Setting the Stage for Prevention: Understanding the Mental Health Factors That Influence Child Safety

Session Description

This opening session introduces the connection between family mental wellness and the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Rather than focusing on one diagnosis or one type of trauma, this session provides the foundation for the full series by exploring how caregiver stress, child development, family history, social isolation, community conditions, and access to support can affect child safety. Participants will examine how prevention-focused professionals can recognize concerns early, strengthen protective factors, and help families receive support before challenges become crises. View webinar flyer.

This course has been approved for 1 General Social Work CEUs by Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy as authorized by the Louisiana Board of Social Work Examiners.

Learning Objectives

• Connect family mental wellness to child abuse prevention.

• Identify key risk and protective factors.

• Explain the value of early recognition and support.

• Recognize ways communities can support families before crisis.

Meet the Speaker: Lisa Zarcone

Lisa Zarcone is an award-winning author, child and mental health advocate, CASA advocate, and nationally recognized speaker whose work focuses on child abuse prevention, trauma, mental health, resilience, and healing. As a survivor-advocate and Massachusetts Regional Director for the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA), Lisa uses her personal journey and extensive advocacy experience to educate and inspire others to better understand the impact of trauma on children, families, and communities.

Lisa is the author of The Unspoken Truth: A Memoir – A Child's Story, An Adult's Journey Toward Healing and The Book of Joann. She has presented keynotes and workshops for mental health professionals, social workers, educators, child-serving organizations, and community audiences throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, including the Department of Mental Health and Helix Human Services’ Rise Up Conference.

A recipient of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s Heroine Award, the Hope Pyx Global International Book Award, and BusinessWest’s Women of Impact Award, Lisa is passionate about breaking the silence surrounding abuse, reducing mental health stigma, and helping others move from surviving to thriving.

Her message is one of courage, awareness, resilience, and hope: “Awareness brings in the light.” Learn more about Lisa at www.lisazarcone.net.

2026 - 2027 Louisiana CASA Webinar Series: Healthy Minds, Safe Children: Preventing Child Abuse Through Mental Health Awareness and Support

This eight-part webinar series explores how mental health awareness, early intervention, trauma-informed support, and strong community partnerships can help prevent child abuse and neglect. Participants will examine how caregiver wellness, childhood trauma, adolescent mental health, and family stress influence child safety while learning practical ways to recognize concerns early, strengthen protective factors, and connect families to support before crises occur.