2015 NNHVIP Conference Call for Workshops
“Healing is Justice: Helping Systems of Care Promote Equity”
September 28-29, 2015
The California Endowment’s Center for Healthy Communities, Los Angeles, CA
The National Network of Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs’ annual conference
draws a diverse audience committed to breaking the cycle of violence and promoting healing in
communities where violent injuries occur. The over 200 attendees include: frontline gang
intervention workers, pediatric and adult physicians, public officials, experts and emerging
researchers from various academic fields, crisis responders, community-based programs and
organizations, social workers, mental health providers, nurses, members of state/local/federal
government, and community members affected by and/or responding to violence. Presentations
are encouraged that honor, promote and build upon the expertise of conference attendees.
Proposed Session Title: Personal Safety Best Practices for Frontline Staff
Suggest a title (8-10 words) that is informative and clearly reflects the presentation content.
PRESENTER(S) BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Name of Lead Speaker/Proposal Submitter: Kyndra Simmons
This person will be the contact and is responsible for all session logistics
Job Title: Program Manager Organization: Youth ALIVE
NNHVIP affiliation (i.e. member program, emerging program, other.):Member
Street Address:3300 Elm Street
City, State, Zip: Oakland, CA
Telephone: (510) 594-2588 x309
Email: ksimmons@youthalive.org
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Call for Workshops
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Additional Speakers: If applicable, identify any additional speakers below with e-mail and phone
information.
Name
E-mail address
Phone #
Rafael Vasquez
rvasquez@youthalive.org
(510) 594-2588 x319
Professional Background: Provide a 1-4 sentence biography for each speaker to be used as an
introduction as well as an overview of your knowledge and experience related to the proposed
session topic and HVIP field; i.e.: years of experience in the related field, degrees held and from
what academic institutions, current appointments, concurrent responsibilities, areas of specialty,
past speaking engagements, etc.
Kyndra Simmons, a Berkeley, California native began working with at-risk youth in 1995 while
working with the AmeriCorps Program. Kyndra worked with youth in mental health treatment
facilities for seven years and noticed that a lot of issues youth face daily are issues stemming
from their home and neighborhoods. It was at this time when Kyndra decided to explore other
avenues of supporting youth in urban communities. Kyndra has worked with Youth ALIVE! since
2002, starting as an Intervention Specialist and later promoted to Caught in the Crossfire’s
Program Manager. Youth ALIVE’s Caught in the Crossfire program is the country’s first
Hospital-Based Violence Intervention program to serve violently injured youth with the goals of
promoting positive alternatives to violence and to reduce retaliation, re-injury, and arrest. As
Program Manager, Kyndra continues to maintain her initial position as Intervention Specialist in
order to continue working with young people and their families in not only the city of Oakland,
but throughout Alameda County.
Rafael Vasquez, Born in El Salvador and raised in San Francisco, California and later moved to
Indonesia. In Indonesia, Rafael worked with youth in various capacities but mainly focusing on youth
struggling with substance abuse issues. During this time, Indonesia did not have organizations focusing
on youth and Rafael assisted a small organization in implementing one of the first intervention programs
for youth with a focus on drugs and alcohol in Indonesia. Rafael later returned to the United States and
began working for Youth ALIVE! in 2006, as an Intervention Specialist. Rafael had little experience
working with youth in the United States but believed that his experience serving and advocating for youth
in Indonesia would greatly benefit the community. Rafael continues use his personal and professional
experience to successfully work with Oakland’s highest risk and gang involved yout and families in crisis
within Alameda County. Rafael’s current position as Youth ALIVE’S Caught in the Crossfire Program
Coordinator allows Rafael to share his expertise with all current Intervention Specialist and train all new
Intervention Specialist.
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PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION
Presentation Learning Objectives: List 3 educational goals of the presentation that specify
what participants will learn as a result of attending the presentation. (NNHVIP reserves the right to
edit objectives to meet requirements for CEUs)
1. Define Self-Awareness in the Community relating to Personal Safety
2. Establish Personal Safety Protocols
3. Promote Safe Staff-Client Boundaries
Session Categories: Check one or more categories that best represent the focus area of the
presentation.
☐ Promoting Equity / Addressing Bias
☒ Best Practices in Direct Services
☐ Policy and/or Advocacy
☐ Trauma-Informed Care
☐ Bridging Direct Service & Advocacy
☐ Mental Health
☐ Research
☐ Hospital-Community Partnership
☐ Other: Click here to enter text.
☐ Healing the Healers / Self-Care
I submit this workshop proposal for consideration for the preferred following event format(s):
(Check all that apply)
Presentation Length:
☒ 90 minute breakout session
☐ 40 minute presentation to be paired with another presentation on a similar topic
Presentation Format:
☐
Presentation (with or without Q&A to follow)
☒
Interactive training or conversation
(At this year’s conference, the planning committee is giving special consideration
to interactive workshops that build on the skills and expertise of audience
members. If checked, please specify what methods will be used to ensure
audience participation and interaction on the topic presented.)
Group discussions including scenario feedback and group evaluation.
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Session Narrative: Please summarize the presentation in no more than 500 words).
This will be utilized to evaluate the overall relevance and quality of the proposed presentation. If
your presentation is selected, this narrative will also be adapted for the Conference Program.
The purpose of this presentation is to help frontline staff have clear understanding of how to
maintain his or her safety while in the community. The presentation will address and assess the
safety and risk factors that Intervention Specialist are faced with on a day-to-day basis. The basic
safety protocols that include setting clear boundaries with clients and staff safety while
transporting clients or conducting home-visits. This presentation will be interactive with various
real-life scenarios that give participants the opportunity to discuss how to implement safety
protocols in different settings with clients and families in crisis. Frontline staff automatically
keep client safety at the forefront; the goal of this training is to help frontline staff understand the
safety precautions that should be taken to promote his or her personal safety while in the
community assisting clients currently and previouls involved in high-risk situations.
Presentation Agreement:
 Submit my PowerPoint presentation via email or flash drive no later than September 21, 2015.
 Provide all required information and affirmations for CEU certification, by due dates requested.
 Prepare, duplicate, and distribute handout materials for my presentation at my expense.
 Allow NNHVIP to list my contact information on printed and online materials.
 Presenters may not sell, promote or pitch any specific product or service.
 I understand NNHVIP cannot pay honoraria, travel, per diem, handouts or other costs for
speakers. In appreciation for your contribution, one approved speaker may attend the conference
at no cost for registration.
By submitting your presentation, you are agreeing to the presentation agreement.
*** Email submissions by May 1, 2015, to Ahmed Ali-Bob at ahmed@youthalive.org ***