How did you first get involved with SCAN?

I first became involved with SCAN 20 years ago when I started my Masters of Social Work (MSW) program. I remember sitting at my parents’ kitchen island in New York opening up an email to find out where my first placement was going to be. I had never been to Richmond and had never heard of SCAN. My previous career was a special education teacher, and I was so nervous about what the program entailed to stop child abuse in the Richmond area. Never would I have known that it would lead to where I am now.

What has your life/work experience been that brought you to SCAN? What is your current role?

My current role with SCAN is the Clinical Coordinator with Circle Preschool. I have had a round about way that led me here. As mentioned, my first career was a special education teacher, and I loved the children I worked with (or my babies as I referred to them), but I wanted to work more with families. This led me to pursue a MSW and after earning that, I started with early intervention services. While employed as a service coordinator, I worked on my licensure then became one of the first LCSWs on an early intervention service plan in the state of Virginia. I found myself not wanting to only work with families while their child was in early intervention services, so I expanded and began contracting with Partners in Parenting as well as the Virginia Association of Infant Mental Health while continuing to contract with early intervention services. During this time, I helped start the early childhood TICN committee, which I am still facilitating. After doing these various jobs for 7 years, I found myself looking for a full-time position somewhere and I found that SCAN was hiring at the preschool so here I am!

What inspires you to stay involved with your work at SCAN?

I found my way back to SCAN as I am inspired by those employed with SCAN and I am amazed at how much it has grown since I was an intern. Each person I interact with is so passionate about the mission of SCAN and is open to working together to best serve the community. 

Is there anything you wish other people knew about SCAN?

It is so much more than stopping child abuse. It is about coming together as a community for the good of everybody. It is about connecting and building relationships to help everyone feel seen and heard while creating more opportunities to do so.

What has been the best experience with SCAN so far?

Oh man, how do I identify just one! It is beginning to get to know everyone in all the different programs. Also, the silliness and the joy in the eyes of the children we work with at Circle Preschool. 

What are any challenges you have faced in your work with SCAN?

Just figuring out and understanding the different hats I wear as a Clinical Coordinator and managing it all. Though the support of everyone has made it doable!

Do you have any goals or hopes for the next year with SCAN? Is there anything coming up/happening in your work that you are excited about or want to share?

We have music therapy starting with the children and hope to have it ongoing. Yani, the director, and I would love to expand Circle Preschool in some way down the road, as we would like to meet the needs of more children as we know there are so many out there that could benefit.

Are you involved with any other community organizations, hobbies, or activities?

I am a board member with the Virginia Association for Infant Mental Health (VAIMH). I belong to 9round gym and love going to get exercise while getting stress out. We have a 5-year-old, so much of our time is spent with her and doing fun activities in the Richmond area.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

I moved around after graduating from undergrad in NY. I lived in North Carolina, Colorado and Hawaii. Then I moved to Richmond to attend VCU without knowing anyone. 

Is there anything I didn’t ask that you wish I had?

I enjoy presenting and love helping out with the community training program, especially sharing what I have learned about working with autistic children in early childhood. 

Mental Health Awareness Month Highlight

This Mental Health Awareness Month we are highlighting a new initiative made possible through a generous grant from the Virginia Health Care Foundation.

Greater Richmond SCAN is now accepting clients for outpatient therapy for parents and caregivers through our Family Support Program.

These services for parents support caregivers in building personalized tools to manage stress, regulate emotions, and navigate challenges of parenting.

Therapy offers space to explore how a caregiver's own experiences may influence their relationship with their child, while also strengthening connection, communication, and consistency in parenting. In addition to parenting concerns, therapy also addresses issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and other life stressors that impact overall well-being.

Learn more through this flyer or contact Blair Bedinger with questions.

SCAN Totally 90s Bash

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the SCAN Totally 90s Bash earlier this month!

A special thank you to the SCAN Board of Young Professionals for putting on this amazing event.

We are also grateful to all our corporate sponsors, auction donors, and to

Mainline Brewery for hosting us.

The event raised over $23,000 to support Greater Richmond SCAN's services.

Volunteer Opportunity: Forever Summer Fest 2026 (Benefiting SCAN)

We’re excited to begin recruiting volunteers for Forever Summer Fest 2026 with the Veil Brewing Co, returning on Saturday, July 25th at Main Street Station in Richmond—and we’d love your help making this incredible event a success in support of SCAN!

