Youth Mental Health Summit

Presented by Sabrina Timm of Mental Health Advocates of WNY (MHAWNY)

Location: Room 103

Track: Supporting Families

Description:
This presentation combines self-reflection with practical application by helping participants understand how their personal experiences, values, beliefs, and identities influence the way they support youth and families. We will explore concepts such as self-awareness, authenticity, empathy, and the impact of our own lived experiences on our professional relationships. Participants will be encouraged to recognize how their identities extend beyond their job titles and how this awareness can strengthen trust, connection, and engagement with those they serve. 

Objectives:
Throughout the session, attendees will participate in guided reflection activities, small-group discussions, and individual exercises designed to help them identify their personal strengths, values, and areas for growth. They will leave with a personalized self-reflection framework, practical questions they can continue using in supervision or personal practice, and strategies for intentionally incorporating self-awareness into their daily interactions with youth, families, students, and colleagues. Rather than focusing on a one-time activity, participants will gain sustainable practices that support their own well-being while strengthening their ability to provide authentic, family-centered support.

Presented by Shane Keyes

Location: Room 104

Track: Leading and Reducing Barriers

Description:
Through a case study of a proposal to redesign Buffalo’s Charter-established Committee for Youth into a democratically elected, youth-led advisory body, attendees will explore how schools, municipalities, and community organizations can create meaningful opportunities for youth leadership. Rather than presenting advocacy as a political activity, this session demonstrates how institutional design can strengthen youth voice, increase organizational trust, and support healthy development.
 
Objectives: 
 Through a case study of a proposal to redesign Buffalo’s Charter-established Committee for Youth into a democratically elected, youth-led advisory body, attendees will explore how schools, municipalities, and community organizations can create meaningful opportunities for youth leadership. Rather than presenting advocacy as a political activity, this session demonstrates how institutional design can strengthen youth voice, increase organizational trust, and support healthy development.

Presented by Kimberly Luce and Joanna Thompson from Peaceful Schools

Location: Room 108

Track: Embedding Best Practices

Description:
Please join Peaceful Schools for an uplifting and highly interactive workshop that reimagines tiered social-emotional supports. Addressing youth mental health requires a culturally responsive ecosystem where emotional wellness, social emotional skills and psychological safety are the foundation of a thriving school community. This session demonstrates how students, teachers, students support teams, administrators, families, and community partners can collaboratively build positive, connected, and resilient environments. By grounding our approach in the Peaceful Schools Social Emotional in Action and resiliency frameworks, the NYS SEL Benchmarks, and the CRSE framework, this workshop will provide cross-sector professionals with multi-tiered strategies, space for creativity, and an engaging model to build trust, share joy, and promote essential social-emotional learning (SEL) skills that strengthen whole-school wellness.

Objectives:

•  Participants will leave with at least one new idea for embedding SEL and psychological safety practices into their classroom, school, or program.
•  Participants will leave with at least one new connection or resource (trainer, partner, or tool) they can draw on to support mental health and wellness efforts in their community.
•  Participants will leave with a renewed commitment to cross-sector collaboration and a greater understanding of how shared strategies can strengthen whole-school wellness.

Presented by Karl Shallowhorn of Mental Health Association of NYS

Location: Room 109

Track: Embedding Best Practices

Description:
Mental illness has had many myths associated with it for ages. When it comes to youth, there is a misconception that if a young person has a mental health challenge they can be more prone to violence while research demonstrates that a small percentage of violent acts are attributable to someone living with a mental disorder. This workshop covers a variety of topics related to this subject, including the history of mental health treatment, youth mental health statistics, bullying and the Dignity for All Students Act, along with recommendations for wellness spaces in schools. There is also information on how to start a conversation with a student and the importance of listening nonjudgmentally, and finally, how to develop healthy relationships with students.                                                                                                                 

Objectives:

• Understand the role that stigma plays in youth seeking support
• Discuss how adults can engage with youth
• Learn the myths and facts about violence and Mental Health
• Promote psychological and emotional safety

Presented by Ken Nwadike Jr. from the Free Hugs Project

Location: Ballroom

Ken will continue the themes from his keynote address. He will share stories of de-escalating intense confrontations on the front-lines of riots and protests. He will describe ways that peacekeeping principles can be used proactively in the workplace and community to prevent heightened situations from occurring.

