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Friday, September 11
 

7:30am PDT

8:00am PDT

Braiding Vision, Funding, and Partnerships to Sustain School-Based Wellness Models
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Developing and sustaining an integrated school-based wellness model requires more than adding services, it requires leadership moves that build coherence across vision, funding, partnerships, and systems. This session will share lessons from the Placer County Office of Education’s work to develop an integrated wellness model connected to Placer County’s broader System of Care. Participants will explore how a clear and durable vision can guide implementation, how braided funding approaches can support sustainability, and how intentional partnership development can strengthen access to coordinated supports for students and families. Using a narrative, story-based approach, the session will connect practical leadership decisions to real implementation challenges and opportunities. Participants will leave with tools and strategies they can apply in their own local context.
Speakers
avatar for Luke Anderson

Luke Anderson

Executive Director, Prevention Supports and Services, Placer County Office of Education & CA PBIS
Luke Anderson, Ed.S., BCBA, is the Executive Director of Prevention Supports and Services at the Placer County Office of Education. He leads efforts to build integrated systems of support that connect education, behavioral health, and community partners to improve student well-being... Read More →
avatar for Ali Murphy

Ali Murphy

Mental Health Director, Placer County Office of Education
Ali Murphy, LMFT, is the Director of Mental Health in the Prevention Supports and Services Department at the Placer County Office of Education. Within this role, Ali oversees school-mental health program integration including the implementation of Wellness Centers and school-based... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
33 B

8:00am PDT

Every Student Known: A Scalable Advocacy Center Model in Action for Whole-School Wellness, Belonging, and School Success
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
In today’s complex school environments, connection and well-being are among the most powerful drivers of social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health and school success. This session explores how Advocacy Centers operationalize this understanding by aligning people, proven practices, and early intervention to ensure no student falls through the cracks. Framed as a “compass” for effective preventative and responsive supports that produce meaningful outcomes, the model integrates trauma-informed and restorative practices with an emphasis on well-being within a cohesive, high-impact approach to whole-school transformation.

Drawing on five years of district-wide implementation and continuous improvement across 74 Metro Nashville Public Schools, participants will learn how dedicated Advocacy Coaches, structured support processes, and data-driven practices create conditions for student flourishing and staff support. The session highlights how structured coaching models, professional learning, feedback loops, collaborative problem-solving, and comprehensive supports move schools beyond reactive practices to proactive systems that strengthen belonging, engagement, skill building and classroom success.
Through real examples, interactive dialogue and a roundtable discussion, attendees will explore how to map and adapt this scalable framework in their own contexts. Participants will leave with practical tools and actionable strategies to implement and sustain structured systems for support staff and Certified Wellness Coaches to apply—translating connection and intervention into measurable outcomes for students and educators alike while ensuring every student is known, supported, and set up to thrive.
Speakers
avatar for Mary Crnobori

Mary Crnobori

District Coordinator of Trauma-Informed Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Dr. Mary Crnobori is the District Coordinator of Trauma-Informed Schools for Metro Nashville Public Schools. She leads a team of 7 district Trauma-Informed Specialists and oversees 72 fully staffed elementary school Advocacy Centers, or designated regulation spaces designed to support... Read More →
avatar for Courtney Jenkins

Courtney Jenkins

Metro Nashville Public Schools
CC

Christine Croom

Metro Nashville Public Schools
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
31 C

8:00am PDT

Lighthouse Talk: I’m Glad You’re Here: How Unconditional Positive Regard Promotes Well-Being
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Join us for a dynamic 12-minute Lighthouse Talk, designed to showcase bold ideas, innovative practices, and inspiring stories shaping the future of student mental health and wellness. This presentation is one of four featured during this one-hour block. Due to the fast-paced format, there will be no formal Q&A, but we encourage you to connect with the speaker directly after the block to continue the conversation.

Let’s talk about how Unconditional Positive Regard for students and families cultivates a sense of belonging among students.  We’ll engage in a collaborative discussion format to explore the ways in which we may provide care and understanding to three historically marginalized communities (Newcomer students and families, Muslim students and families, & LGBTQIA+ students and families) and, in the process, improve student well-being and school culture and climate.
Speakers
avatar for Kassie Cardona

Kassie Cardona

Pupil Personnel Worker, Anne Arundel County Public Schools
My name is Kassie Cardona and I’m a Pupil Personnel Worker in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. I have worked for 20 years as a Mental Health Professional and Educator and I continue to learn as I serve children and families each day. The best way to explain my professional role is... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
30 E

8:00am PDT

Lighthouse Talk: Mind Out Loud
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Join us for a dynamic 12-minute Lighthouse Talk, designed to showcase bold ideas, innovative practices, and inspiring stories shaping the future of student mental health and wellness. This presentation is one of four featured during this one-hour block. Due to the fast-paced format, there will be no formal Q&A, but we encourage you to connect with the speaker directly after the block to continue the conversation.

