NEWS & EVENTS
EVENTS CALENDAR
AUG 2026 | Nebraska
TRANSFORM Nebraska Network participants gathered in Lincoln for the third quarterly meeting of 2026, facilitated by WEI and NDCS staff. The TRANSFORM Nebraska Network strengthens families and communities as loved ones return home from prison. Nearly 50 participants attended from NDCS, the Administrative Offices of the Courts and Probation, the Nebraska Department of Labor, the Office of Economic Assistance, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Division of Medicaid and Long Term Care, and the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Together, they continued working to improve programs and policies and coordinate support to advance a more effective, community-centered reentry process.
The agenda included a focus on career pathways in manufacturing, updates on Nebraska’s Reentry 2030 initiative, and a powerful Lived Experience Panel. Residents shared what reentry really looks like – day one planning, resilience, trauma recovery, and the strength of community support. Their stories remind us that reentry succeeds when systems listen, collaborate, and trust the people they serve. This is what transformation looks like.
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AUG 2026 | New York

Our WEI team was back in New York City last week coaching city-supported providers from the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. Our session brought together more than 60 city criminal justice providers – behavioral health professionals, social workers, community justice leaders, and others – whose work impacts justice‑involved individuals and their families from across all five NYC boroughs.
The coaching session guided providers in developing and using quality‑assurance and fidelity‑monitoring processes – grounded in evidence‑based practices – to strengthen intervention delivery and program services for long-term success and sustainability.
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AUG 2026 | Pittsburgh
WEI was honored to contribute to the American Correctional Association’s 156th Congress of Correction last week in Pittsburgh. CEO Carrie Pettus and NDCS Deputy Director Dawn‑Renee Smith led a session on how peer–staff co‑facilitation can strengthen programming, culture, and daily operations inside correctional facilities. Drawing on the 5‑Key Model for Reentry and Well‑Being Development™, they explored how expanding peer roles across programmatic operations and delivery alongside staff in correctional settings can improve engagement, enhance group dynamics, reduce behavioral incidents, and support more positive staff experiences.
Participants walked away with actionable strategies for adapting this model to facilities of any size or structure, reinforcing the field’s commitment to innovation, wellbeing, and evidence‑informed transformation. WEI looks forward to expanding these conversations across new networks to support correctional systems in centering practices that optimize outcomes for all.
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AUG 2026 | Indiana
WEI’s Indiana team joined community partners at the 3rd annual Mike Epps Community Festival at Washington Park – a major gathering featuring local vendors, food trucks, health resources, and a full lineup of musical performers. Sponsored by the Mike Epps Foundation, the festival is intentionally designed to remain free and accessible to the public. With more than 8,000 attendees last year and even greater turnout expected this year, the festival continues to serve as an important space for connection, visibility, and shared learning across Indianapolis.
WEI was proud to join dozens of nonprofit partners and connect with new community members to share information about WEI’s Prevention Path Diversion Program, a family-centered diversion program serving justice-involved parents and primary caregivers in Marion County. Through a trauma-responsive approach, Prevention Path connects participants and their families with individualized support designed to promote healing, strengthen family stability, and reduce future justice system involvement.
JUNE 2026 | Nebraska
TRANSFORM Nebraska Network participants gathered in Lincoln for the second quarterly meeting of 2026, facilitated by WEI and NDCS staff. The agenda included collaboration updates, a focus on reentry as a shared mission, and discussion of success measures. Participants also engaged in a Data Use Case Exercise, working through a realistic scenario to analyze data, draw insights, and assess the problem to inform future improvements.
The TRANSFORM Nebraska Network strengthens families and communities as loved ones return home from prison. The Network unites community members, people with lived experience, service providers, and key state agencies to address stigma, improve programs and policies, and coordinate support. By uniting partners across sectors, the Network identifies barriers, aligns efforts, and advances a more effective, community‑centered reentry process.
MAY | Atlantic City
The City of Atlantic City Health and Human Services, AtlantiCare, and WEI brought the community together for a powerful Trauma Symposium focused on healing, education, and empowerment.
The event moved beyond awareness to offer practical strategies for resilience, recovery, and lasting community impact.
