Region 7 Fall Conference

Region 7 Fall Conference 2024

Friday, October 4
8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
The Buff, 16722 198th Avenue, Big Lake, MN 55309 (map)

Registration rates:

Advance registration (closes September 18): $60
Onsite registration: $65
MSSA student members: $30

CEUs: Attendees can earn up to 5 CEUs, including 2.5 hours of Ethics. This conference is approved for continuing education by the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

Other details:

Online registration closes September 18. Onsite registration will be available.
Kate Simonet will be available for a book signing after her afternoon presentation. Attendees can pre-order Kate's book, Out of the Darkness by emailing [email protected]. Presale books are $14.00 + tax. Books will also be available for sale on October 4; the cost will be $17.00 + tax. Payment methods: case, credit/debit, Venmo, or check.

Schedule

8:00 - 8:45 AM	Check-in and morning refreshments

8:45 - 9:00 AM	Welcome
	Amanda Larson, Director, Sherburne County Health and Human Services

9:00 - 11:30 AM	Advanced Ethics: Navigating the Ethical Implications of Unsheltered Populations
	Carmichael Finn (he/she/they)
	This presentation delves into the complexities of advanced ethical considerations regarding unsheltered populations. With unsheltered individuals emerging as a significant societal challenge, professionals across disciplines face ethical dilemmas that require nuanced understanding and compassionate resolution. This presentation will explore the moral, social, and professional responsibilities in addressing unsheltered individuals. We will analyze practical scenarious, examine ethical implications in policy and service delivery, and discuss the intersection of systemic inequities and individual rights. The sessions will also consider the ethical responsibilities of organizations, professionals, and society in working toward fair and sustainable solutions. Participants will gain insights into advanced ethical frameworks and best practices for ethically navigating this pressing issue.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM	Lunch

12:30 - 1:00 PM	Awards presentation

1:00 - 3:30 PM	Breaking the Silence of Mental Health
	Kate Simonet (she/her)
	As a senior in high school, Kate Simonet was varsity captain in three sports, was named the most athletic female in her high school, and was an academic honors student, making plans to attend college in seven months. Despite her successes, nothing prepared her for the downward spiral that led to two two-weekslong psychiatric hospitalizations and a suicide attempt within those seven months. Kate says that if she had a better understanding of what mental illness looked like and had resources and language to ask for help, things would not have been so difficult. Now 11 years later, Kate is an author and inspirational speaker on mental health and suicide prevention. She is currently living a life she never thought possible when originally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Now, her goal is to teach pepole that there is hope and that living a successful and happy life is possible despite mental illness.

3:30 PM	Evaluation and book signing

About the presenters

Kate Simonet, BS, is a mental health advocate, speaker, and author of her memoir, Out of the Darkness. Since publishing her book in July 2022, she has sold over 1,600 copies. She works full time as an Operations and Program Manager at a mental health nonprofit, and in her free time, she travels to schools and organizations across the Midwest to speak to students and leaders about the importance of asking for help and breaking the silence of mental health struggles. She lives in St. Michael, MN with her husband and two labradoodles. She enjoys yoga, hiking, and spending time at her family’s cabin.

Carmichael Finn, MA, LMFT, LADC, ADCR-MN, known as “Finn”, is the Executive Director of Recovering Hope Treatment Center in Mora, MN. Additionally, Finn serves as Adjunct Faculty at Metropolitan State University, where they teach in Alcohol and Drug Counseling programs. They are the owner of Carmichael Finn LLC, specializing in team-building, training, and quality consultation for behavioral health organizations. Finn’s professional interests encompass advanced ethics, supervision, organizational and systems change, research, relational theories, and addiction and family dynamics. For more information, you can visit their website at www.carmichaelfinn.com.