Youth at Risk Conference
Changing the lives of youth workers–every year.
The YAR conference offers engaging workshops and the opportunity to obtain continuing education units (CEUs). Exhibitors across the region are present, and sponsors can partner with this uplifting event.
Located at Endicott College in Beverly, the all-day conference is geared toward those working with and caring for youth in various settings—family, community, school, religious, healthcare, human service, and legal. Attendees include social workers, psychologists, youth counselors, family therapists, educators, school adjustment counselors, guidance counselors, community and public health workers, program managers, agency and organization CEOs, police officers, juvenile court personnel, lawyers, and volunteers. YAR presenters come from across the state and from a variety of sectors.
The 2025 cost of attendance is $150.00.
For updates and information on future conferences, join our email list by emailing yar@pw4c.org with your preferred address, phone and email.
Diruhi Award Nominations
The Diruhi Mattian Memorial Award honors the memory of an extraordinary social worker who was tragically killed in 2008 while doing the work that meant so much to her. Diruhi was deeply committed to her mission of helping at-risk youth and their families. She was known to many as a dedicated advocate for self-care and a source of support and encouragement for her colleagues. This award was created in her name to recognize those who, like Diruhi, make an outstanding impact on the community and the lives of our youth.
As we enter the season of giving, we invite you to submit nominations for the 2025 Diruhi Mattian Memorial Award. If you know someone who exemplifies Diruhi’s spirit of service and dedication to our youth, please take a moment to honor them by submitting a nomination. Together, we can celebrate the impactful work being done in our community and keep Diruhi’s legacy alive.
Nominations accepted through 1/31/2025
2024 Diruhi Award Recipient: Roberto Rios
Roberto works with children and families struggling with truancy in the Lawrence School District. His official title is Family Engagement Case Manager/Attendance Officer, and that first part really describes what Roberto does – he engages those kids and their families.
As we all know, working with students in the classroom has its challenges, but getting kids in the door can present a whole new set of obstacles to overcome. Roberto goes above and beyond in connecting with kids and their families to identify those obstacles and then providing the support and services needed to not only get those kids in school, but also working with a skilled team of professionals to address the underlying needs of the family, to enable that child to continue in school.
This happens because Roberto uses a holistic and systemic approach rather than treating truancy as failure. He understands poverty, homelessness, immigration and other issues that may seem insurmountable to families. He goes to them, knocking on doors, assisting with basic needs, making referrals for mental health support, and getting kids and families what they need not just to survive, but to succeed.
Roberto will probably tell you he doesn’t do this all on his own; that he has a great team, but I’m also sure everyone on that team and in the Lawrence School System will tell you that Roberto is a great leader… in fact, it was through their recommendations that Roberto was nominated for this award.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
+ When is the next conference?
Our next conference date is May 28, 2025 at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. The cost to attend is TBD.
+ I am an expert in my field and am interested in presenting. Who do I contact?
Submit your proposal at https://form.jotform.com/242645538191158.
You may email yar@pw4c.org with any questions. Thank you!
We seek professionals who will share their knowledge, expertise and experience to address the multitude of issues faced by the youth we work with, their families as well as ourselves as providers.
Some examples of past presentation topics include: Access to Family Planning, Child Welfare, DEI, Domestic Violence, Education; such as school avoidance / school anxiety, Gender based violence, Grief, Homeless Youth, Immigration, Interventions MH, Juvenile Justice, Law Enforcement, LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Parent Partners, Racial Equity/ DEI, Racial Trauma, Self-Care, Substance Use Disorders & Management, Trauma, etc.
+ Which CEUs are offered through the YAR conference?
This can vary year to year. We typically apply for the following CEU’s: NASW National Association of Social Work; CAFL Children and Family Law; LMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist; LMHC Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and new in 2024 was YAD Youth Advocacy division.
+ How do I find the Youth at Risk Resource Guide?
You can find our comprehensive Guide at (https://yarguide.org)
Want to be added to the resource guide? Click here to fill out the request form: (https://form.jotform.com/231715729507157)
+ What is the Diruhi Mattian Memorial Award?
Each year, the Youth at Risk (YAR) conference honors a special person who lives or works in Merrimack Valley or Essex County and has made an outstanding contribution in supporting youth at risk.