Presented by Alexander Andrzejewski and Carolyn Stewart from the Lackawanna Stakeholder Coalition

Location: Room 104

Track: Leading and Reducing Barriers

Description:
The Lackawanna Stakeholder Coalition is a group of individuals from the Lackawanna community who work to impact and improve the quality of life for Lackawanna residents by using community input and collaboration to champion others to use their reach, influence, and resources. By utilizing a strategic process for planning, implementation, and community engagement LSC has aligned their work to the strategic goals of the Lackawanna City School District and has build a sustainable community for action through collective impact.

Objectives: 
The Lackawanna Stakeholder Coalition is a group of individuals from the Lackawanna community who work to impact and improve the quality of life for Lackawanna residents by using community input and collaboration to champion others to use their reach, influence, and resources. By utilizing a strategic process for planning, implementation, and community engagement LSC has aligned their work to the strategic goals of the Lackawanna City School District and has build a sustainable community for action through collective impact. 

Presented by Danielle Vallas from D&G Wellness Consulting

Location: Room 103

Track: Leading and Reducing Barriers

Description: 
Educators dedicate themselves to supporting the academic, social, and emotional well-being of their students, yet the demands of today's educational environment can take a significant toll on their own mental health. Chronic stress, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout are increasingly affecting teachers, administrators, school counselors, nurses, coaches, and support staff, impacting not only personal well-being but also school climate, staff retention, and student success.

Objectives:
This interactive and evidence-informed workshop helps school professionals recognize the early warning signs of burnout while exploring the individual and systemic factors that contribute to educator stress. Participants will learn practical, sustainable strategies to strengthen resilience, establish healthy boundaries, manage stress effectively, and foster a culture of wellness within their school community. Through reflection, discussion, and actionable tools, attendees will leave with a personalized wellness plan designed to support both their professional effectiveness and personal well-being.

Presented by Bijoux Bahati-Sr. from Jewish Family Services of WNY

Location: Ballroom

Track: Embedding Best Practices

Description:
Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) is an evidence-based, systems-oriented model that recognizes youth mental health outcomes are shaped by both an individual's ability to regulate emotions and the social environments in which they live, learn, and develop. While evidence-based models provide the foundation for effective intervention, successful implementation requires organizations to integrate community-informed solutions and practice-based learning to ensure services remain relevant, equitable, and responsive to the needs of youth and families.

Objectives:
This interactive presentation will explore how Jewish Family Services of Western New York has implemented Trauma Systems Therapy in partnership with schools, families, and community organizations to build a coordinated, trauma-informed system of care. Presenters will demonstrate how multidisciplinary collaboration among educators, mental health clinicians, service coordinators, cultural brokers, and community partners strengthens implementation, reduces barriers to care, and promotes resilience for youth experiencing complex stress and adversity.

Presented by Nichole Barrett from The Rural Outreach Center

Location: Room 109

Track: Embedding Best Practices

Description:
Children who have experienced trauma, including abuse, neglect, loss, family disruption, community violence, or other overwhelming life events often struggle with emotional regulation, behavioral challenges, relationship difficulties, and a diminished sense of safety. Because children communicate and process their experiences primarily through play rather than words, play therapy provides a developmentally appropriate and effective approach for helping them heal.

Objectives:
Attendees will be introduced to play therapy strategies that help create safe, responsive therapeutic environments that foster connection, resilience, and growth for children who have experienced trauma. This includes an introduction to both directive and non-directive play therapy approaches that help children express emotions, develop coping skills, strengthen self-regulation, and regain a sense of mastery and control. We will also explore more specific practical interventions including sensory-based regulation activities, symbolic and expressive play techniques, trauma-informed storytelling and narrative work, therapeutic games, and attachment-focused strategies that promote healing within the child-caregiver relationship.

Presented by Brady Deuink and Alycia Bongiovanni from Erie 2 BOCES

Location: Room 108

Track: Mental Health as a School Safety Strategy

Description: 
Thriving school communities don't happen by chance, they are intentionally designed. Drawing from Trauma-Informed Care and Restorative Practices, this highly interactive session explores how welcoming environments, intentional relationships, and community-building practices create the conditions that promote well-being, strengthen school safety, and support learning for all.

Objectives: 
Participants will understand how fostering a sense of belonging supports well-being, strengthens relationships, and contributes to positive school climate and school safety.
Explore practical strategies for creating welcoming, caring, and responsive classroom and school environments where everyone feels seen, valued, and included.
Experience interactive community-building activities that strengthen relationships and foster a sense of belonging.
Leave with practical ideas to intentionally build stronger, more connected school communities.

Presented by Terry Herring from Erie 1 BOCES and Erin Parr from Horizon Health SAFER Program

Location: Room 103

Track: Supporting Families

Description: 
Participants learn to serve as effective coping coaches for young people who use vapes and nicotine products.

