strategies and best practices for working with the trans community.
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Participants will learn some of the resources available to help them assist their LGBTQ+ clients.
Presented by
Ted Hoover
Trainer, Persad Center
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2/9/2024
11:00am EST
Exploring AI in Human Services
Join us for a dynamic and interactive workshop designed to enhance the knowledge and tools nonprofit leaders need to assess the opportunities and challenges of using Artificial Intelligence in their organizations.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital technologies, understanding how to strategically implement AI can significantly enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of nonprofit initiatives. Participants will be introduced to the three main applications of generative artificial intelligence, learn about how to conduct an organizational assessment of AI readiness and consider the elements of an AI policy for their agency.
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Presented by
Dr. Laurie Goldkind
Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University / Editor in Chief of the Journal of Technology in Human Services
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3/8/2024
9:00am EST
Trauma Informed Approaches to Staff and Organizational Well-being
In our work we often struggle to meet people where they are. Instead, we treat people as if they were where we want them to be. As we work, we also miss opportunities to recognize the impacts of trauma on staff and are unclear about strategies to balance accommodation and accountability. Together we will explore trauma’s impacts and opportunities for supporting organizational well-being.
This workshop will focus on trauma, the impacts of trauma on interactions with service participants, impacts on staff and organizations, and approaches to support staff and organizational well-being.
Presented by
Cathy Cave
National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health