Forever Summer Fest is a high-energy celebration featuring breweries, cideries, wineries, and spirit producers from across the region, along with food, entertainment, and activities for attendees throughout the venue.

As this year’s beneficiary, SCAN will play a key role in the event, and volunteers are an important part of bringing it all together. While there are opportunities to assist throughout the festival, we are especially looking for volunteers to support the silent auction, where SCAN’s presence can shine—sharing our mission, engaging with guests, and helping highlight the impact of their support.

Volunteer Perks Include:

• Exclusive event t-shirt
• Festival glassware
• Food voucher
• One hour of sampling during the event
• First access to specialty bottle releases

How to Sign Up - If you’re interested in volunteering, please email volunteer@grscan.com to confirm your participation with SCAN.

Then, complete the volunteer form by May 31, 2026 using the link below:

👉 Volunteer Form Link

All volunteers will receive follow-up communication with details as the event approaches.

Thank you for supporting SCAN and helping us make a meaningful impact through this incredible community event!

SCAN is now accepting applications for our July 2026-June 2027 Board of Young Professionals year! Interested in learning more about joining SCAN's Board of Young Professionals for the 26-27 year? Email Sarah Mersereau at smersereau@grscan.com for more information.

SCAN was honored to be featured in the TowneBank newsletter, TowneToday. The article mentioned SCAN's programs and how TowneBank has been a supporter of SCAN's work. SCAN is grateful for the longtime committment of TowneBank and its employees.

Read the full article here.

A huge thank you to United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg and Genworth for creating snack packs filled with healthy snacks and uplifting notes for children and families served at our Child Advocacy Center.

We are grateful to local high school student, Ashley, for creating and donating

craft kits for the children SCAN serves.

Thank you to Estes Foundation for their recent donation to support

SCAN's Circle Preschool Program.

Thank you to Kappa Delta at University of Richmond for their recent donation and ongoing support of Greater Richmond SCAN's work.

Upcoming Trainings & Screenings

Find the full list of upcoming SCAN trainings and register to attend HERE

May 28, 2026 | Trauma-Informed Family Engagement

12-1:30pm ET via Zoom

In this training participants will learn what it means to engage families through a trauma informed lens. This will involve critical reflection and include thinking outside the box, beyond the traditional methods of family engagement that have been practiced within many of our school and community settings. We will discuss strategies on how to engage families, how to navigate and overcome challenging interactions with families to prevent distrust and damaging relationships. Participants can also expect to receive helpful tips on how to make meaningful home visits within their communities.

June 3, 2026 | Trauma-Informed Strategies

11am-1pm ET via Zoom *CEUs Available

This training will provide a brief review of trauma and its impacts as well as introduce the 6 Principles of a Trauma-Informed Approach. Using these principles, participants will learn strategies for creating physical & psychological safety, developing collaborative & supportive relationships, empowering others through voice & choice, and addressing systems of oppression. 

June 4, 2026 | Playing for Keeps (film screening)

1-2:30pm ET via Zoom

Playing for Keeps: The Upside of Downtime examines the value of play through a health lens. We feature high-performing individuals who prioritize play as essential to a happier life. We witness how play is a particularly powerful antidote to those subjected to stress and danger on the job, while highlighting the power of a playful approach to our daily lives, regardless of our circumstance.

June 8, 2026 | Mindful Monday: Safe Place Imagery 

12-12:30pm ET via Zoom

Safe place visualization provides an opportunity to access internal resources for calm and grounding which can be useful during times of high stress or when an individual experiences abreactions from trauma reminders. Join us for an opportunity to practice safe place imagery. We recommend joining this experiential from a quiet, private space and having access to drawing or coloring materials.

June 9, 2026 | Trauma & Attachment

12-1:30pm ET via Zoom *CEUs Available

This workshop explores how disruptions in early attachment—particularly within the first five years of life—can be experienced as trauma by young children. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how trauma and attachment are interconnected, and how early relational disruptions can affect a child’s emotional, social, and developmental well-being. The session will also examine the types of trauma that most commonly impact attachment, including loss, neglect, and family violence. Emphasis will be placed on strategies for supporting and strengthening the caregiver-child bond, with a focus on practical tools and approaches that professionals can use in their work with families.

