Nonprofit leaders from across the United States came to Waco this year for the annual Coalition of Residential Excellence (CORE) Conference hosted by Methodist Children’s Home. The conference, a national gathering for residential care providers serving children and youth, took place Oct. 9-11.
CORE is described as “an alliance of programs who are dedicated and passionate about residential care for children and youth in need. CORE works to establish excellence for residential care; assists programs in achieving excellence; influences policymakers to recognize the need for residential programs; and promotes public support for residential excellence, research and practice.”
The conference theme this year was “Reframing the Future.” Moe Dozier, vice president for programs at MCH, said the theme referred to several changes that happened this year at the state and federal level affecting caregiving agencies and how those changes could affect the future.
“This coalition promotes best practices for residential programs and it also gives us a voice at the federal level,” Dozier said. “This conference is an opportunity for professional development and to collaborate and dialogue with other agencies.”
Speakers included Don Forrester, executive director of CORE; Dr. David Cross, Rees-Jones director at Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University; Lyle Mason, executive director of Magnolia Foundation; and several representatives from other caregiving agencies including Buckner International, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, Milton Hershey School, and Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch.
MCH had several speakers including Dozier; Rebekah Powell, program specialist; and Brooke Davilla, director of MCH Family Outreach in Waco. Powell and Davilla shared information on trauma-wise care and enriching staff proficiency. Dozier shared a presentation about trauma-wise living spaces. As part of his presentation, participants were given a tour of the new home design that has been implemented on the Waco campus as part of the Building Hope Capital Campaign. •
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