Speakers
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
30 E

8:00am PDT

Lighthouse Talk: Navigating the Licensure Bottleneck: Accelerating and Diversifying the Youth Mental Health Workforce
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Join us for a dynamic 12-minute Lighthouse Talk, designed to showcase bold ideas, innovative practices, and inspiring stories shaping the future of student mental health and wellness. This presentation is one of four featured during this one-hour block. Due to the fast-paced format, there will be no formal Q&A, but we encourage you to connect with the speaker directly after the block to continue the conversation.

Communities nationwide face a critical shortage of licensed mental health clinicians—especially in underserved and rural areas—while early career professionals encounter financial, structural, and policy barriers to licensure. This Session shares a multistate, real world solution: the Mental Health Workforce Acceleration Program. Grounded in lived implementation across California and Hawaiʻi, this session will guide participants through a replicable workforce navigation framework that accelerates licensure, centers equity, and strengthens youth serving systems—without losing human connection at the core.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Kristina Gordon

Dr. Kristina Gordon

Assistant Professor, California Baptist University
Dr. Kristina West Gordon is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program at California Baptist University. She also serves as the Director of the Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Career Accelerator in Southern California, leading efforts to expand... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
30 E

8:00am PDT

Lighthouse Talk: The AI Sandwich & Authentic Student Learning and Leadership
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Join us for a dynamic 12-minute Lighthouse Talk, designed to showcase bold ideas, innovative practices, and inspiring stories shaping the future of student mental health and wellness. This presentation is one of four featured during this one-hour block. Due to the fast-paced format, there will be no formal Q&A, but we encourage you to connect with the speaker directly after the block to continue the conversation.

Generative AI presents a profound challenge to youth mental wellness by tempting students to short-circuit their learning process, subvert their unique voices, and disconnect from their educational communities. To address this urgent issue, this presentation offers an actionable framework grounded in Transformational Leadership and Design Thinking that teaches students how to ethically engage with technology while bringing their authentic selves to their work. Rather than fighting digital trends, attendees will learn how to leverage empathy to understand the underlying pressures driving students toward academic shortcuts, and use innovation to foster safe risk-taking and collaborative problem-solving. The core of this highly interactive session centers on the "AI Sandwich" method—a practical, easily replicable strategy for healthy tech engagement. Participants will discover how to guide students to establish their own ideas and drafts first to build honesty and authenticity (the "Top Bun"), utilize AI strictly as a collaborative brainstorming and refining partner (the "Filling"), and conduct the final edits to retain ultimate ownership and accountability (the "Bottom Bun"). By shifting the focus from digital reliance back to human connection, this evidence-based approach equips educators and clinicians with the immediate tools needed to protect academic integrity, alleviate performance anxiety, and empower the next generation of confident, authentic learners and leaders.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Dave Heitman

Dr. Dave Heitman

Leadership Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, JESSUP UNIVERSITY
Dave is originally from California and has studied and worked in over 30 countries. Dave has worked in higher education since 2001, completing an Ed.D. in Innovation and Leadership from University of the Pacific. Dave is passionate about developing leaders to produce change and build... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
30 E

8:00am PDT

Navigating Youth Digital Wellbeing: Practical Tools for Trusted Adults in School Communities
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Educators, mental health professionals, administrators, and community partners are often the trusted adults students turn to when online experiences become overwhelming or harmful. This session introduces the Digital Futures Curriculum as a practical framework for helping school communities support youth digital wellbeing through shared language, supportive conversations, and a coordinated response. The Challenge is that students’ digital lives increasingly shape their mental health, relationships, learning, belonging, safety, and help-seeking, while adults often lack practical tools for responding in ways that are developmentally appropriate, relational, and role-aligned. The Compass is the Digital Futures Curriculum, an evidence-informed TK–12 digital wellness framework developed through a statewide partnership between the California Department of Public Health’s Office of School Health and the UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools. The Map is a replicable trusted-adult approach. Participants will work through a digital harm scenario, such as cyberbullying, online conflict, or AI-generated harm. They will practice identifying the student wellbeing concern, opening a supportive conversation, distinguishing levels of response, and determining when coaching, coordination, caregiver communication, referral, or existing protocols may be needed. The session will close with practical takeaways to support schoolwide culture around digital wellbeing.

