PRISM Orientation is designed for members who are new to PRISM or those who would like a refresher on PRISM's programs and services.

Welcome to the Conference! Hear from PRISM leadership and join in as Keynote Speaker, Sean Bott, takes the stage for a fun, interactive presentation to kick off the event.

What should you do when your employee's medical providers disagree? This roundtable discussion will examine how to navigate dueling doctor’s notes while engaging in the interactive process with employees. Learn practical approaches for evaluating work restrictions, coordinating with workers’ compensation, and strengthening documentation to support accommodation decisions.

Strong partnerships between law enforcement and risk management are essential for navigating today’s challenges while preparing for the future. Through real-world experiences from public agency professionals, this session will explore how these relationships are built, strengthened, and sustained over time. Attendees will learn practical strategies for building trust, improving communication, reducing risk, and enhancing organizational resilience. Whether you're developing new partnerships or strengthening existing ones, you'll leave with actionable insights to help your agency achieve more through collaboration.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the volume, speed, and complexity of liability claims facing public entities, changing how claims are investigated, defended, and litigated. This session will examine how defense teams, plaintiffs, and pro per litigants are using AI in claims handling, legal research, discovery, complaints, demand packages, and case strategy. Panelists will address governance, compliance, disclosure, admissibility, public records exposure, emerging case law, and practical risk management strategies to help public entities control loss exposure and strengthen defensibility.

An overview of defense strategies against claims revived under California's AB 218, focusing on legal frameworks, evidentiary challenges, risk-mitigation approaches, and practical tactics for effective case resolution. Designed for attorneys, claims professionals, and risk managers, the session offers actionable guidance for managing these high-stakes matters.

A discussion-based session focused on how organizations are navigating AI adoption while managing governance, trust, workforce impacts, and implementation challenges. Includes live audience polling and collaborative scenario analysis.

The healthcare universe is expanding. Come explore the forces shaping tomorrow's healthcare landscape and learn how innovative organizations are charting a course toward a healthier, more sustainable future.

Workplace violence prevention remains a pressing concern for public agencies as organizations respond to evolving operational and public-facing risks. Across administrative offices, field operations, and educational and community-serving environments, PRISM members continue to navigate complex workplace safety challenges. This session will provide a high-level discussion on workplace violence exposures, emerging areas of concern, and practical considerations related to prevention, preparedness, and risk control.

A successful self-insured program starts with informed decision-making. Discover the critical responsibilities every self-insured employer should understand, from reserving and funding to OSIP certifications and annual reporting. Learn how staying informed helps strengthen your organization's program and supports long-term success.

The Panel will explore key issues in contractual defense and indemnity agreements and additional insured coverage.  Attendees will be better able to understand how proposed agreements might play out in the claims setting and how better to protect their entities in the contracting process.

You have a contract or service agreement with another entity - but have you fully addressed the workers’ compensation coverage and regulatory requirements of that agreement? This session will explain why issuing a Certificate of Insurance or adding another party to your organization’s coverage may not always be enough. You’ll learn when a separate organization or nonprofit may need its own certificate from the Office of Self-Insurance Plans (OSIP), even if your entity has agreed to provide coverage. You will also gain practical guidance for making sound workers' compensation coverage decisions that protect your organization.

In this session, certified appellate specialist Daniel P. Barer, will provide practical advice on identifying potential issues for successful appeal, and on how to frame those issues for the maximum chance of success. He will also discuss issues currently pending before the California Supreme Court that will impact public entity liability.

For many public agency professionals, the risk management function arrives unexpectedly, dropped onto an already full plate with little guidance and a lot of questions. This member-powered panel of experienced HR and Risk Management professionals will share candid insights on navigating the dual role, building the right relationships, and leveraging PRISM resources to find your footing fast. Whether you're brand new to risk management or a few years in and still figuring it out, this session is for you.

Connect on the tradeshow floor! Appetizers and beverages available.

Join us for another energizing, interactive session to start the day and build on what you took away from the Keynote the day before.

What do actuaries do all day, and why does it matter to you? This session explores how actuaries use data, judgment, and a magic eight ball to help organizations quantify their risk. Learn about loss development, trends in frequency and severity, and become equipped to make more informed risk management decisions—without requiring a math degree to do it. Bring your calculators and be prepared to think like an actuary…or be thankful that you have one.

This session will walk through practical strategies for documenting employee performance, addressing issues early, and creating records that stand up under scrutiny. The speakers will connect day-to-day documentation practices with real-world litigation outcomes, showing how strong performance management can prevent claims and ensure you’re prepared when they arise.

This presentation provides risk managers and city/county counsel with an overview of the evolving landscape of mass tort litigation affecting public agencies. Participants will gain practical insight into identifying and mitigating emerging risks, coordinating litigation and claims management involving large numbers of plaintiffs, and developing effective defense strategies. The session will also examine key governmental immunities and liability considerations unique to public entities. Attendees will learn lessons from recent mass tort matters and explore potential proactive approaches to reduce exposure and strengthen organizational preparedness.

What happens at the Capitol can shape the future of public entity risk management. Join PRISM's governmental affairs team for an insider's look at this year's legislative session and the advocacy efforts underway on behalf of the membership. Learn about key workers' compensation and liability issues, the legislation PRISM is tracking, and how you can help protect members' interests and influence policy decisions

This session will discuss a series of cases involving the same experts who routinely issue very similar opinions on the need for lifetime attendant care in TBI cases and the post-settlement/verdict surveillance of those plaintiffs showing they are living a life that is inconsistent with the expert opinions. We will discuss anticipated evidentiary objections, strategies, and motions. The speaker will also discuss how to argue the creation of "generational wealth" to a jury.

Bring your laptop and follow along in this hands-on workshop as we transform raw loss data into meaningful insights using Excel. Participants will receive a demonstration dataset in advance and build a practical loss analysis alongside the presenters, learning how to summarize data, identify trends, and create effective visualizations. We'll cover approachable techniques for analyzing risk data and presenting findings in a clear and engaging way. No advanced Excel or analytics experience is required. By the end of the session, you'll have a completed loss analysis template and a set of practical skills you can apply to your organization's own loss data.

The Board of Directors Meeting will include the Annual Public Entity meeting.