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PACER Symposium about Children & Young Adults with Mental Health & Learning Disabilities
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Minneapolis Convention Center, MN
8:00 a.m. — 3:00 p.m.

Registration is Closed

Audience

The Symposium is designed to help parents, educators, administrators, and professionals better identify and address mental health and learning disabilities in children and youth.

Goal of the Symposium

The symposium will provide high-quality professional and parenting development regarding:

  • Children’s mental health and learning disabilities
  • Effective treatment planning
  • Proactive, positive teaching strategies and interventions

Speaker Presentations and Materials

Symposium Agenda

Title Speaker Resources
Keynote - Trauma Informed Family Engagement Practices Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D., President and CEO for the Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence and Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colo. Allen_Trauma-Informed-Family-Engagement
Keynote - When the World Feels Scary: Why Parents and Teachers Matter Now More Than Ever Abigail Gewirtz, Ph.D., L.P., Lindahl Leadership Professor in the Department of Family Social Science and the Institute of Child Development, and  Director of the Institute for Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health at the University of Minnesota. N/A
Keynote - Learning and Behavior Richard G. Petty, M.D., Psychiatrist, Neurologist, and Internal Medicine Specialist, Atlanta, Ga.

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Technology and the Brain Richard G. Petty, M.D., Psychiatrist, Neurologist, and Internal Medicine Specialist, Atlanta, Ga. Petty_Technology Workshop
Surviving and Thriving the Middle School Years Joyce Ratner, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in private practice, Minn.

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Working Effectively with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families Hassan Samantar, Bonnie Jean Smith, Jesús Villaseñor, Dao Xiong, Multicultural advocates at PACER Center, facilitated by Sharman Davis Barrett, Project Director of the Minnesota Statewide Family Engagement Center at PACER Center Hassan_WorkingwithDiverseFamilies
What Every Parent Wants to Ask a Pediatrician When Starting Treatment for ADHD Robert Karasov, M.D., Park Nicollet Clinics, Minn. Karasov_AskingaPediatricanADHD
I Don't Remember Signing Up for This! Coping Strategies When the Challenges Seem Overwhelming Naomi Oxman, MSW, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), private practice at Center for Developmental Psychopharmacology, Minn.

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Getting it Right: Mental Health and Special Education Renelle Nelson, Coordinator of the Mental Health and Emotional or Behavioral Disorders Project, PACER Center, and Maleenia Mohabir, Parent Advocate and Children's Mental Health Specialist, PACER Center RenelleMaleenia_GettingitRight
Overview of Language-based Learning Disorders and Their Relationship with Executive Function Ethan Schwehr, Ph.D., L.P., Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Lead at Groves Academy and Ellen Engstrom, M.A., Director of Curriculum at Groves Academy, Minn. EngstromSchwehr_OverviewLanguageBased
When the World Feels Scary: Helping Children Stay Calm in an Anxious World Abigail Gewirtz, Ph.D., L.P., Lindahl Leadership Professor in the Department of Family Social Science and the Institute of Child Development, and  Director of the Institute for Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health at the University of Minnesota.  Gewirtz_WhenTheWorldFeelsScary
Trauma and Resilience in Young Children Rosemarie Allen, Ed.D., President and CEO for the Institute for Racial Equity and Excellence and Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colo. Allen_Trauma-and-resilience
A Pain Too Deep for Tears: Understanding Non-suicidal Self-injury Joyce Ratner, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in private practice, Minn.

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Keynote Presenters

Anne Gearity

Let’s Not Go Backwards: Making Sense of What Happened, and Repairing Children’s Interest, Motivation, and Excitement to Learn

Sondra Samuels

Break the Glass and Pull the Alarm! An Urgent Yet Hopeful Approach to Ensuring the Well-Being of Our Children in the Era of COVID

Clock Hours

Clock hours offered are designed to meet the requirement for Minnesota teachers renewing their teaching license in understanding the key warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children and adolescents. Local re-licensure committees, however, have final approval.

Break Out Session Topics:

  • Optimizing Mental Health in Children and Adolescents: Evidence-Based Lifestyle and Integrative Medicine Strategies
  • Turning Ideas Into Actions: Practices to Support Student Engagement and Motivation
  • Working Effectively With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Families in the School Setting
  • Status Update: Children, Technology, and Mental Health
  • Prioritizing the Whole Child: Building Socially, Emotionally Resilient Children
  • Take a Breath: Self-Care
  • Proactive Crisis Planning at School for Children With Mental Health Challenges
  • You Just Don’t Get It: Understanding the Mental Health and Developmental Concerns of Generation Z
  • Assistive Technology for Mental Health
  • School Life After the Pandemic: Impact, Changes, Continuing Challenges