Continuing Education Session Information:

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.
Speakers
avatar for Ryan Skaggs

Ryan Skaggs

Chief, Office of School Health, CDPH Office of School Health
Ryan Skaggs MPH is the program manager of the CDPH Office of School Health (OSH) where he oversees a variety of initiatives in areas including behavioral health, infectious diseases, and school-based healthcare. Prior to leading OSH, he served as Lean Transformation Manager in the... Read More →
avatar for Michael D. Corral

Michael D. Corral

Research Scientist and Project Director, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools

Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
31 B
  Breakout

8:00am PDT

Staff First, Students Always: A Whole-School Approach to Routines, Relationships, & Responsive Mental Health Support
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Most mental health support systems are designed from the student up. But sustainable, proactive support requires starting with the adults who make belonging possible.

At Scholarship Prep, staff wellness and community come first, and inform the culture of belonging for students. "Tier 0" efforts aimed at adult wellness and structured time for community building strengthen the capacity for truly universal Tier 1 support and actionable pathways to proactively addressing Tier 2 & 3 needs.

This session will unpack the development and impact of Scholarship Prep's Community Meeting toolkit, including: threshold greetings, daily SEL time, classroom resource centers, a weekly universal screener, intentional community partnerships, and designated support for staff.

We'll ground the session in learning science on adult wellness and trusting student-adult relationships as drivers of student outcomes. Scholarship Prep leaders will share the journey behind their Community Meeting model and its impact on more accurate and earlier identification of student needs. Participants will experience elements of the toolkit firsthand through roleplay activities before collaborating to design their own community meeting structure, including how to connect screener data to an action plan for support.

Attendees will leave with an actionable starting point for whole-school mental health support that starts with staff and reaches every student.
Speakers
avatar for Alisha Rodriguez

Alisha Rodriguez

School Counselor, Scholarship Prep
Ms. Alisha Rodriguez is a highly motivated school counselor and 504 Site Coordinator with over six years of experience in education. As a dedicated student advocate and lifelong learner, she is committed to supporting the academic, social-emotional, and personal growth of all students... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Zaia Vera

Dr. Zaia Vera

Executive of District Partnerships and Impact, Sown To Grow
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
33 A

8:00am PDT

StrengthIn.Youth: Building Peer Support Capacity through Adult-Youth Collaboration
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
StrengthIn.Youth was developed during 3.5+ years of community-based participatory research. Through ongoing youth consultation, we learned that young people seek adult guidance and collaboration, but they need frameworks for navigating these sometimes complex situations effectively and safely.

We also learned that when young people face mental health challenges, they turn to their peers first, rather than adults or mental health professionals. Well intentioned adult supporters often encourage young people to support one another, but sometimes forget to prepare them on how to navigate these supportive conversations. This session will address a critical gap: youth (especially those from BIPOC and 2SLBTQ+ communities) are serving as the first response to their peers’ mental health and/or life challenges, sometimes without the basic skills to do so.

This interactive session will begin by exploring how participants are currently supporting youth, creating opportunities for shared learning and connection. By bridging the gap between youth wisdom and adult support, attendees will learn strategies for upskilling and empowering young people to have safe, effective and hope-based supportive conversations with their peers. We will share our framework which addresses how to:
-Start a supportive conversations
-Set boundaries and practice self care
-Identify and connect with trusted adult supporters and resources.

Attendees will leave with implementation ready resources including a youth guide, and strategies to support everyday peer to peer interactions.
Speakers
ML

Marilyn Lopez Mota

Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing

LA

Laura Avila

UC San Diego
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
31 A

8:00am PDT

Supporting Youth Mental Health with Notice. Talk. Act. ® at School
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Notice. Talk. Act. ® at School is an interactive mental health training program designed for K–12 educators and school personnel, regardless of their role or prior experience in behavioral health. The training equips school and district staff with practical skills to recognize early warning signs of mental health concerns, engage students in supportive and compassionate conversations, and connect them with appropriate school and community resources. Grounded in evidence-informed and trauma-responsive practices, Notice. Talk. Act.® at School helps build mental health literacy, increases confidence in responding to student needs, and strengthens referral pathways within schools. By empowering educators to take action when concerns arise, the program supports early intervention, promotes student well-being, and fosters safer, more supportive school environments where all students can thrive.
Speakers
avatar for Kate Berg

Kate Berg

Director, School and Justice Initiatives, APAF
Kate Berg, MA is a youth mental health advocate and education strategist with over fifteen years of experience leading systems-level change in school settings. Her work focuses on advancing equitable, trauma-informed approaches that support the mental health and well-being of young... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
33 C

8:00am PDT

When Suspension Is the Default: Building a DIY MTSS for Substance Use in Schools
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
Across many school systems, substance use is still met first with suspension, even when educators know exclusion alone rarely changes behavior and often disconnects students from support. This session opens with a brief rural school context and invites participants to quickly map the systems currently in place within our own settings, surfacing the tension between suspension-based responses and alternatives.