Objectivies: The session explains nicotine biology, tobacco and vapor-product regulations, available interventions and supports, practical coping skills, and helpful resources, equipping attendees to guide individuals toward healthier responses, informed choices, and sustainable behavior change efforts.

Presented by Jessica Karches from Erie 1 BOCES and Melissa Rivers from Erie 2 BOCES

Location: Room 109

Track: Embedding Best Practices

Description: Sustainable cultural transformation cannot rely solely on classroom-level execution; it requires vision, alignment, and strategic commitment from educational leaders. This presentation examines the critical role school and district leaders play in driving, modeling, and sustaining trauma-informed and restorative frameworks across educational systems. Participants will explore how leadership decisions directly influence institutional culture, moving organizational mindsets away from reactive, punitive measures toward proactive, relational approaches. 

Objectives: 

• Unpack Conceptual Foundations & Leadership Drivers: Examine the core implementation science and foundational mindsets necessary to shift trauma-informed and restorative practices from isolated classroom initiatives into a cohesive, school-wide culture.
• Translate Theory into Actionable Policy Alignment: Evaluate existing codes of conduct and administrative routines through a restorative lens, applying step-by-step protocols to replace punitive practices with equitable, trauma-informed systems.
• Apply Practical Strategies for Adult Psychological Safety: Design concrete leadership practices to cultivate adult psychological safety, mitigate secondary traumatic stress, and improve educator retention through structured relational support.
• Execute Frameworks for Sustainable Implementation: Utilize practical toolkits, implementation roadmaps, and data-informed metrics to execute, monitor, and maintain long-term institutional accountability.

Presented by Shannon Farnung from Monroe 2 BOCES and Andrea McKenna from The Center for Youth

Location: Room 108

Track: Leading and Reducing Barriers

Description: 
In this presentation we will explore a model of partnership that provides a sustainable infrastructure for collaboration between schools and outside agencies. In this model we view partnership as a collaboration spectrum from networking to full integration based on trust and commitment. We will highlight examples of a diverse network of community partners, including mental health resources that help remove barriers to student learning. By integrating these partners, schools can enhance classroom instruction, expand learning opportunities, and strengthen family engagement through shared vision and collective impact.

Objectives: 
Our presentation reviews models of partnership that participants can learn about. We then will lead an activity where they will use examples from their own communities to put into perspective the spectrum of partnership and consider opportunities and needs for strengthening their own partnership or establishing new ones.

Suzy-Amou Mawien from University at Buffalo, Institute for Social Policy Advancement (MISPA)

Location: Room 104

Track: Leading and Reducing Barriers

Description: As traditional clinical mental health resources face systemic shortages and anti-therapy stigma persists, youth are increasingly turning to generative AI chatbots for emotional validation and crisis support. While accessible, this shift introduces significant concerns, algorithmic biases, and digital safety risks. This presentation bridges the gap between youth digital behaviors and practical community solutions by positioning youth-led peer support models as a safer, evidence-based alternative to unsupervised AI reliance.

Led by the founder and executive director of MISPA and a local University at Buffalo student, this interactive breakout session provides school leaders, community partners, and administrators with a dual framework: analyzing preexisting literature on youth AI usage and implementing practical, non-clinical peer-mentorship strategies. Grounded in advocacy work aligned with Mental Health America’s policy initiatives, this session will empower attendees to recognize why youth utilize digital spaces for social connection and how school districts can build human-centric peer support structures to break down systemic access barriers. 

Objectives: Equip educators and agency providers with data regarding current youth AI mental health trends and related developmental risks. Outlining the structural differences between clinical therapy and youth peer support, demonstrating how peer mentorship bypasses traditional stigma. Provide actionable templates for school districts to establish or expand evidence-based peer-wellness coaching and coalition-building.

Presented by Natashia Mehta from Buffalo Public Schools

Location: Ballroom

Track: Mental Health as a School Safety Strategy

Description: 
School and district teams collect a tremendous amount of data, but they often struggle to translate that information into meaningful, coordinated action. This interactive breakout session will demonstrate how schools can use multiple data sources, including the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Scale, and Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI), to strengthen mental health and wellness systems within an MTSS framework. Rather than focusing on collecting more data, the session will focus on using existing data more strategically.

Objectives: 
Participants will explore how different tools answer different questions: YRBS helps identify student needs, risks, and protective factors; the SEL Scale helps teams understand how students are doing socially and emotionally; and the TFI helps determine whether adult systems are organized to respond effectively. Through sample school profiles and structured discussion, participants will practice moving from data review to practical next steps their teams can implement.