Youth Mental Health Summit

The Ripple Effect: How Family Separation and Divorce Impact Children and Adolescents’ Mental Health  

presented Stephanie Wagner, LMHC-DP, Endeavor Health Services

The goal is to enhance understanding of the emotional and psychological effects of family separation on youth, highlight developmental differences in their responses, and explore effective assessment and intervention strategies. We will also examine the benefits of family therapy in promoting adjustment and resilience.

Embedding Best Practices

presented by Paul Thompson, Hamburg Central School District

In 2021 I created a club at Hamburg High School that was exclusive to the young men in the Hamburg population. I did this because I saw no outlet for young men to express their social, emotional concerns in a healthy way that didn't get around the stigma of mental health. The club grew very quickly and in 2025 we find ourselves with 50 members that are constantly giving back to their community, creating a culture where the socially "blessed" students support the students that struggle socially, and conducting peer mentorship on a daily basis. It has been proven that the mental health of our young men requires a very unique approach. One that allows for understanding that young men struggle with mental health issues, but also is sensitive to the stigma around mental health for some of these young men. It also provides an outlet for those young men that don't have positive role models within their home to find one in their school community. 
 

Leading and Reducing Barriers

presented by Melissa Heatly, PhD., and Jessica Stanis, MS from University of Rochester Medical Center and Kailin Kucewicz, LSMW from Erie 1 BOCES

This breakout session will identify how the NYS System of Care (SOC) team has partnered with regional BOCES and school teams to advance the SHAPE System across Erie County. SHAPE Up New York is the state-wide implementation of a 6-month learning collaborative (LC) focused on advancing high-quality school mental health systems and supports within K – 12 school districts across NYS. The SHAPE Up New York Learning Collaborative was hosted by the NYS Office of Mental Health System of Care Project, in partnership with the Expanded School Mental Health team at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Teams pre-assessed their CSMHS with The SHAPE System prior to the Learning Collaborative. The SHAPE System is a free, web-based portal that provides a virtual workspace for self-assessment of their CSMHS’ level of quality implementation. This was followed by 7 monthly quality improvement efforts using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to foster concrete change in their CSMHS, as well as learning topics in high-quality CSMHS based upon the National School Mental Health Curriculum and district interest/needs. Participating district teams were also provided access to technical assistance, coaching, and peer support as they worked to pilot practices that advance the quality of their CSMHS.

Mental Health as a School Strategy

presented by Dr. Mai Nguyen and Aundrea Sanders, Buffalo Public Schools

Explore how the Buffalo Public Schools addresses mental health challenges through creative and effective strategies. Our goal is to provide participants with actionable insights and resources that you can be implemented in other school districts. The presentation will include background information on how BPS uses data to drive our mental health interventions. We rely on data points such as the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and a Social Emotional Screener to gather relevant data. Through the use of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, BPS uses this data to support student mental health at Tier 1-what we do for all; Tier 2- what we do for some, and Tier 3: what we do for individuals. Implementing MTSS in Buffalo Public Schools offers several benefits: Early Identification: Helps identify students in need of support early on. Comprehensive Support: Provides a range of interventions to address varying levels of need. Collaboration: Encourages collaboration among educators, counselors, and families. Data-Driven Decisions: Uses data to inform and adjust interventions.
 

Behind Happy Faces 

presented by Ross Szabo

Supporting Families

facilitated by Gwen Mysiak, P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative 

We recently opened our WNYCC grief center at 3966 Walden Ave. Lancaster. We are providing support to children and families for several origins of death and can discuss the need for grief literacy throughout the WNY Community. We will review grief literacy and the do/do nots when supporting someone who has lost someone close to them. This will include the difference between empathy and sympathy, and the detriment use of "at least". It is a practical demonstration for everyday use. 