The session moves into a tiered MTSS approach to substance use intervention, from prevention to intervention to maintenance, discussing what is and is not working at each level, including prevention efforts, first-time and repeat suspension responses, and the complexity of recurring substance use.

Participants explore coordination across administration, counseling, and prevention programs such as YVAPE to strengthen alignment. A key focus is how brief, harm-reduction informed interventions can extend beyond discipline into ongoing support, including the “build your own quit kit” model as a student-centered tool for goal setting and engagement.

The session introduces a practical pathway informed by motivational interviewing and used in real school settings, including a 3-session individual model for first-time substance-related suspensions and a structured group counseling format. Our goal is to provide prevention, but when met with intervention have the option for maintenance, not just consequence.

We conclude with a vision for the future, engaging in a professional learning community setting building shared language and supporting staff in carrying this work collectively. Participants engage in dialogue on scaling these practices within our individual contexts and identify what is needed to make intervention more sustainable and coordinated.


Continuing Education Session Information:

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.
Speakers
avatar for Alex Kunesh

Alex Kunesh

Mental Health Clinician, Bret Harte Union High School District
Hi! Let’s talk all things travel, anything along the river - fish, raft, dip, and the best way to our hearts - food, sourdough and other great recipes, San Diego eats. 


As for our profession - I am classroom instruction converted to mental health and program leadership. I bring a educationally based approach to clinical work. I love being embedded in my school, collaborating with teachers and systematizing programs so that we can keep moving. At the... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am PDT
32 A-B
  Breakout

9:15am PDT

Beyond the Degree: Navigating Your Path as a California Certified Wellness Coach (CWC)
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
The Challenge: The "Experience Trap" & Youth Distress
College students and recent grads face a frustrating paradox: they are passionate about solving the youth mental health crisis, but entry-level jobs often demand years of clinical experience or expensive master's degrees. Meanwhile, California youth are drowning in stress and isolation, desperately needing relatable, culturally responsive mentors before they reach a clinical crisis point.


The Compass: The CWC Role (The Non-Clinical Revolution)
The California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) created the Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) role specifically to bridge this chasm. It is a free, non-clinical certification for people with Associate (CWC I) or Bachelor's (CWC II) degrees. It validates your lived experience and field hours, allowing you to get paid to deliver critical preventive care (wellness promotion, screenings, and group support) under supportive supervision.

The Map: The Certification Roadmap
A clear, step-by-step framework showing students how to leverage their current classes and practicum hours, navigate the "Registered" status, and step directly into a thriving career in schools or community clinics.
Speakers
avatar for Kimberly Lee

Kimberly Lee

Sr. Director, Operations, Wellness Together
I'm Kim Lee, Senior Director of Operations at Wellness Together. I oversee HR, IT, and internal communications for the organization. Talk to me about what it's actually like to work here, whether you're curious about joining the team as a Mental Health Specialist, becoming a Certified... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
33 B

9:15am PDT

Certified Wellness Coaches: Statewide Updates, Early Impact, and Direct Insights from a CWC and CWC Employer
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
Learn about the latest updates and impacts of California’s new Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) profession from the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI), a workforce helping schools expand prevention and early intervention support for children and youth. In this informational session, HCAI will share recent developments, early outcomes, and hear insights from a local employer who has integrated CWCs into their system to strengthen school-based care teams and promote the overall health and well-being of children and youth.

