PIERRE, S.D. – A near-record number of more than 400 South Dakotans are slated to attend the 25th annual Community Response to Child Abuse Conference, which is set to begin on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
The strong attendance reflects a commitment across South Dakota to strengthen child protection efforts, with attendees representing 130 regional organizations, schools, and businesses. The professional training and educational opportunities are aimed at a wide array of professionals, including teachers, medical professionals, law enforcement, social workers, mental health providers, and members of the legal community.
A key focus for professionals in the Black Hills area, including Rapid City, will be a keynote address delivered by Tifanie Petro, the victim services director for the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office. Her address, “Hope in Action: Turning Struggle into Strength,” is one of several keynote sessions.
Other featured speakers include Gaelin Elmore, who will present “Be the Difference: Belonging is the Support We Need,” and a panel discussion titled “Parenting Pathways: Real Talk with Real Providers.” The panel includes representatives from Sanford Health, Common Sense Parenting, Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, and the South Dakota Department of Social Services.
Conference participants will also have access to numerous breakout sessions. Learning opportunities include “Utilizing Tribal ICWA and CPS Task Forces and States of Emergency for Optimal Outcomes and to Exercise Sovereignty: A Case from the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the ICWA Coalition of Sioux Tribes,” and “Community in Action: Creative Prevention Strategies for Safer, Healthier Youth.” Other topics cover “Trauma-Informed Social Policy,” expert witness testimony, and “Understanding the Building Blocks of Attachment.”
The event is hosted by the South Dakota Unified Judicial System’s Court Improvement Program, Child’s Voice at Sanford Health, and the Center for the Prevention of Child Maltreatment at the University of South Dakota.