LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WIN will present “Advancing Equity in Early Childhood,” a half-day intensive professional conference examining racial and socioeconomic disparities and envisioning transformative systems change on November 25th from 8:30 AM-12:30 PM at The California Endowment’s Center for Healthy Communities. Early Bird registration ($75) is available until October 15, 2024.
Presented in collaboration with sponsors UCLA Health, First 5 LA, L.A. Care Health Plan, Babyletto, and Cedars-Sinai, the conference will feature leading voices in early childhood development, mental health, perinatal health, and public policy discussing a range of critical issues. WIN's inaugural conference is a must-attend event for early childhood educators, pediatricians, social workers, childcare providers, therapists, birth workers as well as funders and policymakers. The event will feature:
⟶A morning keynote address by Dr. Barbara Stroud, a renowned psychologist and advocate for culturally informed practices in early childhood development. With her extensive experience in mental health and her leadership roles in early childhood organizations, Dr. Stroud will offer insights that frame the day’s critical conversations about equity in early childhood systems.
⟶A plenary discussion about the impact of Proposition 1 on LA County’s prevention services, highlighting the shift from the Mental Health Services Act to the Behavioral Health Services Act and its implications for early childhood intervention and support, featuring Lisa H. Wong, Psy.D., director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) and First 5 LA president and CEO Karla Pleitéz Howell, moderated by Jacqueline Chun, associate director of the Center for Strategic Partnerships.
⟶Engaging break-out sessions on topics such as racial and socioeconomic disparities in early childhood and perinatal mental health, equity in childbirth and maternal health outcomes, innovations in accessible mental health services, and Reflective Practice and Reflective Supervision.
⟶Opportunities to network and connect with fellow professionals and practitioners in the early childhood and perinatal space.
“Collaboration and partnership are part of WIN’s DNA, and we are excited to create this space for thoughtful and important conversations around access and equity in early childhood. We believe that the most innovative, promising solutions to the challenges we are all facing in our work with families will be found in partnership with one another, and in our shared commitment to inclusivity and justice,” said WIN executive director Timothy Sweeney.
About First 5 LA
As the state’s largest funder of early childhood development and an independent public agency, First 5 LA works to strengthen systems, parents and communities to support the safe and healthy development of young children guided by our vision of a future where every child is born healthy and thrives in a nurturing, safe and loving community. Learn more at www.first5la.org to read more about our 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, for our latest news and information, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About WIN
Founded in 2006, the Westside Infant-Family Network (WIN), emerged from a coalition of community organizations seeking to address early childhood mental health and behavioral challenges in children from underserved communities of Los Angeles. From this collaborative origin, WIN expanded its work to build the capacity of childcare providers, Early Head Start programs, and community clinics to better support young children and their families with mental health and early relational health resources.
In 2016, WIN established the Early Childhood Health Neighborhood, uniting dozens of partners to streamline services, train providers in trauma-informed care, and share resources. That same year, WIN launched innovative pilot projects with Harvard University including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screenings, and in 2018, WIN received a $16 million Innovation 2 contract from the L.A. County Department of Mental Health to foster trauma- and resilience-informed services. In 2021, with a grant from ACEs Aware, WIN developed the Los Angeles Resilience Network (LARN), partnering with five Federally Qualified Health Centers to screen for ACEs and connect families to critical resources.
Most recently, in 2024, WIN was awarded a five-year federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, facilitating expanded outreach, enhanced ACEs screening, and implementation of evidence-based practices of Child-Parent Psychotherapy and Attachment Vitamins.
“Advancing Equity in Early Childhood” is a must-attend event for early childhood educators, pediatricians, social workers, childcare providers, therapists, and birth workers, as well as funders and policymakers. To inquire about panel participation or event sponsorship, please contact Candice Rosales. To register for the conference, please follow the link.