Learning Objectives:

* Understand the purpose and scope of the Certified Wellness Coach profession in California.
* Learn about early implementation outcomes and emerging impact on school-based behavioral health support.
* Hear directly from a local employer about practical approaches for integrating CWCs into existing care teams.
* Identify opportunities for leveraging CWCs to enhance prevention and early intervention services for children and youth.
Speakers
avatar for Samantha Sadler

Samantha Sadler

Health Program Specialist, California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI)
Samantha Sadler is a Health Program Specialist with the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) Office of Health Workforce Development (OHWD) in the Behavioral Health and Policy Branch. She brings experience in behavioral health, community organizing, and public policy... Read More →
avatar for Angela Brand

Angela Brand

Health Care Access and Information
avatar for Gloria Cota

Gloria Cota

Certified Wellness Coach, San Diego Unified School District
avatar for Kate Edra

Kate Edra

Wellness Operations Specialist, San Diego Unified School District
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
33 A

9:15am PDT

Fee Schedule in Practice: Audit Preparedness, Compliance, and Real-World Operations
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
This session will focus on: 
  1. Audit Preparedness: Guidance on compliance requirements and strategies to ensure audit readiness.
  2. Navigating Medical Necessity: Recommendations for establishing and documenting medical necessity within school-based settings.
  3. ORP Responsibilities: Practical guidance on Ordering, Referring, and Prescribing (ORP) requirements.
  4. Rural & Universal Toolkits: New resources designed to address rural implementation challenges while offering blueprints that can support all districts statewide.
Speakers
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
31 C

9:15am PDT

Grief-Informed Schools: From Awareness to Action
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
This session aims to equip school professionals with knowledge and tools to better support grieving students. Participants will explore foundational grief theory, including grief across developmental stages and the impact on behavior, relationships, attendance, and academic performance. As mental well-being is a foundation for learning, students cannot fully engage academically when grief and loss go unsupported.

The session will also examine the current grief landscape, highlighting the growing number of students impacted alongside the limited education and training many school professionals receive in responding to grief. Through discussion, interactive moments and real-world examples, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges grieving students face and the critical role schools play in creating compassionate, grief-informed environments.


Participants will leave empowered to bring grief to the table within their schools and communities through meaningful conversations, advocacy, and intentional support practices. The presentation will provide practical strategies for developing a grief support response plan tailored to a school, including interventions, crisis response considerations, communication strategies, and approaches for building sustainable systems of care. Attendees will gain actionable tools to empower school communities to create cultures of belonging, strengthen student support systems, and foster hope for grieving students and families.
Speakers
avatar for Samira Moosavi

Samira Moosavi

Grief Education Manager, Experience Camps
Samira Moosavi is the Grief Education Manager at Experience Camps. A Certified Thanatologist and Child Life Specialist, she provides children’s grief education, leads caregiver and youth advisory boards, and cultivates strategic partnerships to strengthen grief-informed communities... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
32 A-B

9:15am PDT

Looking Up to Light Up How 27 Teenage Girls Traded Digital Noise for Real-World Connection
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
The presentation will begin by showing our brief media clips, including our CBS special, as well as some overall adolescent youth and mental health statistics. I will then go into what our specific group of 27 girls did.

The presentation will break down the specifics and details with regard to their 30 day digital detox, including (and especially) their before and after questionnaires and assessments. I will also be including real life statements and video clips from some of the girls but my daughter will actually be with me and available for Q&A. I will go into my daughter‘s pre and post detox scans and computer assessments and scores, via the Amen Clinic. I will also touch on my son’s screen free and gaming detoxes and his academic and mental health scores.

I will address quite a few parental concerns centered around fear and their children being left out, as well as adolescent and youth concerns with regard to “FOMO." I will open this topic up for discussion. I have a unique and powerful (never-before-seen) video, specifically to address parent guilt and youth fomo concerns. All of this will lead to me introducing an adolescent boy and an adolescent girl on screen. I will tell the audience their daughter, son, niece, nephew, student, etc., just starting hanging out with them and then describe their characteristics as being that of a codependent narcissist. Then, thanks to the wonders of graphic technology, both that boy and that girl, will morph into smartphones and the connection to codependency will be made. From here, I will give the withdrawal statistics and experiences from our group of 27 girls, as well as my son, which are quite profound, as they are the exact same as those of a drug addict or alcoholic.
Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Riboni Christensen

Jennifer Riboni Christensen

The Digital Detox Mom
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
33 C

9:15am PDT

Reconnect Movement: A Phone Free Experience
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT

Speakers
avatar for Seán Killingsworth

Seán Killingsworth

Reconnect Movement
Seán Killingsworth is the Gen Z founder of The Reconnect Movement, a globally recognized movement creating phone-free social spaces across campuses, cities, and communities. His frameworks bring audiences from mistaking Gen Z as lazy antisocial addicts to having a deep compassionate... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
31 B

9:15am PDT

The CBO Model: How California Districts Are Expanding Access Through CYBHI
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
As California districts implement CYBHI, many are looking for ways to expand behavioral health capacity without adding operational burden to school staff.