June 10, 2026 | Children, Screens & Well-Being

9-11:30am ET via Zoom

This training will explore what current evidence tells us about the impact of digital media on infants, children, and adolescents, examined through developmental, relational, and safety lenses. Participants will learn how screen use can influence brain development, mental health, behavior, peer relationships, and the parent–child relationship, while also considering protective factors and healthy uses of technology. Participants will leave with concrete tools, including guidance for boundary-setting and family media planning.  

June 16, 2026 | Importance of Building Long-Lasting Relationships on the Road to Self-Sustainability

12-1pm ET via Zoom

Join Greater Richmond SCAN's Community Engagement Specialist, Tamika Daniel, for an interactive conversation based on her life experience with building the types of relationships that are supportive in accomplishing goals. The conversation will include challenges and barriers to supportive relationships and offer ways to overcome these.

June 16, 2026 | TI Technique Tuesday: Trauma & Substance Use Part 2-Recommendations for Professionals

1:30-2pm ET via Zoom

This week, we will be discussing recommendations for a variety of professions related to addressing trauma & substance use. These recommendations are based on new resources developed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network that will be shared during the presentation.

June 17, 2026 | Summer Professional Wellness Seminar 

9am-12:30pm in-person

This half-day event will begin with a 1.5-hour training related to the Impact of Trauma Exposure on Professionals. Participants will learn about Secondary Traumatic Stress, Compassion Fatigue, and Burnout as well as ways to prevent, identify, and respond to these common trauma exposure responses. After the training, participants will have an opportunity to engage in an interactive workshop that will support their ability to maintain professional wellness in the workplace and beyond.

June 22, 2026 | Mindful Monday: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

1:30-2pm ET via Zoom

Progressive muscle relaxation is a relaxation technique that helps to reduce stress and anxiety within your body by having you slowly tense and relax different muscle groups. This technique helps to bring awareness around where the body is experiencing tension. 

June 23, 2026 | Overcoming Adversity and Building Resilience

1-3pm ET via Zoom *CEUs Available

This training will provide a brief review of trauma and its impacts as well as introduce the 7 Cs of building resilience. Participants will learn about adverse and positive childhood experiences as well as strategies for building individual and community resilience.

Register

June 24, 2026 | The Power of Play in Parenting

12-1pm ET via Zoom

Play is the language of children and as parents we can increase our connection with children by joining them in it. Children of all ages experience greater confidence, fewer behavioral issues, and improved mental health when caregivers use the power of play in their daily interactions with them. Learn more about the importance of play and how to incorporate it in your interactions with children in this workshop.

Register

June 24, 2026 | It Takes a Village: How to Find & Build Your Support System Part 1

1-2:30pm in-person 

This workshop explores the importance of having a strong, healthy “village” and provides practical tools for building meaningful connections in your life. Participants will reflect on their current relationships, identify what support looks like for them, and learn skills to create and maintain a village that feels safe, supportive, and aligned with their needs.

**Note: This is a 2-part series and the second session is scheduled for 7/1.**                   

June 25, 2026 | Stewards of Children

2-4:30pm ET via Zoom

Stewards of Children® is an evidence-informed, award-winning two and a half hour training that teaches adults to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Through interviews with a very diverse group of people with lived experience, experts, and treatment providers, Stewards of Children® teaches adults practical actions they can take to reduce instances of child sexual abuse in their organizations, families, and communities.

June 30, 2026 | Trauma-Informed Technique Tuesday: Using Art in Therapy with Children

12-12:30pm ET via Zoom

Join us for a 30-minute interactive workshop exploring simple therapeutic art activities that can support children’s self-expression, emotional regulation, and connection. Participants will learn creative, developmentally supportive techniques that can be used to help children process feelings, build coping skills, and strengthen communication through art. Please bring blank paper, pencils, crayons, or markers so you can participate in hands-on activity during the workshop.

July 1, 2026 |  It Takes a Village: How to Find & Build Your Support System Part 2

1-2:30pm in-person 

This workshop explores the importance of having a strong, healthy “village” and provides practical tools for building meaningful connections in your life. Participants will reflect on their current relationships, identify what support looks like for them, and learn skills to create and maintain a village that feels safe, supportive, and aligned with their needs.

**Note: This is a 2-part series and the first session is scheduled for 6/24.**                       

Find the full list of SCAN Trainings and register to attend HERE

 *Some of these trainings are eligible for Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) from the National Association of Social Workers. Check SCAN's training page for details.