Participants engaged with insightful speakers, interactive breakout sessions, and connections to local resources and support services. It was a powerful space for shared learning among community members, practitioners, and anyone seeking to better understand trauma and its effects.
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MAY | New Jersey

WEI staff and partners gathered in New Jersey to celebrate seven graduates of the Alternative Prosecution for Positive Outcomes (APPO) program with the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
We were grateful for the chance to honor their hard work and spend time with graduates and our prosecutor partners at Dave & Buster’s.
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MAY | Boston
WEI’s CEO Carrie Pettus joined global leaders at the 37th Annual Boston International Trauma Conference, hosted by the Trauma Research Foundation and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.
The gathering brought together researchers, clinicians, and practitioners dedicated to advancing trauma‑responsive care through innovation, community connection, and ensuring people can access the care they need, even in challenging times.
Alongside keynote presentations, participants engaged in experiential learning sessions and meaningful dialogue with professionals working to bridge clinical expertise with scientific research and reshape the future of trauma care.
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MAY | New York
Our WEI team traveled to New York City to meet with MOCJ providers and officially kick off the second Justice Program Fidelity and Quality Assurance Initiative (JFQA) cohort.APR | Indianapolis
WEI staff spent the day at the Flanner House Career & Resource Fair in Indianapolis, meeting community members and sharing resources from WEI’s Prevention Path Diversion Program.
Staff connected with individuals navigating pending charges, and WEI looks forward to collaborating with public defenders to ensure participants have access to the resources they need.
MAR | Atlanta
WEI’s CEO Dr. Carrie Pettus and Applied Research Specialist Dr. Alexandra Hood attended the 19th Annual Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (ACCJH) Meeting at Morehouse School of Medicine.
This year’s theme, Health Across the Life Course, sparked powerful conversations about how health and justice intersect from adolescence through older adulthood.
Carrie, who co-leads the Learning Experiences to Advance Practice (LEAP) Scholar program with Dr. TaLisa Carter, brought the scholars group together at the conference for connection, reflection, and meaningful dialogue.
LEAP, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is a training program designed to strengthen the skills of practitioner-based and emerging researchers working to improve outcomes across the justice and health systems.
JAN | Atlanta
January 14, 2026 |Washington DC
A huge milestone for the Grand Challenges for Social Work Initiative!
On January 14, the Initiative hosted its first‑ever Festival of Ideas in Washington, D.C., with WEI’s own Carrie Pettus — Chair/President of GCSW — helping lead the day’s conversations. Hosted by the Howard University School of Social Work, the Festival also marks the 10th anniversary of the Grand Challenges, celebrating a decade of bold ideas and collective action in social work.
The event convened researchers, practitioners, educators, policymakers, and community partners for a day of rich dialogue and collaboration. Conversations centered on social innovation, equity, community engagement, and translating knowledge into practice — affirming the Grand Challenges’ impact as a catalyst for ideas, relationships, and science‑driven social progress.
Carrie moderated a panel during the event, which offered a powerful look at the film LILLY and the legacy of Lilly Ledbetter’s fight for pay equity and gender justice — using film clips and a cross‑sector conversation to show how advocacy moves from the courtroom to communities, and the power of personal narratives to ignite institutional and cultural change.
Explore the event website for additional details.
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AUG 2025 | Denver
August 21-26, 2025
American Correctional Association Congress of Correction In Denver, Colorado
Presenting: August 24th
Presenters: Carrie Pettus and Dawn-Renee Smith
Topic: Advancing Rehabilitation in Correctional Systems:
Implementation of the 5-Key Model for Reentry and Well-Being Development EVENT DETAILS
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OCT 2025 | New York
The WEI team was in New York for the kickoff of the Justice Program Fidelity and Quality Assurance Initiative, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. LINKED IN POST
JANUARY 2024
“CHILDREN WITH PARENTS BEHIND BARS”
Congressional Research Institute for Social Work & Policy (CRISP)
According to the WEGOTUSNOW website, more than 10 million children in the United States have experienced parental incarceration in their lifetime.
Charles E. Lewis, Jr., Dr. Tamarie Willis, Dr. Carrie Pettus, Ebony Underwood & Adrain Burnim – MORE INFO
REGISTRATION – Seating is first-come, first-served.