Join TadHealth and Wellness Together on Friday, September 11th at 9:15am PST to see how the CBO model can support a more connected approach to implementation. Panelists will cover:
  • How clinical services, CBO support, and billing work together
  • What implementation looks like in practice, including wellness coach services, consent, and insurance capture
  • Lessons from our pilots with Corona-Norco USD, San Marcos USD, and Alvord USD.


Speakers
avatar for Lizbet Betancio

Lizbet Betancio

Mental Health Specialist, Wellness Together
avatar for Tayler Trotter

Tayler Trotter

Program Director, Mental Health Services, Wellness Together
avatar for Jen Athanacio

Jen Athanacio

Head of Product Education, TadHealth

avatar for Victoria Vega

Victoria Vega

Product Marketing Manager, TadHealth
TadHealth is a school-based Electronic Health Record (EHR) designed for K-12 mental health professionals and student support teams. Trusted by districts across California, TadHealth simplifies documentation, care coordination, and CYBHI reimbursement workflows to help schools sustainably... Read More →
avatar for Lorraine McClay

Lorraine McClay

Certified Wellness Coach, Wellness Together
Friday September 11, 2026 9:15am - 10:15am PDT
31 A

10:30am PDT

A Revenue Generating Model of School-Based Mental Health
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Students' mental health is a concern. It can look like chronic absenteeism, disruptive behavior, isolation, poor or failing grades, and so much more. While the state has invested an unprecedented number of resources in addressing this matter, challenges with implementation, access, and feasibility remain. Two counties in Northern CA have formed partnerships with local Community Health Centers (FQHCs) helps build sustainable funding by integrating the health and education systems creating a durable funding model for providing lasting mental health supports in schools.
Come hear from county office leaders, CHC executives, and managed care organization leadership how they have built these partnerships, what makes it especially durable, and how you can replicate the model.
Speakers
MR

Matt Reddam

School & Community Mental Wellness Advisor, Butte County Office of Education

TD

Tyson Dickinson

Director - Behavioral Health & Well-being, SCOE
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
33 C

10:30am PDT

California Behavioral Health Apprenticeship Collaborative: Wellness Coach
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
This session will explore how registered apprenticeship and earn-and-learn workforce models can expand and strengthen the behavioral health workforce by creating accessible, supported pathways into the field for individuals with lived experience and nontraditional educational backgrounds. Participants will learn how California’s behavioral health apprenticeship initiatives are being used to address workforce shortages while improving retention, equity, and long-term career development.

Presenters will share the development and implementation of the California Wellness Coach Apprenticeship Project, highlighting strategies for employer engagement, cross-sector collaboration, competency-based training, mentorship, and wraparound supports.

The session will also include a moderated Q&A discussion with program administrators and an active apprentice currently participating in the apprenticeship program. This discussion will provide attendees with real-world perspectives on implementation, participant experience, mentorship, employer engagement, and lessons learned throughout the apprenticeship journey.

Attendees will gain practical insight into building sustainable workforce pathways through partnerships between employers, educational institutions, workforce agencies, and community organizations, and will leave with actionable ideas and examples they can adapt within their own organizations or regions.
Speakers
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
33 A

10:30am PDT

Care in Action: Building Systems of Support in Schools for Immigrant Students and Families
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
The community of Oceanside has been heavily impacted by ICE. Our team in OUSD is working to keep our students and families safe through policies, practices, staff trainings, know your rights trainings for the community, collaboration with local organizations and tailored supports for families. In our presentation we will share what we have done so far in our district and provide tangible steps for others to do so in their own office, classroom or organization. Participants will learn some best practices and ways to support and defend their own communities.
Speakers
avatar for Maria Al-Shamma

Maria Al-Shamma

Lead District Social Worker and LGBTQ+ Youth Liaison , Oceanside Unified School District
Maria Al-Shamma (she/her) is Lead District Social Worker & LGBTQ+ Youth Liaison in Oceanside Unified School District. She serves on the boards of both the North County LGBTQ Resource Center and the California Association of School Social Workers. She is a , Welcoming Schools National... Read More →
avatar for Dr. Jordy Sparks

Dr. Jordy Sparks

ExecDirector, Diversity Equity Inclusion & Student Supports, Oceanside Unified
CH

Cynthia Hernandez

District Social Worker, Oceanside Unified School District
JP

Jaimie Pandzic

District Social Worker, Oceanside Unified School District
RM

Rosana Martinez

Oceanside Unified School District
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
33 B

10:30am PDT

Lighthouse Talk: allcoveTM - Where Every Youth Belongs, Chooses the Support They Need and Thrives
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Join us for a dynamic 12-minute Lighthouse Talk, designed to showcase bold ideas, innovative practices, and inspiring stories shaping the future of student mental health and wellness. This presentation is one of four featured during this one-hour block. Due to the fast-paced format, there will be no formal Q&A, but we encourage you to connect with the speaker directly after the block to continue the conversation.

