Wellness Together's 8th Annual Student Mental Wellness Conference: Full Schedule

4:00pm PDT

Empowering Resilience: Integrating Cultural Practices in School Mental Health Programs

Wednesday October 9, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

This session explores effective strategies for integrating cultural practices into mental health programs within educational settings. Participants will:

Learn to identify key cultural elements that support mental wellness.
Understand methods to integrate these practices into school curriculums.
Develop skills to engage students and communities effectively.
Gain insights into fostering resilience through cultural empowerment.

Speakers

Justin Langan

Executive Director, O'KANATA

Wednesday October 9, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
213D

Student and Community Mental Health

8:30am PDT

Unlocking Potential: Exciting Strategies to Fund Mental Wellness in Schools

Thursday October 10, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am PDT

213D

Unlock the secrets to successful fundraising for mental health programs in schools! Discover dynamic strategies to engage donors and secure grants, while crafting compelling appeals and grant proposals. Gain insights into sustainable funding approaches that support mental wellness initiatives in educational settings through effective grant utilization. Leave empowered to revolutionize mental health funding, with concrete skills to engage donors and secure vital resources for your school's programs.

Speakers

Sharon Maier

Vice President Institutional Advancement, Cornerstone Education Group

Thursday October 10, 2024 8:30am - 9:30am PDT
213D

School & District-Wide Leadership

12:30pm PDT

Amplifying Voices: Youth-driven Strategies for Mental Health Awareness

Thursday October 10, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT

213D

Participates will learn about the Student Advocates for Mental Health program and its youth-driven approach to promote mental health awareness on school campuses. Participants will acquire youth engagement strategies that empower students to actively support and positively influence peers. Youth-centric approaches to support mental health literacy, critical thinking, and student leadership will be reviewed, as well as a project example developed with youth on social media and mental health.

Speakers

Stephanie Loscko

Program Specialist, Orange County Department of Education

Stephanie Loscko is a Program Specialist of Youth Development Programs at the Orange County Department of Education. Since 2013, she has worked in various school-based prevention programs supporting students, parents/caregivers and school staff throughout Orange County. Her areas... Read More →

Thursday October 10, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
213D

Student and Community Mental Health

3:30pm PDT

Youth Speak: What We Need to Thrive, a Youth Participatory Action Research Project

Thursday October 10, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT

213D

The kids are not alright. Loneliness and isolation are known contributors to mental health decline. But what about our communities? How are they helping or hurting? Collaborating with youth, rather than for them, can help build better programs and policies. Through this research, participants will gain insight into prioritizing youth voices, shift their perspective on youth's role in society, and understand the interconnected challenges young people face.

Speakers

Allison Rivers, MSW, CFSW

Social Worker, Researcher, Director, Deep Rivers Consulting

Allison Rivers (she/her), a dedicated mother, social worker, and consultant, is a fervent champion for youth and researches community matters affecting young people. She collaborates with emerging adults as co-researchers, prioritizing their voices and recognizing their expertise... Read More →

Thursday October 10, 2024 3:30pm - 4:30pm PDT
213D

Mental Health Policy & Advocacy

10:15am PDT

Trans 101: Creating an Inclusive Culture

Friday October 11, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am PDT

213D

"This introductory session will give you the tools and resources you need to better understand issues around gender, and how to use this knowledge to support and empower trans and nonbinary students.

Participants to this workshop will hear directly from those with both lived experience and professional experience working in the transgender community and leave with powerful, practical strategies that work in order to affirm and support the transgender community.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
* Explore, understand, and affirm the spectrum and language of gender identity
* Comprehend current state laws around gender identity and identify what effective policy looks like
* Apply leadership principles that create safe and inclusive environments for staff and youth alike"

Speakers

Kathie Moehlig

Executive Director, TransFamily Support Services

Kathie Moehlig is the Executive Director of TransFamily SupportServices, and a leading professional on supporting transgender/non-binary youth andtheir families. A tireless advocate for the LGBTQ community, she was named “Woman ofthe Year” by California Assemblyperson Todd Gloria... Read More →

Evan Johnson

Friday October 11, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am PDT
213D

Mental Health Policy & Advocacy

1:45pm PDT

Trans 201: From Ally to Accomplice

Friday October 11, 2024 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

213D

A follow up for folks who have already attended some level of training regarding gender identity and supporting the transgender community, Ally to Accomplice extends a person's knowledge beyond allyship and dives deeper into the roots of anti-trans rhetoric and how to combat it in our schools.

Our country has seen a dramatic increase in the past few years of transphobia and misinformation regarding the transgender and nonbinary community-- in particular regarding the affirmation of our youth. It is important now more than ever that those of us who are allies are ready to take the next step into accompliceship of the gender diverse community; understanding what the sabotage of this work looks like and how to combat the misinformation being spread.

* Refresh your understanding of terms that surround gender identity and the many components that create a society's expectations of gender.
* Deepen your knowledge of how colonization, racism, and misogyny interact with historical trans populations and how this history has shaped current discussions around gender
* Learn necessary skills and data in order to confront anti-trans rhetoric in schools, work, and beyond

Speakers

Kathie Moehlig

Executive Director, TransFamily Support Services

Evan Johnson

Friday October 11, 2024 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
213D

Mental Health Policy & Advocacy

3:00pm PDT

Perspective, Collaboration, and Ownership - Partnering with Students to Create Space for Growth

Friday October 11, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

213D

Students can lose perspective of the ‘big picture.’ One conversation or misread text can plummet their days. This presentation will help participants teach their students perspective, the art of understanding how they give and receive information, and how to take responsibility for their interactions.

1. Participants will leave with skills to teach students to perspective set, give and receive information, and take ownership of their actions;
2. Participants will leave with leave with the skills to understand how they communicate, engage, and collaborate with students.

Speakers

Valerie Jackson Lohr

Dir. of Student Well-Being & Performance Mindset, Saint Mary's Hall

Friday October 11, 2024 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
213D

Student and Community Mental Health

Wellness Together's 8th Annual Student Mental Wellness Conference