Embedding Best Practices

presented by Anna Kleyman, Buffalo Public Schools

Much of today’s dialogue surrounding the youth mental health crisis centers on the barriers and deficits young people face. Recently, a high school student shared with me her deep desire to make a positive difference in the world—yet expressed feeling powerless and lacking the internal resources to effect meaningful change.
After guiding her to recognize the strengths and potential she already possesses, it became clear to me that both young people and the adults who support them would benefit from a deeper understanding of the Developmental Assets Framework. This evidence-based model identifies 40 key experiences and qualities that are proven to support healthy youth development and foster resilience, purpose, and success.
This interactive breakout session offers participants the opportunity to explore the 40 Developmental Assets. These research based assets are divided into two categories:
•        External Assets — the relationships, opportunities, and support systems found in families, schools, and communities.
•        Internal Assets — the social-emotional skills, values, and personal identity traits nurtured within the individual.
Through dynamic engagement—including movement, interactive exercises, and shared laughter—participants will gain practical tools to help young people thrive. They will explore the eight core asset categories, evaluate their own strengths and areas for growth, and identify practical strategies to intentionally build and strengthen these assets in themselves and others.
By the end of the session, participants will leave with a deeper conceptual understanding of youth development and a personalized plan to support positive change—making youth more likely to thrive now and in the future, more resilient in the face of challenges, and less likely to engage in high-risk behaviors.

Leading and Reducing Barriers

presented by Allison Stiles and Anna Cieri

Presenters will guide participants through a Connecting for Kids (C4K) Collaborative Dialogue focused on a) identifying shared goals and values related to supporting students’ mental and physical health and academic wellbeing, b) reflect on strengths and barriers that their systems currently exhibit related to cross-sector collaboration, and c) identify actionable next steps to enhance cross-sector partnership. The goals of the session are twofold. First, we aim to create synergy across participants and identify steps that they can bring back to their systems to enhance collaboration. Second, we seek to introduce and familiarize participants with the C4K model as a potential tool for engaging their systems in enhancing cross sector collaboration. This session will provide brief background on rationale for cross-sector collaboration and describe the C4K model as a tool for enhancing collaboration. Presenters will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources (e.g., communication tools, etc.) across participants regarding strategies for increasing collaboration across their systems.

Leading and Reducing Barriers

presented by Claribel González, Ph.D., RBERN West

This session explores how Latinx cultural frameworks can illuminate resilience, agency, and belonging among youth. Rather than framing students as “at risk” or deficient, the session positions cultural knowledge, linguistic identity, and creative survival strategies as protective mental health assets. Participants will engage with activities that reveal how youth navigate school and life challenges in culturally sustaining ways, and will leave with actionable strategies to recognize, affirm, and leverage these practices in their own organizations or classrooms. Conceptual Understanding 1. Introduce la brega and rasquachismo as culturally grounded frameworks for understanding resilience, creativity, and community-based coping. 2. Connect these frameworks to culturally sustaining pedagogy and bilingual identity affirmation. Practical steps: 1. Participants reflect on creative, resourceful practices students already use that promote mental health and belonging 2. Concrete strategies for embedding language- and culture-affirming approaches into school-based mental health supports, SEL initiatives, and classroom instruction

Mental Health as a School Safety Strategy

presented by Moon Evans, Ph.D. candidate, Jiahe WangXu, Ph.D., Hannah Rapp, Ph.D., and Robert Enright, Ph.D.

This proposal presents a demo lesson from a forgiveness intervention program developed by Enright and the Human Development Group (Knutson & Enright, 2002). It is intended for teachers and mental health professionals and tailored for elementary students in grades K–2. The lesson is titled “A Person is a Person, No Matter Who and No Matter How.” The logic model below outlines the lesson’s learning objectives and expected outcomes. This model will serve as a reference and handout for teachers and community mental health professionals during the demo lesson and audience participation. The session will begin with an introduction to the concept of inherent worth and its role as the foundation for practicing a moral virtue such as forgiveness. Following this, we will highlight the process model of forgiveness and demonstrate how it can be applied in educating children through a literature- or story-based curriculum. Next, the audience will be invited to participate in the demo lesson, “A Person is a Person, No Matter Who and No Matter How,” which includes small group discussions and collaborative activities such as writing ideas on a sticky-note easel pad. Finally, a Q&A session will follow the demo. We encourage the audience to reflect on the curriculum’s impact and to share creative ideas for implementing it in diverse educational and community contexts to support youth mental health.

