SCHEDULE

The 2020 Annual Conference & Trade Show will feature a variety of expert speakers that will explore topical and practical subjects in plenary and educational sessions throughout the Conference. Check out the speakers and sessions we have confirmed so far as well as the schedule of events to plan your attendance at the Conference!

Confirmed Speakers & Sessions

​

Keynote Presentation: Meeting the Needs of People with Behavioral Health Disorders Involved in the Justice System

Nastassia Walsh, Associate Program Director, Justice, National Association of Counties

More than 2 million annual jail admissions involve a person with a serious mental illness. Many of these individuals have co-occurring substance use disorders and have been cycling in and out of jails, hospitals and emergency departments. In this session, hear about two national initiatives – Stepping Up and Data-Driven Justice – that provide resources to counties to work with these individuals and how county leaders are having an impact.

​

​

Keynote Presentation: NH Retirement System Update: Where We Are and Where We're Going

​

Marty Karlon, Public Information Officer, NH Retirement System

George Lagos, Executive Director, NH Retirement System

​

An overview of the state of the New Hampshire Retirement System, including funding, investments, contribution rates, legislation, and other challenges and opportunities ahead.

​

​

Session A: Social Media and the Public Sector Workplace

​

Attorney Thomas Closson, Jackson Lewis P.C.

​

This presentation will focus on the complex employment/labor law issues that often arise at the intersection of social media and the public sector workplace. Specific topics of discussion will include free speech concerns, cyber-bullying, privacy/confidentiality, and the implications of NH RSA 91-A.

​

​

Session B: Building a Trauma Informed Culture: Understanding Human Behavior

​

Andrea Willey, LICSW, Clinical Consultant, Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital

​

Those who reside in long term care facilities come from all walks of life. As the regulations require us to address the psychological impact that traumatic experiences can produce, we must focus on the effects it has on those we care for. This presentation will provide some fundamentals surrounding the effects of trauma. Willey will examine traumatic stress from a neurological, emotional and behavioral standpoint. This educational opportunity will act as a strong foundation in the formulation of a trauma informed environment.

​

​

Session C: Counties Taking Charge of Their Energy Destiny: Creating a Clean Energy Consortium 

​

Maureen Callahan, Director, Client Engagement, Usource
Madeleine Mineau, Executive Director, Clean Energy NH
Jim Monahan, President, The Dupont Group

​

County governmental entities are well positioned to manage their energy use, generate their own energy, and potentially share or aggregate resources to do so. The session will cover existing policies and programs that could be used to create a clean energy consortium for NH counties and future policy considerations.

​

Session D: Understanding the Opioid Crisis Litigation and its Present Status

​

Robert Bonsignore, Esq., Trial Lawyer, Bonsignore Trial Lawyers, PLLC

The opioid crisis is being litigated on multiple fronts and the stakes are high for New Hampshire and our nation. This session will provide a primer on the litigation as well as updates on its present status. Attendees will gain a full basic understanding of the litigation, how New Hampshire fits in and what is being done, and what to expect going forward.

​

​

Session E: Novel Governmental Fraud Schemes

​

Jeffrey Graham, CPA, CFF, CSEP, President & Founder, Graham & Graham, P.C.

​

This session will provide an overview of previously detected and prosecuted cases uncovered during routine financial audits or during special fraud investigation requests. Attendees will be exposed to creative schemes and detection practices from the eyes of the supervisor, staff and auditor.

​

​

Session F: Facts versus Fiction: Measuring Success Under PDPM

​

Elisa Bovee, MS, OTR/L, Vice President of Clinical Strategies, HealthPRO Heritage

​

Don’t miss this provocative discussion that outlines the qualitative and quantitative measures to gauge what good looks like for PDPM and beyond and tackle today’s most relevant questions. What metrics matter to assess PDPM success? What trends are emerging? Have SNF operators and IDTs been adequately prepared for the October 1 transition? Are they prepared to rise to an even newer standard of care beyond PDPM? Can we define success by how well we avoid unnecessary audits and mitigate risk, for example, whether meaningful workflow processes like Pre-Transmission Review and Triple Check serve to prioritize key fiscal and clinical success drivers?

​

​

Session G: Inside the NH State House: The Legislative Process

​

Kate Horgan, Associate, The Dupont Group 

Jim Monahan, President, The Dupont Group 

​

With the 400 members of the House and 24 members of the Senate, NH is home to the 4th largest legislature in the English-speaking world. This session will explore what makes the legislature tick, the role of advocates, and how the legislature gets anything done! The focus of this presentation will be on how a bill becomes a law and how advocates can participate in that process.

​

​

Session H: Suicide Prevention and Postvention in Correctional Facilities

Jacqui Abikoff, LICSW, MLADC, Executive Director, Horizons Counseling Center

Correctional staff play a critical role in suicide prevention at correctional facilities. This session will explore the dynamics of suicide and suicide prevention at correctional facilities and the essential roles of staff. Information about what staff need to know to prevent and deal with the impact of suicide and how suicide in correctional facilities may impact staff, as well as inmates, will be discussed.

​

​

Session I: The Importance of Proper Document Preservation

Jim Harper, Vice President, PFA, Inc.

Dennis Curran, Vice President, KOFILE Technologies

Learn the facts about the maintenance and the fragility of paper, microfilm and even digital collections for all types of necessary records. This presentation will define the do's and don'ts and challenges ahead for record preservation and how to secure the funding for saving your irreplaceable records and documents. 

​

Session J: Human Resource Professional: The Strategic Business Partner

​

Dr. Maria Manus Painchaud, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, Manus/Painchaud Associates

​

There are three common elements in every organization; people, structure, and goals. Even with the best structure and realistic goals, work cannot be accomplished without people. Human Resources plays an integral role in helping the organization achieve its goals and be effective with its structure. The strategic HR business partner consults and offers strategies for employee recruitment, retention, engagement, relations, development, safety, and rewards. This session will discuss strategies to transition to the Strategic HR Business Partner.

​

​

Session K: NH Retirement System Basics for HR and Finance Staff

​

Mark Cavanaugh, Associate Counsel, NH Retirement System

Marty Karlon, Public Information Officer, NH Retirement System

Gerard Murphy, Director of Finance, NH Retirement System

​

This presentation will provide a general overview of employer reporting/audit topics including: member enrollment; part-time employment of retirees; earnable compensation; common audit issues unique to counties; monthly wage and contribution reporting; retiree reporting; recent legislation; and resources for employers.

​

Session L: Trusts 101

​

Theofilos Vougias, Esq., Associate, Devine Millimet & Branch, PA

​

The session will be for County Nursing Home Administrators and their Admissions and Business Office Staff. It will be education regarding Special Needs Trusts and other Trusts, and how they affect nursing home payments, qualifications for Medicaid, etc.

​