The Diruhi Mattian Memorial Award honors the memory of an extraordinary social worker who was tragically killed in 2008. Diruhi was dedicated to her profession and always wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people over and over again. The award was created in her name to recognize those who, like Diruhi, do outstanding work in the community for our youth.
**Previous Award Winners include: **
- 2010 - Mike Duda, YAR Founder and Pastor, First Church of Wenham
- 2011 - Kelly O'Conner, Afterschool Program Director, Gregg Neighborhood House
- 2012 - H. Bud Kelly, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
- 2013 - Mark Libon, Vice President of Community-based Services, Lahey Health Systems
- 2014 - Donna Coe, Nurse Practitioner, Lynn Community Health Center
- 2015 - Patrick Foley, Adolescent Program Director, STARR Commonwealth
- 2015 - Fred Mathieu, Kids Club Program Director, Washington Street Baptist Church
- 2016 - Carol Ireland, VIP Team Advisor, Haverhill High School
- 2017 - Deb A. Morrison, MSW, LICSW, Kevin O'Grady School at North Shore Consortium in Beverly
- 2018 - Nancy Edman Earls, Director of the Newburyport Learning Enrichment Center (NLEC)
- 2019 - Eric Cousineau, Social Worker at the Greater Lowell Department of Children and Families
- 2021 - Michelle Lipinski, Northshore Recovery High School Principal
- 2022 - Carlos Mercado, Lowell Police Department
- 2023 - Anya McDavitt, Director of Youth Services at North Shore Community Mediation Center
- 2024 - Roberto Rios, Family Engagement Case Manager/Attendance Officer for the Lawrence School District
2025 Focal Image Youth Artist: Kai Geraghty-Sari
Thank you to our 2024 Youth at Risk Conference Sponsors
LEADER
• Rogers Family Foundation
The Abbot & Dorothy H. Stevens Foundation
AMBASSADOR
• Gardiner Howland Shaw Foundation
• McCarthy Family Foundation
ADVOCATE
• Justice Resource Institute (JRI)
• Marblehead Bank
• Merrimack College
• Plummer Youth Promise
YAR 2024 Committee Members
Amy Ackroyd - Independent Consultant, Chair
Stacie Bloxham - Essex County Sheriffs Department
Nicholas Bound - Department of Youth Services
Windi Bowditch - Northshore Education Consortium
Linnea Burrill - Department of Children & Families
AJ Cullen - Department of Developmental Disabilities
Amanda Daniels - Pathways for Children
Stephanie Gargiulo- Beth Israel Lahey Health
Brian Gawlak - East Baptist Church
Staci Gergely - Lynn Juvenile Court
Antonio Gutierrez - Lynn Youth Street Outreach, Inc.
Rachel Herrick - Pathways for Children
Kimberly Hutchins - Private Practice Psychotherapist
Mona Igram - Center for Public Representation
Frantzie Kebreau - Department of Mental Health
Hailey MacDonald - Pathways for Children
Kathy Moriconi -YAR Co-Founder/Lawrence Prospera
Lauri Rawls - Endicott College
Linda M. Richards - Department of Mental Health (Retired)
Richard Ross - Senior Care
Christine Shaw - Merrimack College
YAR Statement on Risk
Every generation of youth has faced and endured an ever-changing
landscape of physical, medical, social, emotional, economic, political
and environmental stresses, resulting in a wide range of risks to
their wellness and ability to achieve their full life potential.
As a community, the helping professions are at the front line of
identifying, mitigating, and minimizing the impact of these stresses on
our youth, their families, and communities. Risk, and its management
is a daily reality and responsibility for all our disciplines.
The Youth at Risk Committee does not use the term "risk" lightly or as
a pejorative. Rather, we endeavor to emphasize the importance of
being vigilant to the management of risk wherever it presents
itself in our communities and remain focused on empowering youth,
families and communities to actualize their innate hope and resiliency
to meet and manage the challenges presented.
Wherever our front lines take us, we need to be creative,
enthusiastic, and mutually supportive as we navigate a rapidly
changing world. Thank you for joining us in raising up our colleagues
and expanding our collective knowledge and expertise.
This is what the YAR Conference is all about. We look forward to
celebrating YAR together with you!
HAVE QUESTIONS? CHECK US OUT AT www.pw4c.org/youth-at-risk-conference OR
EMAIL US AT YAR@PW4C.ORG
WE’RE HERE TO HELP!