Supporting Families

presented by Marie Sly, LMSW, Erie County Department of Mental Health

This session will educate the audience on the cross departmental work which occurs within the county departments. This includes Children’s Single Point of access, Family Services Team and Juvenile Delinquency Services Team. This will familiarize when a family would benefit from County level services, it will acquaint audience on youth/family focused community services accessed through County entry points and/or direct community referral. This includes services funded through Social Services, Department of Mental Health and the State Office of Mental Health, and State Department of Health. This session will identify and explore the benefits of System of Care values to assist families to gain necessary resources and skills to promote youth success in home, school, and community. 

Embedding Best Practices

presented by Sare Martin (they/them), MSW and Begonia/Zeke Garcia (they/them), MSW, GLYS of WNY

This presentation will provide attendees with a better understanding of practices that can support transgender and nonbinary young people in schools, service-providing organizations, and the community. Using an intersectional lens, we will discuss administrative practices that can help provide accessibility to services for trans and nonbinary young people, as well as share practical tips for creating affirming and welcoming environments. 

Leading and Reducing Barriers

presented by Jennifer Haak, MD, Kristen Cercone, PhD, and Lisa Razenhofer, PhD

Eating disorders have ballooned in frequency since the COVID pandemic. Schools see students more frequently than their pediatricians and can play an integral role in early detection which affects recovery and prognosis. Staff might feel unsure of how to support a student, or how to talk with families to get the student the help outside of school they need. Schools are also often asked to play a supportive role and accommodations for students with eating disorders and this talk will also provide information to help in that role. The presentation will educate about eating disorders, early detection and the pivotal role that schools can play. It will also discuss resources in the community and how to access them, and ways to communicate with parents, families and adolescents about eating concerns.

Leading and Reducing Barriers

presented by Julie Palmer and Kamyia Jacobs, PATH Enrichment Center

This session will cover topics related to trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including warning signs, how to engage effectively, and strategies for providing support. It will also address internet safety, child exploitation prevention, and the impact of social media. Participants will learn how to identify risk factors and engage in promoting safe practices.

Understanding Immigrant and Refugee Experiences

Elizabeth Kuttesch, RBERN West  
 
Our WNY school districts are home to a large number of refugee and immigrant youth. Understanding their experiences, including push factors for leaving home, resettlement trauma, and the tenuous, and often contentious, immigration pathways their families face, is important for supporting these students in their educational endeavors. In this session, we will ground in the NYSED CRSE Framework to consider tier I trauma-sensitive procedures that can be implemented at the district, building, and classroom levels to meet the mental health needs of newcomer students and families.
 

Supporting Families

presented by Catrice Huff, Buffalo Public Schools

This session will explore the concept of Family Funds of Knowledge—the rich cultural, experiential, and practical knowledge that families bring to their children's education. Participants will learn how to identify and honor these assets to build stronger, more inclusive partnerships between schools and families. The session will offer practical strategies for integrating family knowledge into classroom instruction, school culture, and engagement practices, with the goal of fostering equity, trust, and meaningful collaboration. This presentation will begin by introducing the concept of Funds of Knowledge, grounded in educational research that recognizes the valuable cultural, experiential, and familial knowledge students bring from home. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how these assets contribute to student identity, engagement, and academic success.
 

Embedding Best Practices

presented by Hayley Kasprzycki, MSW and Lisa Johnson, Compeer of Buffalo

Compeer Buffalo is dedicated to supporting the mental and emotional well-being of youth through innovative, relationship-focused programming and evidence-based training. This 45-minute breakout session will highlight two impactful approaches:

1. School-Based Mentoring Program: We will share the structure, outcomes, and success stories of our school-based mentoring program, which fosters resilience, social-emotional learning, and mental wellness among middle and high school students. Attendees will gain insight into how intentional mentoring relationships and school partnerships can reduce isolation, build protective factors, and support academic and emotional success.
2. Mental Health First Aid (Youth and Teen): The second half of the session will provide an overview of structure, outcomes and success stories of implementing Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) and Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) with one or more of our school partners.