The first of its kind in the U.S., allcove is developing an innovative network of integrated youth mental health centers designed with, by and for youth that reduce stigma, embrace mental wellness, increase community connection and provide access to culturally-responsive services.
allcove centers serve young people ages 12-25, providing a unique space for them to access our services, with resources and support for friends, family and the larger community. Our centers are embedded within the communities they serve and reflect the unique needs of local youth.

Speakers
avatar for DeAndre James

DeAndre James

Executive Director, Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley
As Executive Director of the Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, DeAndre’ James takes an active role as a leader and activist in the community. He works with both the board and staff to implement the strategic plan and explores new opportunities. His personal mission is to... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
30 E

10:30am PDT

Lighthouse Talk: Empowering Youth to Create Ripple Effects in Their Communities
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Join us for a dynamic 12-minute Lighthouse Talk, designed to showcase bold ideas, innovative practices, and inspiring stories shaping the future of student mental health and wellness. This presentation is one of four featured during this one-hour block. Due to the fast-paced format, there will be no formal Q&A, but we encourage you to connect with the speaker directly after the block to continue the conversation.

Although reported percentages vary, it is well established that adolescents experience mental health challenges at high rates. Teens often do not feel “heard” by adults or comfortable reaching out to them for fear of judgment, minimization of their issue, or attempts to “fix” it. Building upon the premise that teens feel more comfortable talking to a peer who knows the unique challenges of being a teen in 2026, the session navigators will share the unique ways they have empowered youth to help one another and their respective communities.
Speakers
avatar for Cheryl Eskin

Cheryl Eskin

Senior Director, Teen Line, a Program of Didi Hirsch
Teen Line, a Program of Didi Hirsch, is a hotline for teens staffed by teens.  Los Angeles-based trained teen listeners take calls, texts or emails from teens all over the country.  No problem is too big or too small for our teen listeners.  Teen Line is open every night 6-10 PM... Read More →
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
30 E

10:30am PDT

Lighthouse Talk: Nothing Heals Like Sport
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Join us for a dynamic 12-minute Lighthouse Talk, designed to showcase bold ideas, innovative practices, and inspiring stories shaping the future of student mental health and wellness. This presentation is one of four featured during this one-hour block. Due to the fast-paced format, there will be no formal Q&A, but we encourage you to connect with the speaker directly after the block to continue the conversation.

At a time when conversations about youth mental health are largely focused on problems and limitations, we want to zero in on a creative and accessible opportunity hiding in plain sight: sport.

In this session, participants will examine sport through a “brain-based” lens to draw clear connections between neurodevelopment and three inherent properties of sport - movement, connection, and manageable stress. With a deeper understanding of how the brain and nervous system develop, participants will begin to see how intentionally designed sport experiences can act as a powerful tool to support youth mental health and wellbeing.

Speakers
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
30 E

10:30am PDT

Reimagining School-Based Mental Health: An LEA’s Journey to ERMHS Implementation
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
This presentation shares one LEA’s journey to bringing Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) in-house after years of relying on an outside provider. Presenters will walk through the evolution of the program—from examining existing practices and conducting research to developing an assessment process and building a multidisciplinary clinical team. The session will highlight lessons learned along the way, student outcome data, and the impact of a district-operated model. Presenters will also share current areas of growth and next steps as the LEA continues to strengthen and refine its approach to meeting students’ mental health needs.
Speakers
GF

Gina Fabrizio

Director of Special Education, Visalia Unified School District
TM

Theb Manivanh

Lead Clinician, Visalia Unified School District
HC

Heather Chambers-Plett

Psychologist, Visalia Unified School District
TV

Thomas Vanderhoek

Visalia Unified School District
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
31 B

10:30am PDT

The Avoidance Trap: Unpacking Internalizing Disorders, School Refusal, and the Path Back to the Classroom
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Chronic absenteeism driven by anxiety and internalizing distress has reached unprecedented levels in K–12 education. Clinicians, school personnel, and families often struggle to distinguish between externalizing truancy and anxiety-based school refusal, leading to interventions that inadvertently exacerbate student avoidance.

