
A life-changing symposium you won’t want to miss: On April 19 – 21, 2023, AIM Youth Mental Health will gather world-renowned researchers, best-selling authors, youth experts, parents, clinicians, educators, first responders, and community members to protect the mental health and safety of our children.
This year’s AIM Youth Mental Health Symposium will be held at the Monterey Conference Center in beautiful Old Town Monterey, California. Please join us.
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Apr 20: Day 1 - The Alphabet Soup of Youth Mental Health (Expand for Schedule)
- 8:00 am to 8:30 am | Registration, Continental Breakfast, Exhibitors
- 8:30 – 8:45 am | Welcome: Shashank Joshi, MD and Lori Butterworth, MED, MA
- 8:45 – 9:00 am | The State of Youth Mental Health: A Conversation with Dr. Arthur Evans, CEO of the American Psychological Association and Emilie Fernandez, Junior at North Salinas High School.
- 9:00 – 9:45 am | Keynote: Dr. Marc Brackett
- 9:45 – 10:00 am | Youth-led Table Talk – Barriers to Accessing Mental Healthcare
- 9:45 – 10:30 am | Panel Discussion The Alphabet Soup of Youth Mental Health Treatments
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- Moderated by Shasank Joshi MD
- Ramona Friedman PhD
- Michele Berk MD
- John Piacentini PhD
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- 10:30 – 11:15 am | Latest Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences ACEs
- 11:15 am – 11:30 am | Break and Exhibit Visits
- 11:30 – 12:15 pm | Concurrent Sessions
- Social Media – Vicki Harrison and Youth
- The Who, What, When, Where, How of Medication – Dr. Shashank Joshi
- Office Hours – Dr. Ramona Friedman
- Breaking Down Bullying – Dr. Summer Prather-Smith
- 12:15 – 1:30 pm | Lunch and Exhibit Visits
- 1:30 – 2:15 pm | Anxiety: Let’s Talk About It | Dr. John Piacentini and Dr. Ramona Friedman
- 2:15 – 2:45 pm | Evidence-Based Mental Fitness Tools | Dr. Justin Mohatt and Krista Reuther, LCSW
- 2:45 – 3:00 pm | Break and Exhibits
- 2:30 – 3:15 pm | Concurrent Sessions
- Steve Adelsheim MD – Vicki Harrison – The allcove Model – discussion
- The Who, What, When, Where, How of Medication – Dr. Shashank Joshi
- Office Hours – Dr. Ramona Friedman
- Data and Lived Experience of LGBTQ+ Youth – Jessica Bucci
- AIM Ideas Lab – Youth Researchers
- 3:15 – 4:15 pm | Latest Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences ACEs
The research team from the 5-year study on Adverse Childhood Experiences will share their findings and methods for using PEARLS Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener as a tool for recognition, early intervention, and prevention. - 4:15 – 5:00 pm | Youth Panel and Discussion – Key Take-Aways and Next Steps
- 5:30 – 7:00 pm | AIM Design Challenge – Wine and Cheese Reception
Learning Objectives Day 1:
At the conclusion of Day 1, participants will be able to:
- Describe the key elements of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in light of how intelligence is traditionally valued.
- Evaluate Pediatric ACES and Related Childhood Experiences Screener (PEARLS) as a predictor of negative health outcomes.
- Analyze the effectiveness of various treatments for anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.
- Identify risk and protective factors for teen suicide.
- Describe the core tenants of Family-Based Treatment (FBT) for eating disorders.
- Name three barriers to youth accessing mental health treatment.
Day 1 Speakers
Marc Brackett PhD
Meet Dr. Brackett
Arthur Evans PhD
Meet Dr. Evans
Vicki Harrison
Meet Vicki
Monica Bucci MD
Meet Dr. Bucci
Emilie Fernandez
Meet Emilie
Steve Adelsheim MD
Meet Dr. Adelsheim
John Piacentini PhD
Meet Dr. Piacentini

Krista Reuther LCSW
Meet Krista

Neeta Thakur MD
Meet Dr. Thakur

Giovanna Panetta
Meet Giovanna
Shashank Joshi MD
Meet Dr. Joshi
Ramona Friedman PhD
Meet Dr. Friedman

