The Karen J. Saywitz Legacy Award Lecture

Date: Monday, March 22, 2021

Time: 12:00 - 2:00 pm PDT

Location: Online

REGISTER HERE.

Announcing the Karen J. Saywitz Legacy Award, March 22 online from noon to 2:00 pm Pacific Time.

The California Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (CAPSAC) is pleased to announce a new award to honor the legacy of Karen J. Saywitz, a pioneer in the scientific study of child forensic interviewing and a devoted advocate for children and families.

On March 22, 2021, CAPSAC will be delighted to present this award to one of Dr. Saywitz’s earliest and longest collaborators, Gail Goodman, Ph.D., at UC Davis.  Dr. Goodman will present a lecture titled, "Interviewing Children and Adults about Childhood Traumatic Touch: A Tribute to Dr. Karen J. Saywitz". 

In this award address, Professor Gail S. Goodman will review Dr. Saywitz’s contributions and her continuing legacy of scientific research on children’s and adults’ memory for genital touch, childhood trauma, and interview protocol development.  Factors that affect children’s and adults’ disclosures of and memory accuracy for traumatic experiences (e.g., traumatic symptoms) will be considered.  Much of the research focuses on child sexual abuse allegations.

Learning Objectives: 

• Summarize three research studies conducted by Karen Saywitz and other researchers on children’s memory and forensic interview techniques
• Give two examples of best practices for interviewing child witnesses and victims
• Discuss changes in the field of forensic interviewing over the last two decades

Presenter Bio: Gail S. Goodman is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis.  Her research concerns such topics as children’s and adults’ memory for childhood trauma, especially child abuse; developmental psychopathology; attachment and memory; forensic interviewing; and effects of legal involvement and foster care.  She served as President of several divisions of the American Psychological Association (e.g., Developmental Psychology, American Psychology-Law Society) and consultant to the Children’s Advocacy Center, Sacramento’s Child Protective Services.  She is internationally known for her research on victims and witnesses, which has been cited multiple times by the U.S. Supreme Court.  Dr. Goodman has published widely and received national and international awards, and numerous federal and private grants for her research.

Congratulations to graduate student Lindsey Palmer of the University of Southern California, recipient of CAPSAC’s Paul Crissey Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Research!  Ms. Palmer will be presented with the award, which includes a grant of $750 and a one- year paid APSAC membership, by the CAPSAC Board of Directors at the Awards Ceremony portion of the March 22nd live webinar.  She will present a summary of her research, “A Population-Based Examination of Adolescent Suicide and Child Protective Service Involvement”.  The study summary will be published in the Spring 2021 issue of The Consultant.  This marks the 22nd year CAPSAC has given the Paul Crissey Award.

CAPSAC is also pleased to announce that Sean Dugan, M.D. will be presented with the Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award.  In the words of nominator Sara J. Marchessault, FNP/PA, SAFE, “An astounding attribute of Dr. Dugan is his ability to mentor trainees with his ardent pursuit to educate, recruit, and guide.  He leads by example, and is profoundly passionate about teaching anyone including new forensic examiners, judges, police officers, social workers or nurses.  He demonstrates the ability to network with partners and promote a sense of collaboration among all disciplines working in the world of child protection in Shasta County, as well as 6 other counties.  He directly demonstrates the mission and goals of CAPSAC: actively promotes education on child maltreatment of professionals and community members who work with children in several Northern California Counties, including Shasta, Modoc, and Lassen.  He tirelessly promotes research on child abuse and neglect in the areas of prevention, identification, intervention, and treatment”.

Additional Information:

For more information about CAPSAC, including membership rates and the online registration form, please click here.

A link to join the webinar will be sent after you register.

All attendees will receive a Certificate of Attendance.  Participants may apply for continuing education credits (CEUs) when they fill out the follow-up survey. Certificates for CEUs will be mailed to participants within two weeks following the event.

Course meets qualifications for 1.5 hours of Continuing Education Units.  The Center for Innovation and Resources, Inc. (CIR) is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs and LCSWs.  CIR maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content.  CEUs will be available after the webinar for a fee of $20.

For additional information please contact Emma Edwards at emma.edwards@cirinc.org

Produced by The California Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (CAPSAC) in partnership with the CATTA Center, a project of the Center for Innovation and Resources, Inc. with funding provided by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), Victim Services Branch