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JAN 13 | 9:45 AM | Strategy to Augment Diversion Programs: The Case for Financial Capability and Asset Building
The US prison system has become a system of mass incarceration. Yet, many incarcerated individuals have committed nonviolent offenses or are confined because they could not pay fines or fees.
Lissa Johnson, Dr. Margaret Sherraden, Jude Miller, Dr. Carrie Pettus, Dr. Jin Huang
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JAN 13 | 12:45 PM | Grand Challenges for Social Work Roundtable: Recentering and Generating Equity in Knowledge: How Will the Grand Challenges for Social Work Go Grander?
Learn how the Grand Challenges framework can increase its impact on research, education, policy, and practice through innovation and collaboration.
Dr. Michael Spencer, Dr. Neil Guterman, Dr. Carrie Pettus, Schnavia Hatcher, Kira Silk
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FEBRUARY 2024
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MARCH 2024
“Untapped Potential: Embracing Second Chance Hiring”
During this FREE webinar, Carrie Pettus, PhD, MSW of Wellbeing & Equity Innovations (WEI), shares a national perspective on the value of second chance hiring as a talent pipeline solution and previews our Second Chance Hiring Initiative partnership.
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APRIL 2024
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Dr. Pettus will be speaking on April, 10, 11 & 12 at the the 17th ACCJH Conference in Phoenix AZ. ACCJH highlights emerging research and policy across the justice field. VISIT WEBSITE
April 10: Advancing Research and Organizational Aims through Use of Rapid Cycle Models in Criminal Legal – Faye Taxman, Carrie Pettus
April 11: The Burden of Proof: Recidivism and the Fight Over Causal Inference – Nicole Lewis, Maurice Chammah, Kathryn Notowny, Carrie Pettus
April 12: A Qualitative Analysis of what Works for Engagement in a Prisoner Reentry Program – Chris Veeh, Tanya Renn, Carrie Pettus
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MAY 2024
MAY 6 | Dr. Pettus will be giving a human subjects presentation at the upcoming JCOIN LEAP Scholars meeting. Learn more about JCOIN LEAP.
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MAY 22 | Retaining Talent Training- Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center
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JUNE 2024
JUNE 25 |Retaining Talent Training- Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa USF Near Busch Gardens
WEI partners with the Florida Chamber Foundation to enhance workforce development strategies through data-driven approaches – assisting in recruiting and maintaining Steering Committees and Technical Working Groups, identifying national excellence in second chance hiring, tailoring materials for Florida’s market needs, and managing panels of speakers for impactful presentations. WEI strives to empower Florida’s workforce through inclusive and informed initiatives.
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JUNE 6 | WEI is invited to present at the APA Gun Violence Prosecutor-Led Alternatives Community of Practice, in the Bronx, NY. This presentation will feature the Marion County Victims of Gun Violence Diversion Program.
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JUNE 7 | Dr. Pettus will present the paper “Developing Antiracism Interventions in Integrated Primary Care” from at 4:10 PM at the High-Risk High-Reward symposium. Learn more at: https://commonfund.nih.gov/highrisk/symposium
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JUNE 12-13 | Dr. Pettus will attend the Jcoin 2024 In-Person Steering Committee Meeting. She will be presenting “Developing and Evaluating a Behavioral Health Literacy Curriculum in State Prisons: A Community-Engaged Approach with Carceral Staff and Residents” – Carrie Pettus and Danielle Rudes (CTC)
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JUNE 25 |Retaining Talent Training- Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa USF Near Busch Gardens
WEI partners with the Florida Chamber Foundation to enhance workforce development strategies through data-driven approaches – assisting in recruiting and maintaining Steering Committees and Technical Working Groups, identifying national excellence in second chance hiring, tailoring materials for Florida’s market needs, and managing panels of speakers for impactful presentations. WEI strives to empower Florida’s workforce through inclusive and informed initiatives.
