CAV Conference 2026 - Post-Traumatic Growth – Beyond Physical & Hidden Disabilities

Monday, September 14, 2026, 7:30 AM - Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 12:45 PM, Sioux Falls, SD

There is no charge to attend this conference.  All conference attendees must register.

This is a two-day professional development event designed to empower service providers to better support military families and veterans, especially in rural communities. This conference will bring together social workers, healthcare providers, educators, and nonprofit leaders to share best practices, build collaborative networks, and enhance access to vital resources for military-connected people.

1. Describe the concept of post-traumatic growth and its relevance to veterans and military families.
2. Differentiate between trauma recovery and growth-oriented approaches across physical, psychological, and social domains.
3. Identify and apply evidence-based interventions (e.g., Accelerated Resolution Therapy, suicide postvention practices) to support veterans experiencing trauma and loss.
4. Recognize signs of complicated reintegration and mental health challenges among veterans and caregivers
5. Examine barriers to care in rural communities and identify practical strategies to close gaps in access for veterans
6. Navigate state and local behavioral health systems to improve referrals and coordination of care.
7. Analyze the role of caregivers as part of the veteran support system and integrate tools/resources to support family-centered care.
8. Recognize the impact of trauma and grief on military families and incorporate resilience-building strategies.
9. Identify key stakeholders and leverage partnerships (including community health workers, local organizations, and coalitions) to enhance veteran support systems.
10. Develop strategies to sustain collaborative efforts in rural and community-based settings.
11. Explore the role of employment, purpose, and community connection in fostering resilience and long-term recovery.
12. Integrate holistic, whole-person approaches into veteran care and support programs.
13. Describe the evolving needs of veterans transitioning from military to civilian life.
14. Apply strategies to support successful reintegration across healthcare, employment, and social systems.
15. Demonstrate increased competence in working with veterans through interprofessional collaboration and shared learning.
16. Identify opportunities to integrate conference learning into practice settings to improve outcomes for veterans and their families.
17. Identify roles of interprofessional team members (e.g., community health workers, behavioral health providers, caregivers) in supporting veterans.
18. Apply whole-person, culturally responsive approaches to support veterans’ recovery, reintegration, and wellbeing.

Accreditation statements - Activity Manager

In support of improving patient care, Avera is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

 

Credit Designations:

	This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 10.0 IPCE credits for learning and change.
	Medicine CME:  Avera designates this live activity for a maximum of 10.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program.  It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
	Nurse CE: Avera designates this activity for a maximum of 10.0 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
	Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapy (SD Board of Examiners): Avera is a recognized provider of continuing education, for all counseling related content, for the South Dakota Board of Examiners for Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists. Social Workers will receive 10.00 continuing education clock hour(s) for participating in this course.
	Social Work: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Avera is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 10.00 Cultural Competency continuing education credit(s).

All educational materials provided during and after the course are for your personal use only and should not be reproduced or distributed in any manner.

 

ADA Statement:

ADA accommodations will be made in accordance with the law.  If you require ADA accommodations, please indicate what your needs are at the time of registration.  We cannot ensure the availability of appropriate accommodations without prior notification.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Avera adheres to the Joint Accreditation’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.

Individuals in a position to control the content of this CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies. An ineligible company is any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. All of the relevant financial relationships listed below have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Payment must be made via credit card.  Check payment is no longer being accepted.

If you are interested in participating in this symposium, please work with your company to plan for credit card payment during your registration or make arrangements to forward the payment link to the appropriate person who can complete your credit card payment.

If someone other than yourself is making payment,

• First register by clicking the  green EXHIBIT AT THIS EVENT below.

• Register and forward the confirmation email to the appropriate person.  Who ever will pay the fee can use the link in the confirmation email to pay by credit card.    

• Please note that the confirmation email is your invoice.

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*To make adjustments and manage registrations for the exhibitor booth, click the link in the confirmation email.  If you need additional help, contact [email protected].

**If an exhibitor wants continuing education credit, their name must be on the registration as one of the 2 booth attendees. To manage booth attendees, click the link in the confirmation email. Booth attendees can be added / replaced at any time prior to the conference.

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Exhibit at this Event