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Thank you to everyone who participated in the inaugural 2023 Changing Care Together Summit!
We learned from clinicians, mental health experts, child welfare advocates, and community members about the importance of increasing access to integrated medical and mental healthcare. See photos and videos from the event below!
highlights from the 2023 summit
2023 Summit Photos
2023 Summit Photos
AGENDA
| 8:00 – 9:00 | Registration and Networking Breakfast |
| 9:00 – 9:15 | Welcome & Opening Remarks |
| 9:15 – 10:15 | Keynote Speaker: David Ambroz, Author of “A Place Called Home” |
| 10:15 – 11:00 | Speaker Session: Kristin Canavera, PhD, MBE, Integrating Mental Healthcare for Medically Complex Children: A National Perspective |
| 11:00 – 11:15 | Networking Break |
| 11:15 – 12:00 | Panel Discussion Led by Jamie Freeny, DrPH, MPH, Integrating Mental Healthcare for Medically Complex Children: A Texas Perspective |
| 12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch, A Personal Story: The Parent Perspective with June Finnerty, MA, RN, and A Conversation with Greg Hansch of NAMI Texas |
| 1:00 – 2:00 | Community Impact Project Benefiting DePelchin Children’s Center |
| 2:00 – 2:15 | Closing Remarks |
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
DAVID AMBROZ, BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Based on his memoir, David will share his early experiences navigating homelessness with a mentally ill parent to his time in foster care and eventually escaping the cycle of poverty that traps generations of families. A graduate of both Vassar College and UCLA School of Law, David’s inspirational story recounts how he’s spent decades as a child welfare expert and advocate, worked to effect change in major corporations like Disney and Amazon, and through governmental changes in Washington, DC, been recognized by President Barack Obama as an American Champion of Change. In his talks and through his work, David continues to uplift the communities in which he grew up – those in poverty, foster youth, families and individuals struggling with mental illness, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Speaker
Kristin Canavera, PhD, MBE
Integrating Mental Healthcare for Medically Complex Children: A National Perspective
A pediatric psychologist at Ochsner Hospital for Children, Dr. Canavera provides treatment for children, adolescents, and young adults coping with and adjusting to chronic or life-threatening medical conditions. She has served in several leadership and advocacy roles on institutional and national committees, including co-director of the Fellowship Program in Pediatric Psychology at Ochsner and founder and Chair of the Critical Care Special Interest Group of the Society of Pediatric Psychology.
panel discussion
Jamie Freeny, DrPH, MPH
Integrating Mental Healthcare for Medically Complex Children: A Texas Perspective
Dr. Freeny currently serves as the Director of the Center for School Behavioral Health and works collaboratively with school districts, child-serving organizations, and providers to implement data-driven equitable practices and policies that improve the mental and behavioral health of youth. She was awarded the 2021 Child Advocate of the Year for the State of Texas, is recognized as a child mental health expert, has testified at the Texas Capitol, been interviewed by local and national news outlets, and presented at numerous conferences. She obtained her Doctorate of Public Health degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, where she focused on adverse childhood experiences among adolescents and trauma-informed care.
panel participants
Jason James, MD
Safi Shareef, MD
Sonia Popatia, MD
Speaker
June Finnerty, MA, RN
A Personal Story: The Parent Perspective
June has been in the health profession for more than 35 years, with a background in nursing and nursing education. She is also a founding member and current president of the Texas Prader-Willi Association (TXPWA). As the mother of a child with PWS, June understands the challenges of caring for an individual with co-occurring medical and behavioral needs. She has been deeply involved in the PWS community, founding a local support group that later evolved into TXPWA and a residential home for children with PWS. Her goal is to help individuals get the help they need to live meaningful lives with PWS.
Speaker
Greg Hansch
Q&A Session: A Conversation with Greg Hansch of NAMI Texas
Greg Hansch serves as the Executive Director of NAMI Texas. He joined NAMI Texas in 2012 and has previously served in government affairs roles. In his current role, he is responsible for providing direction and leadership toward the achievement of NAMI Texas’ mission. He is a Licensed Masters-Level Social Worker and a family member of a person with serious mental illness. He received a Master’s degree in Social Work with a concentration in Nonprofit and Public Management from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland. He is an alumnus of the Policy Academy of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at the University of Texas at Austin. One of his proudest professional achievements is earning NAMI’s Richard T. Greer Advocacy Award for “his outstanding work, leadership, and service on behalf of all people living with mental illness.”
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