This 60-minute course provides mental health practitioners with a clinical conceptual framework for understanding internalizing disorders (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, OCD, and Somatization) as they present in academic settings. Participants will analyze the neurobiological mechanisms of avoidance and the "accommodation loop"—wherein well-intentioned adult accommodations maintain clinical distress. Finally, attendees will learn a collaborative, exposure-based re-entry protocol bridging clinical treatment, school administrative support, and family system boundaries.

Continuing Education Session Information:

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.
Speakers
avatar for Corinne Brodnicki

Corinne Brodnicki

Clinicial Coordinator/Supervisor, Wellness Together

Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
32 A-B
  Breakout

10:30am PDT

The Power of Peer to Peer Wellness
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
Student-Powered Wellness is a 60-minute, hands-on breakout that helps school staff engage students in leading peer-to-peer wellness activities.

Participants will:
* Reflect on how students experience wellness at school.
* Evaluate whether current activities are created for, with, or by students.
* Explore why students may respond more positively to their peers.
* Practice asking students what they need before creating a program.
* Design a student-led activity focused on physical, mental, or community health.
* Test the idea from a student’s perspective.
* Practice inviting students to participate.
* Create one action step to complete within seven days.

Participants leave with a realistic wellness idea that students can help shape, lead, and improve.
Speakers
avatar for Alexis Woodard

Alexis Woodard

Director of Southern California, HealthCorps Inc.

Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
31 A

10:30am PDT

What Gilligan’s Island Taught Me About Trauma Response - Navigating vicarious trauma, grief, and healing in school communities
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
This session uses the familiar world of Gilligan’s Island to explore what happens to adults during and after traumatic events in school communities. While much of the conversation around trauma focuses on helping students, this presentation looks at the emotional weight carried by educators, counselors, administrators, first responders, and trusted adults who continue showing up for others while often ignoring what they themselves are carrying.

Using the characters from Gilligan’s Island as a relatable framework, participants explore the roles adults naturally assume during crisis and recovery. Some become “The Skipper,” trying to hold everything together. Some become “Gilligan,” overwhelmed but still trying their best. Some become “The Professor,” relying on logic and problem-solving, while others use humor, avoidance, caretaking, silence, or overwork to cope. These roles create honest conversation while helping participants recognize themselves and others in a memorable and non-threatening way.

Through storytelling, lived experience, humor, vulnerability, and guided reflection, the session builds toward the “5 Things We Carry” exercise. This experience allows participants to reflect on the emotions, responsibilities, grief, and invisible burdens they continue carrying from trauma and caring for others. Rather than focusing on theory or scripted responses, the presentation centers on what actually helps people feel seen, supported, and connected after crisis.

Participants leave with practical tools, emotional insight, and a renewed understanding of how trusted adult culture can influence healing across an entire school community. The goal is not just to teach trauma response, but to help the adults in the room feel a little less alone carrying it.
Friday September 11, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
31 C

1:00pm PDT

Restorative Yoga in the Park (Limited Spots!)
Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Enjoy one-hour of restorative yoga along the marina guided by professionals, Evelyn & Tania, from Desert Breeze Yoga. Take this opportunity to recharge, reconnect, and refocus.

Mats will be provided. Please bring your own water.
Arrive anytime between 12:40 and 12:55PM.

Directions: Embarcadero Marina Park South is located behind the Convention Center, right on the San Diego Bay. Exit the back of the Convention Center, down the Grand Staircase towards the Flame of Friendship. Follow the road towards the Fishing Pier on the bay, and the group will be meeting to the left of there.

You can also plug these coordinates into Google Maps for the exact location of the yoga.

***SPOTS ARE LIMITED!*** Please only add this session if you are going to attend so that it does not keep others from doing so.
Friday September 11, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Embarcadero Marina Park South

1:30pm PDT

Embarcadero & Seaport Village Walking Tour (Limited Spots)
Friday September 11, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
A historic walking tour of the Embarcadero & Seaport Village. Guests will enjoy beautiful views of the bay and
learn about Coronado Island, the Maritime and Naval Industries and historic Seaport Village.

Your tour will begin at San Diego Bayfront Park, located on the backside of the convention center close to the Hilton Bayfront Hotel. Magda will be your tour guide, who will have a sign and name-tag with the company logo, So Diego. Please arrive 5-10 minutes before the start time, and bring your own water.

***SPOTS ARE LIMITED!*** Please only add this session if you are going to attend so that it does not keep others from doing so.
Friday September 11, 2026 1:30pm - 2:30pm PDT
San Diego Bayfront Park San Diego, CA 92101
 
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