Justin Mohatt MD
Meet Dr. Mohatt
Dayna Long MD
Meet Dr. Long

Citalil Nava
Meet Citali
Apr 21: Day 2 - Now What? Strategies Beyond Therapy (Expand for Schedule)
- 8:00 – 8:30 am | Registration, Continental Breakfast, Exhibitors
- 8:30 – 8:45 am | Welcome: Shashank Joshi MD and Lori Butterworth MED, MA
- 8:45 – 9:30 am | Keynote: Tremaine El-Amin – The National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Training for Change: Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid - 9:30 – 10:15 am | Steve Adelshiem MD, Vicki Harrison and Youth Panel
The allcove Model - 10:15 am – 11:00 pm | Concurrent Sessions
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- Amanda Zonghi – How We Stigmatize Differences
- Dr. Summer Prather-Smith | Parenting for Bullying Prevention
- Connie Sobzak & Elizabeth Scott LMFT | Body Positive
- AIM Ideas Lab | Youth-Led Discussion
- Steve Adelsheim MD & Vicki Harrison | The allcove Model – Discussion and Questions
- Jennifer Fenton, LMFT | Equine Therapy
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- 11:00 – 11:30 am | Rafael Pelayo MD – Sleep and Mental Health
- 11:30 – 12:15 pm | Lunch
- 1:00 – 1:45 pm | Keynote: Dr. Michael Thompson – The Inner Lives of Boys
- 1:45 – 2:45 pm | AIM Ideas Lab – Youth Participatory Action Research
- 2:45 – 3:00 pm | Break, Book Signing, Exhibit Visits
- 3:00 – 4:45 pm | Dr. Marc Brackett, PhD – Giving Kids Permission to Feel
- 4:45 – 5:00 pm | Closing Remarks and Next Steps
Learning Objectives Day 2
At the conclusion of Day 2, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate Youth Mental Health First Aid as an upstream intervention for youth mental health challenges and crises.
- Describe common barriers for adolescents to optimize their sleep habits.
- Discuss risk factors for LGBTQ+ youth for experiencing higher rates of mental health challenges.
- Describe ways to apply the principles of shared decision-making in clinical practice.
- Assess the impact of social media on youth mental health.
- Describe how pediatric psychopharmacology for mental illness differs in various cultural and socioeconomic groups.
Day 2 Speakers
Tremaine EL-Amin
Meet Tremaine
Amanda Zonghi MEd
Meet Amanda
Summer Prather-Smith
Meet Dr. Prather-Smith

Jessie Bucci
Meet Jessie

Michael Thompson PhD
Meet Dr. Thompson
Shashank Joshi MD
Meet Dr. Joshi
Connie Sobzak & Elizabeth Scott LMFT
Meet Connie & Elizabeth

Rachel Kramer PhD
Meet Dr.Kramer
Rafael Pelayo MD
Meet Dr. Pelayo

Jennifer Fenton LMFT
Meet Jennifer
Laurie Grossman
Meet Laurie

Marwa Sahak
Meet Marwa
AFTERNOON WORKSHOP: GIVING KIDS PERMISSION TO FEEL
Marc Brackett, PhD
Day 2: Friday, April 21 | 3:00 to 5:00 pm, Dr. Marc Brackett, Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Developer of RULER, and author of the bestselling book, Permission To Feel, will lead a workshop about the importance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and how mental health providers, parents, educators, youth, first responders…all of us play a role in giving youth permission to feel.
Apr 19: Pre-Conference - School Safety and Youth Mental Health (Expand for Schedule)
- 8:30 – 9:00 am | Registration, Continental Breakfast, Exhibitors
- 9:00 – 9:15 am | Welcome: Michael Kimball and Lori Butterworth
School Safety and Youth Mental Health - 9:15 – 10:00 am | Keynote: Greg Johnson and Andy McGill
West Liberty-Salem High School
The Anatomy of the West Liberty-Salem High School Shooting, Lessons Learned - 10:00 am – 10:45 am | Logan Cole
West Liberty-Salem High School
School Shooting Survivor: Youth Mental Health in the Wake of Violence - 10:45 – 11:00 am | Break and Exhibit Visit
- 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Concurrent Sessions
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- Greg Johnson & Andy McGill: Principal Recovery Guide
- Logan and Addy Cole: The reality of a lockdown with elementary school children / Safety Training with Elementary School Children
- Kraig Hissong – A School Leaders’ Role in Communicating to the Community After a Tragedy
- Dr. Summer Prather-Smith – Parent Tools in Helping Kids Feel Safe
- Santa Rita Behavioral Health Team – Addressing School Climate: Proactive Responses to Bullying
- Thomas Woodland – Salinas Union High School District – Integrating School Emergency Management Planning into School Culture
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- 12:00 – 1:30 pm | Lunch, Networking, Exhibits
- 1:30 – 2:30 pm | Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Secret Service
- 2:30 – 3:30 pm | TBA
- 3:30 – 4:15 pm | Concurrent Sessions
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- Santa Rita Behavioral Health Team – Addressing School Climate: Proactive Responses to Bullying
- Thomas Woodland Salinas Union High School District – Integrating School Emergency Management Planning into School Culture
- Northern California Regional Intelligence Center: To protect life, critical infrastructure, key resources, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties through information sharing, analysis, criminal intelligence and technology that focuses a whole of government and community approach to identify, prevent, protect against, mitigate, and assist in the response to and the recovery from the greatest human-made threats and major hazards in the Federal Northern District of California.
- Lori Butterworth – Transforming School Culture Through Youth Mental Health First Aid
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- 4:15 – 5:00 pm | Closing Keynote
Pre-Conference Speakers

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Greg Johnson
Principal Recovery Network
West Liberty-Salem High School

KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Andy McGill
Principal Recovery Network
West Liberty-Salem High School

Logan Cole
Meet Logan

Michael Kimball

FBI