The goal of this session is to leave attendees with both a conceptual understanding of how mentoring and MHFA can transform school environments and practical strategies they can adapt to strengthen youth mental health initiatives within their own schools and organizations.

Leading and Reducing Barriers

Facilitated by by Dr. Ajitpaul Mangat, Niagara University

Panelist: Celena Barone, Alessandra DiMaria, Grace Elson, and Julia Nielsen, Niagara University

This panel brings together future educators to consider the barriers that prevent the flourishing of the mental health and wellness of young students. The panelists – all of whom are English Education majors at Niagara University – will utilize the concepts and tools of disability studies to locate these barriers in the physical and social environment rather than within individual students. Locating barriers in the external environment will allow these practitioners and burgeoning experts to critique understandings of mental disability as an individual problem while offering concrete strategies for creating a more accessible classroom. Some urgent questions that the panelists will consider include, how can we accommodate not only physical but also sensory and cognitive disabilities? How does gender affect the lived experience of disability? What does accessible teaching – from lesson plans to relationships with students to the physical classroom – look like? Centering the experiences and perspectives of aspiring teachers with a burgeoning expertise in disability studies will allow this panel to envision novel ways to construct supportive learning environments.

Mental Health as a School Safety Strategy

presented by Andrew Prinzing and Courtney Santasero, Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition 

Our presentation uses a Restorative Practice format, with shared values and guidelines. We introduce a topic, and invite people to reflect on their personal connection to the content, then share in pairs or small groups, then share out with a larger group. We usually assess participants prior learning then introduce content through readings & videos. We then have people share in pairs/small groups before sharing out with the whole circle. This delivery method helps create awareness and guide learners through stages of learning including application.

Supporting Families

presented by Jennifer English, Judy Faircloth, Jill Dougherty, Amanda Kulinski, Ashli Krotz, and Keith Kwiatkowski, Lackawanna City School District

The Lackawanna City School District (LCSD) has embraced a district-wide commitment to holistic support for our students and families, rooted in the understanding that academic success is only possible when basic needs are met. Guided by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we recognize that students and families facing challenges such as food insecurity, unstable housing, lack of transportation, or other barriers cannot be expected to focus on learning without first addressing these foundational needs.

Our Approach:

• LCSD has intentionally developed a collaborative team dedicated to connecting families to the resources, support, and opportunities they need—without stigma or judgment. This team includes:
• Attendance Teachers – Working to identify and address attendance barriers.
• Parent, Family, Community Resource Center Coordinator – Serving as a direct link between families and community resources.
• Special Education Principal – Ensuring the unique needs of students with disabilities are met.
• Principal of Extended Learning and Community Engagement – Creating after-school, summer, and enrichment opportunities to deepen engagement.
• LCSD Project Director for the YWCA WNY – Partnering to provide social-emotional, academic, and family support services.
• School Resource Officer – Fostering safety, trust, and positive relationships between students, families, and law enforcement.
• Our Work in Action
• This coordinated team works to:
• Address Basic Needs First – Providing or connecting families with food, clothing, transportation, and housing assistance.
• Build Trusting Relationships – Offering a safe, judgment-free space where families feel comfortable asking for help.
• Engage Families in School Life – Hosting events, programs, and learning opportunities that strengthen the connection between home and school.
• Empower Students and Families – Encouraging participation in enrichment programs, workshops, and community activities that promote long-term success.

Impact
Through this holistic approach, LCSD is creating a school community where every student and family knows they are seen, supported, and valued. By aligning district resources with community partnerships, we are fostering a network of care that addresses immediate needs while also inspiring meaningful engagement in education.