The Power of Partnerships - Why Collaboration Matters in Preventing Child Maltreatment

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.

Session Description

This foundational session introduces the core concepts of collaborative prevention, emphasizing that child abuse prevention is not the job of a single agency, but a shared community responsibility. Using data, case examples, and success stories, the webinar will illustrate how strong interagency partnerships can reduce risk factors, strengthen protective factors, and intervene earlier in the cycle of harm. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how to build or enhance coordinated networks of care that prioritize child and family well-being.  View flyer.

Learning Objectives: 

• Understand the scope and root causes of child abuse and neglect. 

• Identify key partners (schools, healthcare providers, community organizations) in prevention. 

• Learn frameworks for sustainable, child-centered collaboration. 

About the Speaker

A major focus of Melissa Jonson-Reid’s work is understanding how to improve the behavioral, educational and health outcomes associated with childhood exposure to trauma, particularly abuse and neglect. Her work responds to child maltreatment as a serious, prevalent public health concern.

Jonson-Reid has used multi-agency administrative data to identify targets of opportunity to leverage existing resources and/or evaluate policy and program efforts to promote healthy outcomes. She partners with community agencies to explore outcomes of interventions designed to support young families and youth involved with child welfare, as well as child abuse prevention efforts.

Jonson-Reid has practice experience in both domestic violence counseling and program administration as a school social worker in California; she currently provides evaluation consultation for state and community organizations.

At the Brown School, Jonson-Reid directs an NICHD-funded Center for Innovation in Child Maltreatment Policy, Research and Training and chairs the Violence and Injury Prevention specialization in the Master of Social Work program. Both of these involve collaboration with the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies. A former director of the Social Work Ph.D. program, she currently serves as chair or member of several doctoral student committees.

2025 - 2026 Louisiana CASA Webinar Series: Strength in Unity 

Louisiana CASA is excited to host our fourth webinar series. This year, we are partnering with Louisiana Child Welfare Training Academy (LCWTA) to bring this series to community members across our state. This series equips professionals, child welfare advocates, and community members with the knowledge and collaborative strategies needed to protect children, support families, and prevent child abuse and neglect. Each session emphasizes the importance of cross-sector cooperation, early identification of risk factors, and collective responses that foster safe, stable, and nurturing relationships. By promoting a shared understanding and responsibility among systems—such as education, healthcare, faith-based institutions, family services, and policy leaders—participants will develop the tools and partnerships necessary to create resilient families and communities.