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AUGUST 2024
Aug 17– Advancing Rehabilitation in Correctional Systems: Implementation of the 5 Key Model for Reentry and Well-Being Development” will be presented by Dawn Renee Smith, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services along with Dr. Carrie Pettus, at ACA’s 154th Congress of Correction Conference, August 15-18, 2024 in Nashville TN
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SEPTEMBER 2024
National Academies Workshop: Examining Prosecution
Prosecutorial Perspectives: Implementing Promising Programs, Policies, and Practices. The session is currently slated for September 23rd, 1:45-3:00 pm ET – Dr. Carrie Pettus
National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Ave NW, Washington DC 20418
Please join us on September 23-24, 2024, for a two-day public workshop exploring models of prosecutorial programs and practices, implications for public policy, and priorities for future research.
The workshop aims to showcase practices, programs, and policies that offer promising alternatives to incarceration, address racial and ethnic disparities in criminal justice outcomes, and promote continuous quality improvement and accountability within prosecutors’ offices. Discussions will include how prosecutors can build community trust in criminal justice institutions and sustain meaningful reforms. The workshop will also identify critical data and methodological gaps in the current research landscape, providing insights on how to fill these gaps to strengthen the evidence base.
REGISTRATION LINK
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OCTOBER 2024
October 17 -18 | Safety and Justice Challenge Research Symposium
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch – FINAL AGENDA WITH LINKS TO LIVE FEED
Achieving Racial Equity and Improving Culture in Jails
What have we learned about how to effectively reduce racial and ethnic disparities in pretrial systems?Scheduled for Friday, October 18th from 9:15 AM-10:15 AM. – Dr. Carrie Pettus
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October 22 | BRIDGE Series: Building Research Ideas and Generating Evidence on HBCUs and CJ Research Opportunities on October 22nd at Howard University
Armour J. Blackburn University Center
Blackburn Center Reading Lounge
Howard University, 2397 6th Street NW, Washington, DC 20059
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October 24 – 27 | CSWE 70th Annual Program
Kansas City, MO
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NOVEMBER 2024
NOV 13– 17 | American Society of Criminology’s Annual Meeting
79th ASC Annual Meeting | San Francisco CA | SEE Online Program
NOV 15 – PRESENTATIONS
“Like I Can’t Deal with Someone Overdosing Again” – Examining the Overdose Crisis in Correctional Settings.
“Addressing Lifetime Traumatic Events in Reentry” – Findings from the Resiliency in Stressful Experiences (RISE) Randomized Control Trial
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DECEMBER 2024
The Silent Epidemic: Advancing Research & Evidence-Driven Policy On Families Affected By Both Criminal Justice & Child Welfare Systems
JANUARY 14, 2025 | Panel Discussion 1 pm – 5 pm PST | Reception 5 pm – 7 pm
University of Washington School of Social Work
MARCH 2023
- The Dollars & Sense of Second Chance Hiring: FL Employer Engagement Forum
Right on Crime Panel - Trauma Responsive Reentry
Noontime Knowledge Webinar, Social Work Month Kickoff: Social Works Breaks Barriers to GO GRANDER! - Trauma Responsive Reentry
Reentry and Reintegration Roundtable with Center for Justice Integration - Early Learnings on Trauma Responsive and Violence Interruption Diversion Programs
Carrie Pettus Brown Bag with Urban Institute
APRIL 2023
- Trauma Responsive Reentry
Promoting Reentry for Young Adults: Perspectives from the Field NIJ Webinar
JUNE 2023
- WEI experts launch courses on Utilizing Professional Peers in Drug Treatment Courts: A Course Series for System Actors.
This course series is for system actors working within drug treatment courts who are currently integrating or hope to integrate, professional peers into their settings. LEARN MORE
JULY 2023
- LEAP Scholars Presentation – July 10, 2023
Learning Experiences to Advance Practice (LEAP) is a multifaceted program designed to educate any interested individual about the nuances of conducting research in criminal justice settings. The LEAP program is a 1-2 year education and mentorship program that offers two tracks, an Investigator Track and Scholar Track. The program aims to advance the capacity and diversity of high impact research for populations involved with the health and criminal justice systems through specialized training and skill-development curriculums.
