Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, in conjunction with the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association, hosted a free event called Building Resiliency: A Pediatric Mental Health Summit in September 2019 to help communities support the mental health needs of their children.

Presentations and Videos

• Ohio Governor Mike DeWine remarks and keynote from Child Welfare Advocate Mark Anthony Garrett   
• Discussion with Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted  
• Be Well (Prevention)
  Children are shaped by their early experiences – sites, sounds, and interactions with the adults in their lives – for better or for worse. When these experiences are nurturing and enriching, children can thrive. Learn to design environments and practices that promote the wellbeing of children and prevent the occurrence of trauma.

  • Medical Track
    Dir. Lori Criss of OMHAS as Facilitator, with Steven Jewell, Deb Robison, Holli Ritzenthaler, and Robert Shaprio
    Presentations   | Video  

  • Education Track
    Sup. Paolo DeMaria of ODE as Facilitator, with Uma Kotagal, Glenn Thomas, Jackie Renegado, Dennis Embry
    Presentations   | Video  

  • Parent/Community Track
    Dir. Kimberly Hall of ODJFS as Facilitator, with Robert T. Ammerman, Benjamin Kearney, and Holly Raffle
    Presentations   | Video  

• Get Well (Early Intervention/Treatment)
  Resiliency is possible for all children, even those who have experienced trauma. Through healthy relationships with caring adults, children can build resiliency, but children must learn to do so. Learn strategies to identify signs of trauma and then respond with resiliency-building strategies to help children have the tools they need.

  • Medical Track
    Dir. Maureen Corcoran of Medicaid as Facilitator, with Lori Stark, Alissa Huth-Bocks, Michael Fox, and Ryan Mast
    Presentations   | Video  

  • Education Track
    Dir. Kim Hauck of DODD as Facilitator, with Adam Shank, Mary Kay Irwin, Amie Burr, and Cnacy Bleil
    Presentations   | Video  

  • Parent/Community Track
    Deputy Dir. Brie Lusheck of Children's Initiatives as Facilitator, with Adrienne Fricker-Elhai, Cindi Crew, Richard Shepler, and John Duby
    Presentations   | Video  

• Stay Well (Recovery)
  For some, recovering from a traumatic experience can be a lifelong journey. Learn ways to promote lifelong wellbeing for children so that they continue to make physically and emotionally healthy decisions that lead them into and through adulthood.

• Medical Track
  Debbie Feldman of OCHA as Facilitator, with Mark Mecum, Laura Nabors, Russell Spieth, and Nancy Cunningham
  Presentations   | Video  

• Education Track
  Asst. Dir Julie Walburn of DYS as Facilitator, with Suzie Nelson, Ann Robson, Susan Shelton
  Presentations   | Video  

• Parent/Community Track
  Dir. Alisha Nelson of RecoveryOhio as Facilitator, with Bobbie Beale, Sarah Hendrickson, Sara Buffie, and Andrew Garner
  Parent/Community   | Video  

About the Summit

“From this spring’s tornadoes to the tragic shooting in the Oregon District, children in the Miami Valley are returning to the classroom this fall dealing with more trauma than they’ve likely ever experienced. The tragedies are compounded by struggles they, and children across Ohio, are already dealing with in their everyday lives,” said Governor DeWine. “We know that children who face this type of turmoil have increased risk of depression and other mental illness, poor health, and decreased life expectancy.  Fortunately, there are proven ways to help. Parents, teachers, and coaches can play a critical supportive role in helping build resiliency in children and reducing the negative impact of trauma. This summit will give members of the community tools to provide brighter outcomes for our children.”

Building Resiliency: A Pediatric Mental Health Summit was free and open to adults across the state who touch the lives of children, such as parents, coaches, school personnel, counselors, and health care professionals. Attendees learned how to spot the signs and symptoms of trauma in children and tangible strategies to address it from experts in mental health, health care education, and other fields.

"Bringing together the best minds in pediatric mental health and the critical partners who work on the front lines with children across the state is an important first step in creating real solutions that will not only build resiliency in children today but also give them the tools and resources they need well into the future,” said Deborah Feldman, President & CEO of Dayton Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association Board of Directors. “We are looking forward to working with Governor DeWine and stakeholders across Ohio on this initiative."