Montana Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Conference
2026 Montana Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN)
In-Person Conference
April 14-16, 2026 – Missoula, Montana
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services – Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) is hosting the annual state Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Conference (PCAN) in-person in Missoula, Montana from April 14th - April 16th, 2026.
The 2026 Montana PCAN Conference theme "United by Purpose” emphasizes a shared mission as the foundation for collaboration between service providers of multiple disciplines designed to inspire child welfare employees, community partners and stakeholders surrounding the Montana child welfare system in working together with a shared mission of serving children and families in our communities.
The conference will focus on providing educational and inspirational opportunities for those who work in and around child welfare and the prevention of child abuse and neglect, skill building, resource sharing, wellness ideas, and training opportunities with national recognized speakers and trainers.
It is an important time for those working in the field of child welfare in Montana to come together! A key element of the work Montana’s child welfare system is engaging in is to strengthen collaboration and community for a collective, impactful response in supporting children and families. The 2026 conference will be tailored to encourage attendees to see themselves as critical team members for the safety, well-being, and permanency of foster youth and their families. The hope is to expose and model the myriad of experience and training needed on Montana based community teams to create the best outcomes for the families and communities we work with.
Potential Presenters
CFSD is soliciting presentations from innovative experts from throughout Montana and the United States. Our intention is to offer professionals surrounding Montana’s child welfare workforce, an opportunity to consider new and emerging and best practices, trends, and research related to the children, youth, and families they serve.
Please See Below for Presentation Proposal Outline
Presentations from state employees within the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and other Montana state departments are welcomed and encouraged.
The theme for the 2026 Montana Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Conference is “United by Purpose”: emphasizing a shared mission as the foundation for collaboration
Topics of Interest include, but are not limited to:
Collaboration & Teamwork in Practice
These sessions would focus on the practical application of multi-disciplinary work and how different roles can align to achieve shared goals.
Seamless Staffing: This would cover how to improve communication and joint decision-making in team meetings to achieve better outcomes for children and families. It emphasizes that everyone's role, from the social worker to the legal team, is vital.
The Unseen Network: A session on leveraging the power of collaboration beyond the agency, focusing on how teams can partner with natural supports and community resources to build a stronger safety net for families.
United on the Frontline: A practical, skills-based training on how diverse professionals—such as child protection workers, law enforcement, and medical staff—can work together effectively from the very beginning of an investigation.
Wellness & Resilience
These topics would directly connect the theme of teamwork with the well-being of the professionals doing the work.
Purposeful Partnerships: This session would explore how a strong sense of shared purpose and team cohesion can act as a protective factor against burnout and vicarious trauma. It’s a great way to show that staff wellness is a collective effort.
The Well-Rounded Professional: This topic would focus on why wellness is a "team sport," highlighting how individual self-care is strengthened when it's supported by a team-wide culture of care and encouragement.
The Humor of Hope: A lighthearted but meaningful session that uses humor to explore how a team can find shared moments of lightness and laughter, which are essential for maintaining a resilient and positive outlook.
Innovation & The Future
These sessions would look at how collaboration can drive change and help the agency evolve.
Beyond the Desk: This would explore how frontline staff can collaborate with leadership and policy-makers to create meaningful, system-wide change, emphasizing that all voices are needed to improve the system.
Leveraging Technology for Teamwork: A look at how new tools and technologies can improve communication and data sharing among diverse teams, making collaboration more efficient and effective.
Who attends the conference?
Montana’s child welfare system is state-supervised and administered by Regional Administrators, making up the six geographic areas across the State. Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) oversees child welfare practice and provides policy direction and grants and contracts management and oversight. It is anticipated that many of the local/regional child welfare case workers and supervisors will attend the conference along with other CFSD staff across Montana.
In addition, practitioners adjacent to the Montana child welfare system are also encouraged to attend to learn more about child welfare practices and collaboration. These professionals include Child Welfare Prevention and Support Services Contractors, Contracted Behavioral specialists, therapists, educators/early childhood professionals, attorneys and other legal advocates and personnel, medical providers, and law enforcement.
Older youth who have aged out of foster care, as well as foster and adoptive parents, and others closely involved with child welfare, are also encouraged to attend.
Who selects the presentations?
Members of the PCAN Conference Planning Committee and Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) will evaluate presentation submissions based on the outlined criteria to inform the selection process.
Will a presenter per diem be provided?
The budget for the conference has not been finalized. The electronic presentation application does provide space to request financial compensation and/or travel and accommodations. If your presentation is selected, CFSD will reach out to you to finalize the requested fee.
Will conference organizers be providing presentation materials to attendees?
As this year’s PCAN Conference is being held in-Person, presentation materials will be provided to attendees electronically utilizing a conference app and/or email listserv.
When will presenters be notified?
Notification will be sent out electronically to the main contact on all proposals no later than January 31st, 2026.
All proposals are to be submitted through Microsoft Forms at https://forms.office.com/g/xx7ggqDGtA
If there are concerns or issues with this link please e-mail: tradle@mt.gov.