SEPTEMBER 2023

Student Program – Social Impact Horizon: Navigating Grand Challenges in Social Work
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 – 6-7:30 pm EDT
OCTOBER 2023
- Oct 12-13 – Prosecutor Benefits Project Convening Denver, Colorado
Hosted by Mental Health Colorado, Claremont Graduate University, Texas Southern University, and WEI, Support from Arnold Ventures, Research and policy impact summaries forthcoming - Oct 26–27 – 2nd Annual Convening Workshop for Prosecutor-Researcher Collaborations, Santa Barbara, California
Hosted by Claremont Graduate University and WEI, Support from Arnold Ventures,Research and policy impact summaries forthcoming
NOVEMBER 2023
- NOV 2–3: Drug Testing and Community Supervision: Interrogating Policy, Practice, and Purpose Convening – The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
An invitation gathering of practitioners, researchers, academics, policymakers, advocates and activists for dialogue to drive practical change on the ground. - NOV 3: Preventing Gun Violence: The Role of Social WorK Summit – The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice.
Engagement with experts from around the US to frame and launch a shared national strategy to address the nation’s gun violence epidemic. Key leaders include Eddie Bocanegra, Senior Advisor in the Office of the Assistant Attorney General, US Department of Justice - NOV 6: Learning Experiences to Advance Practice (LEAP) – Dr. Carrie Pettus presented on the topic “Dissemination Strategies for Non-Academic Audiences” in partnership with the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN). The LEAP program is designed to educate any interested individual about the nuances of conducting research in criminal justice settings. ABOUT LEAP
- NOV 15-17: American Society of Criminology Conference – Philadelphia
LEARN MORE
Dr. Pettus – Roundtable: Involving System-Impacted Populations in Research and Policy – providing an overview of methods that center the expertise of system-impacted individuals, including community-based participatory action research methods, qualitative methods, and community engagement in project development and policy reform.
IN THE NEWS
Achieving Racial Equity and Improving Culture in Jails Using a Community-Engaged Quality Improvement Process
Achieving Racial Equity & Improving Culture in Jails …
The Grand Challenges for Social Work is pleased to welcome Carrie Pettus, PhD, as chair of its Leadership Board and Executive Committee. READ MORE
Congressional Research Institute for Social Work & Policy – Criminal Justice Reform is Not Dead by Charles E. Lewis, Jr.
MAY 2024 | Many are the victims of the War on Drugs and mandatory minimum sentences . . .They have a champion in Dr. Carrie Pettus, whose work with her newly formed nonprofit, Wellbeing and Equity Innovations (WEI), seeks to have their voices heard and their lives restored. I am joining forces with her to advance this important work. . . READ
Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Initiates Innovative New Violence Interruption Program
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office is announcing that applications are being accepted for Alternative Prosecution for Positive Outcomes (“APPO”), an innovative new program [in partnership with WEI] . . . READ MORE
ACPO program allows treatment alternatives to some offenders

Programming initiative should help prisoners reintegrate into the community
The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services announced recently that it has launched a new phase of evidence-based programming aimed at providing strengths-based re-entry support services to incarcerated individuals. READ MORE
NDCS launches new programs to help inmates reenter society
NOV 2023 | LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) | Andrew Ward — The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services is launching new program it said will help inmates reenter society with a better mindset.
. . .“Successful reentry preparation is about providing the right tools and getting the right person in the right program at the right time,” said NDCS director Rob Jeffreys in a press release. “This is an innovative initiative that takes a holistic approach to addressing barriers and building essential skills for our reentrants.” READ MORE
NEBRASKA TV | NORTH PLATE TELEGRAPH
Nebraska prisons launching new, ‘holistic’ approach to prepare inmates for reentry into society
NOV 2023 | LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) | Paul Hammel — A $900,000 grant helps set up program focused on positive thinking and relationships, and use of fellow inmates as ‘peers’
. . . State prison officials, in a press release, said that the 5-Keys programming is “evidence-based” and a “packaged approach” to preparing inmates for reentry. “This model works because these are things that all of us need to be healthier,” said Dawn Renee Smith, the deputy director of Nebraska Corrections. . . READ MORE



May 19th-20th, 2025 | Generations Annual Conference, Sandy, Utah –
International Corrections & Prisons Association – Correctional Research Symposium 2025
June 2, 2025 – RNR Tool Training Summit with MOCJ Workforce Providers

