Retired Judge Charles F. Pratt and Judge Andrew Williams are pleased to announce that the 37th Annual Conference on Youth, Families and Communities will be held Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne. This year’s conference will feat ure keynote speaker Dr. Bruce D. Perry, an internationally recognized child psychiatrist, neuroscientist and bestselling author. Since 1990, the conference has brought together educators, youth workers, social service professionals, first responders and community leaders for training grounded in positive youth development. It has grown from a single training at what was then Indiana Purdue University, Fort Wayne, into one of the region’s largest gatherings dedicated to youth and family services, drawing more than 1,000 participants each year. The conference is a signature initiative of Great KIDS make Great COMMUNITIES, which began in 1999 as a project of the Allen Superior Court, Family Relations Division, under Judge Charles F. Pratt. Great KIDS also administers the Indiana Mental Health Summit, a project of the mental health court headed by Judge Andrew Williams. The organization connects and educates those who work on behalf of youth, families and communities, offering training at free or reduced cost. This year’s program will include specialized breakout sessions, a Service Provider Fair showcasing area agencies and resources, and two keynote addresses from Perry. Topics include positive youth development, mental and behavioral health, and the neuroscience of adversity and resilience. Continuing Education Units are available for LSW, LCSW, LMHC and LMFT licensure through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. “Dr. Perry’s work has fundamentally changed how professionals across the world understand and respond to childhood trauma,” said Amanda Miller, Executive Director of Great KIDS Make Great COMMUNITIES. “Bringing him to Fort Wayne for our 37th conference is an incredible opportunity for the mental health providers, educators, caregivers, social workers and first responders in our community who show up for kids every single day. We know this training will give them new tools, and renewed inspiration, to support the children and families they serve.” Perry is Principal of the Neurosequential Network and a Professor (Adjunct) at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Over the past forty years, he has worked as a teacher, clinician and researcher in children’s mental health and neuroscience. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on development has informed clinical practice, programs and policy worldwide. Perry is the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of “The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog” and “Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered.” His most recent book, “What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing,” co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, has been translated into 26 languages and spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list after debuting at #1 in 2021. Perry has held faculty positions at the University of Chicago School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, the Alberta Mental Health Board and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He also served as Chief of Psychiatry for Texas Children’s Hospital. He developed the Neurosequential Model©, a neurobiology-informed approach used in clinical, educational, caregiving, early childhood and sports settings. It is now used by hundreds of organizations in every U.S. state and more than 26 countries. Following major incidents involving traumatized children and youth, including the Oklahoma City bombing, Columbine and Sandy Hook school shootings, September 11th attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the Turkey-Syria earthquake, agencies have turned to Perry for guidance. He has published more than 500 journal articles, book chapters and scientific proceedings, and his work has appeared on 60 Minutes, NPR, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN and the Oprah Winfrey Show, and in the New York Times, Washington Post and Rolling Stone. Tickets start at $65 and include a full day of training in positive development, mental and behavioral health, brain science and more. Conference and Service Provider Booth registration are available at greatkidsallencounty.org/coyfc. Additional information is available at greatkidsallencounty.org. ...read more read less