Our Diversity Summit provides relevant diversity training that improves mental health service delivery and educational services. This free event is for providers and parents alike.
Attendance is flexible! Attend the whole day or sessions that fit your schedule.
CEUs are available for all sessions.
VIRTUAL SUMMIT
8:50 AM-9:00 AM Welcome and Webinar Orientation
9:00 AM-9:50 AM Keynote: Brandon P. Fleming
Brandon P. Fleming is a highly sought-after educator, entrepreneur, author, and speakers. Fleming’s miraculous story of transformation, captured in his book Miseducated, has become such a national hit that it is currently being optioned for television and film, and is in the process of becoming a major theater production.
An at-risk youth and college dropout turned award-winning educator, Fleming is a former debate coach at Harvard University and Founder & CEO of the Veritas School of Social Sciences, a prestigious private school in Atlanta, GA.
Beyond the classroom, Fleming’s humanitarian impact stretches across the globe. Fleming has earned awards for his global leadership. Fleming has facilitated and led peacebuilding missions for over 200 global leaders to Israel, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates. His school also emphasizes international education, taking students on learning expeditions to countries like Italy, Japan, South Africa, and more.
As a renowned speaker, Fleming has delivered keynote addresses on world stages such as the United Nations. Fleming has spoken at the nation’s most prestigious colleges, universities, and K-12 conferences. Fleming has also keynoted conventions for corporate executives at the nation’s largest corporations such as Airbnb, Walmart, Bank of America, McDonald’s, and many more.
Nine Workshops to Choose From...
Cultural Competency and Inclusive Care: (Maduri Govindu): Behavioral Health disparities affect marginalized communities due to systemic barriers, stigma, and cultural misunderstandings. This session explores how race, socioeconomic status, physical abilities, and cultural backgrounds impact access to behavioral health services. Participants will discover the critical role that MPHs have in helping their clients overcome these obstacles so they can receive the treatment they deserve. Participants will leave with best practices for working with LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent populations, strategies to navigate language barriers and non-Western expressions of mental distress.
Loving Safely | How to have Conversations about Healthy Relationships with Individuals with IDD: (Connie Graham and Sarah Miller of Women's Services of Meadville) Learn how to have honest conversations about healthy sexuality with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This presentation reveals how open dialogue and skill-building can empower individuals to recognize boundaries, seek help, and build safer relationships.
Grace in Trauma: (Dr. Christy Kane) Discover the impact of trauma on individuals from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Kane will share practical faith-based strategies for cultivating a trauma-informed culture that promotes resilience, inclusion, and support for all team members. Participants will gain insights into the effects of trauma across different life stages, identify common workplace triggers, and learn tools for emotional management.
The Seven Commitments of DEI: (Jaye Holly) One of the Pillars of the Sanctuary® Trauma-Informed Model is the Seven Commitments. These values guide our interactions both with the people we serve and our colleagues. Each commitment serves as an antidote to the impact of trauma, including racism and systemic oppression. Participants will explore the intersection between these commitments and DEI principles and leave with a strategy for building healing environments for clients and coworkers alike.
Psychosocial and Demographic Contributions to First Episode Psychosis: Implications for Coordinated Specialty Care: (Christie Kelly and Elizabeth Sanders) First Episode Psychosis (FEP) interventions have significantly increased over the past two decades to alleviate the individual and societal burden of schizophrenia-related illnesses. Comprehensive Specialty Care (CSC) provides multifaceted treatment approaches aimed at reducing the burden of psychotic symptoms. Among the 19 CSC programs available in Pennsylvania are Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP) and Safe Harbor FEP.
Despite higher overall recovery rates and improvements in psychosocial functioning, disparities in treatment outcomes, access, and engagement persist among certain populations. Variables such as age, socioeconomic status (SES), gender, and race influence the effectiveness of FEP diagnosis and care. Previous literature suggests multiple gender differences among individuals with FEP, including earlier diagnosis for men, higher likelihood of co-occurring substance use disorders, more pronounced negative symptoms, and lower social functioning (Hong et al., 2023).
Furthermore, evidence indicates that CSC is most effective for individuals with high SES (Bennett & Rosenheck, 2020), and that Black individuals tend to present with more severe psychiatric symptoms and later in the course of their treatment, potentially resulting in reduced treatment engagement (Moe et al., 2024). STEP and Safe Harbor focus on increasing awareness about psychosis, early risk factors, and the CSC model.
This presentation aims to enhance understanding of existing system constructs that contribute to health inequities and to offer recommendations for future early psychosis care, including demystifying treatment to enhance availability among community providers.
Creating Inclusive Spaces and Interactions for Neurodiverse Individuals: (Dr. Beverly Samways and Esther Tennant) Dr. Beverly Samways, an expert in intellectual disabilities and self-injury, will be interviewing Esther Tennant, an expert by experience and a disability advocate. Esther will describe steps providers and employers can take to ensure that people with neurodiversity feel included and that they belong. Dr. Samway will then provide guidance on including and speaking with non-verbal neurodiverse individuals. Time availiable for Q&A.
Understanding and Supporting Trans and Gender Diverse Youth: (Dr. Lee A. Golembiewski) Participants will learn a brief history of the LGBTQ+ population, specifically of the trans and gender diverse (TGD) youth and young adults. Dr. Golembiewski will present appropriate terminology and language associated with LGBTQIA individuals and will explore existing theories and research documenting the experiences of TGD individuals with a focus on mental health and well-being. Participatants will leave with practical strategies for parents, providers, and allies to be supportive of TGD individuals.
Creating Brave Spaces | Addressing Microaggressions in the Workplace with Empathy: (Sumin Kim and Braylin Davis) Microaggressions are often subtle but deeply impactful experiences that shape workplace dynamics and individual well-being. In this interactive session, we will explore what microaggressions are, their historic context, and how they manifest in professional environments. Participants will learn how to recognize microaggressions and how to respond to them in ways that promote accountability and growth by "calling people in" rather than "calling them out." Participants will experience an immersive virtual reality installation designed by one of the presenters that creates an empathetic lens into one individual's lived experience with a microaggression.
Afternoon Keynote: Brittany Patterson, Ph.D.
Dr. Brittany Patterson is a licensed psychologist, author, speaker and consultant. She has served schools for more than a decade in various capacities and has specialized in school-based mental health services in underserved schools and communities. Dr. Brittany provides training and technical assistance to diverse school stakeholders on the impact of trauma and strategies to create safe, healing environments for students.
She is particularly passionate about identifying and building upon the strengths of youth and their communities to promote positive mental health and well-being. In fact, “The Fight” was inspired by five years of serving a Title I school in Baltimore City where she was consistently impressed by the gifts and talents of our “fighters” – students often “in trouble” for behavioral or emotional challenges. She found that invested adults, dedicated time, and ample skill building opportunities made a significant difference for the “fighters” and enabled many to not only survive but thrive!
Beyond her professional dedication to schools, Dr. Patterson is a proud daughter, sister and mommy! Her hobbies include spending time with her family over arts and crafts, food, outdoor sports, and reading.
Click here for more information about our workshop speakers and to register.
Check back soon for our conference brochure and full schedule.
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