The Guilford County Family Justice Center and Safe Alliance of Mecklenburg County are partnering to host the Seventh Annual North Carolina Family Justice Center & Collaborative Communities Conference, alongside presenting sponsor WellCare of North Carolina (WellCare). The conference will take place November 5–6, 2025, at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center.
The conference will welcome more than 400 participants dedicated to planning, developing, and strengthening co-located, multi-agency approaches addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking. Attendees will include survivors, advocates, community leaders, law enforcement, prosecutors, civil legal attorneys, medical professionals, and elected officials — all focused on improving access to services for survivors and enhancing offender accountability.
“The Guilford County Family Justice Center is excited to partner with Safe Alliance of Mecklenburg County to host the 2025 North Carolina Family Justice Center & Collaborative Communities Conference,” said Sonya Desai, Interim Director of the Guilford County Family Justice Center. “We are ready to welcome our dedicated partners from across North Carolina and neighboring states to strengthen our efforts to support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. By bringing together advocates, community leaders, and experts, we aim to enhance access to life-saving services and reinforce our shared commitment to holding offenders accountable. Together, we continue to build stronger, more supportive networks for those who need it most.”
“At WellCare, we’re committed to strengthening the communities where our members live, work, and play. We see the tremendous impact Family Justice Centers and collaborative partnerships have in creating safer, healthier futures for North Carolina families,” said Shaune Lancit, Director of Community Engagement at WellCare of North Carolina. “By investing in these initiatives, we’re proud to stand alongside dedicated advocates and community leaders working to break the cycle of abuse and build pathways to healing.”
This year’s conference will feature more than 50 dynamic presenters, including survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. Featured speakers include Guilford County Commissioner At-Large Katie “Kay” Cashion, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, State Senator Woodson Bradley, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson, and Alliance for HOPE International President and CEO Catherine Johnson.
“North Carolina has the second fastest-growing Family Justice Center movement in the nation, and this event has become the largest statewide Family Justice Center conference in the country,” said Catherine Johnson, President and CEO of Alliance for HOPE International. “Bringing communities together strengthens knowledge, mobilizes action, influences policy, and inspires others to do what survivors are counting on us to do. Family Justice Centers are comprehensive, co-located centers supporting victims across the lifespan — from children to older adults. Our model prioritizes victim safety and offender accountability, which together prevent homicides and transform lives.”
Breakout sessions will cover topics such as Family Justice Center operations, investigations, responding to elder abuse, building impactful partnerships, civil legal needs of survivors, youth engagement, increasing access to services, and collaboration with law enforcement. Certificates of attendance and CLE credits will be available.
Registration, along with the program agenda featuring speakers, topics, and times for the 2025 conference, is available at bit.ly/2025FJCConference.