2Gen COVID-19 Webinar Series: Building a Response for the Future [aspeninstitute.org]

Ascend has, as many of you have done, reflected on ways in which this crisis can initiate positive change as we go forward. In response, we launched a webinar series to examine and lift up the ways this crisis has laid bare the profound inequities that lead to health disparities, as well as the ways in which the pandemic is disproportionately impacting the economic, educational, and health of communities of color throughout the US in order to identify innovations to lead us forward.

We are pleased to share new confirmed speakers for upcoming webinars, including one tomorrow on framing and messaging, and recordings of past webinars in the series. Read on to learn more.

Upcoming Webinars

Supporting Student Parent Families in a Time of Crisis: Students who are parents, often the most high-performing students, face heightened financial insecurity during the current economic downturn and unprecedented spike in unemployment. As colleges, workforce development programs, service providers, policymakers, and advocates prepare relief and recovery measures, the unique needs of postsecondary students with children must be considered to ensure they are supported now and in the future.

Speakers:

Anne B. Mosle, Vice President, the Aspen Institute, Executive Director, Ascend, Co-Chair, Aspen Forum on Women and Girls
Jesus Benitez, Ascend Parent Advisor and Mentor Coordinator, CUNY Fatherhood Academy
Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO, Generation Hope
C. Nicole Mason, Ascend Fellow and President and CEO, Institute for Women’s Policy Research
Mark Mitsui, President, Portland Community College

Implications and Useful Lessons around Child Support: The child support program touches more families for a longer period of time than almost any other social program in the United States, involving one in five children and both parents throughout childhood and beyond. When child support policies are not designed to prioritize child well-being, they can interact with family life in counterproductive ways. Decades of research suggests that there is a better way to approach child support policy to build strong families and communities. On this webinar, learn more about holistic, family-centered approaches to child support policy that put children and families where they belong: at the center. Confirmation of additional speakers coming soon.

Speakers:

Demetrious Jones, Father, Center for Urban Families
Yvonne Wenger, Reporter, The Baltimore Sun

Parent Voice During COVID-19: Maintaining Feedback Loops: Parents and Families are experts in their own lives and they are best positioned to give insight on their needs and challenges, as well as provide feedback to policymakers and service providers. Their voice is even more critical now as we are responding to the ever changing environment caused by the current pandemic. During this webinar, we will discuss ways to maintain and strengthen feedback loops that keep parent voice at the forefront of policy discussions and service delivery practices in this new world of social distancing and virtual programming. Confirmation of additional speakers coming soon.

Speakers:

Betsy Delgado, Vice President of Mission and Education Initiatives, Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana
Melvette Hill, Policy and Partnership Consultant, National Parent Leadership Institute

Stopping Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorders Where They Start: Prevention and Treatment in Adolescence: Behavioral health concerns, such as anxiety and depression are common among adolescents, as is substance use. Half of all behavioral health problems begin by age 14, and youth from 12-20 years of age account for about one-tenth of all alcohol consumed in the United States, with crises such as COVID-19 only increasing challenges. In this peer-to-peer conversation, we will hear from national leaders about how they are innovating to prevent and intervene in adolescent behavioral health and/or substance use disorders. This is the fourth conversation in a four-part dialogue series to inspire visionary change in mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment for children and families in the Nation's Capital.

Speakers:

Dr. Nauf Azad, child and adolescent Psychiatrist and adult Psychiatrist and faculty, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
Dr. James Ballard, Clinical Director, DC Department of Human Services Family Services Administration
Hilary Cairns, Deputy Administrator, DC Department of Human Services Youth Services Division
Dr. Sharon Levy, Director of adolescent substance abuse and addiction program at Boston Children's Hospital and Associate Professor in Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School
Dr. Melissa Long, Pediatrician, Children's National Hospital
Shana Simkin, licensed clinical marriage and family Therapist, Jonah Green and Associates and clinician and faculty at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital;
Dr. John Straus, founding medical Director of special projects, Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program
Dr. Aditi Vijay, Clinical Psychiatrist and faculty at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

State Leadership During COVID and Beyond: As states take leadership roles in supporting the health and economic well-being of families, many leaders in the Ascend Network and Fellowship are tapping 2Gen principles and lessons to embed long-term change. In this webinar we will hear from those leaders on opportunities and challenges to aligning systems for families during this crisis, and where there are bright spots of both leadership and innovation from which we can learn. Confirmation of speakers coming soon.

Past Webinars: View the Recordings

Telehealth and 2Gen: What are the Opportunities and Where are the Innovations: Telehealth has emerged as an essential resource for families during COVID-19. However, not all telehealth visits are covered equitably, and there are significant challenges and opportunities for telehealth practices and systems changes for children and parents. In this webinar, we will review the landscape of coverage for telehealth, hear from practitioners and parents on what’s working (and what’s not), and explore opportunities for embedding changes in how families are served remotely in the coming months and years. Watch this webinar here.

Speakers:

Elisabeth Wright Burak, senior fellow, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families (CCF), Washington, D.C.
Tista Ghosh, MD, Ascend Fellow, senior director of impact evaluation, Grand Rounds, Denver, Colorado
Jazzy Green, parent, Parents as Teachers, Topeka, Kansas
Daniel Huang, mental health counselor, Hamilton Madison House, New York, New York
Jennifer Jonika, director of maternal and early childhood clinical services, Starfish Family Services, Detroit, Michigan
Joshua Sparrow, MD, executive director, Brazelton’s Touchpoints Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

State Opportunities and Challenges in Advancing Child Care Innovation: While states are rapidly aligning resources to expand child care access for essential workers and support child care centers that are at risk of closure long-term, new innovations are emerging to support the early childhood field long-term in achieving better outcomes for whole families. In this time of crisis, how can we build on models – from family-based care to the role of museums to states’ bold new approaches – to embed 2Gen approaches in early childhood? Watch this webinar here.

Speakers:

Anne B. Mosle, Vice President, the Aspen Institute, Executive Director, Ascend, Co-Chair, Aspen Forum on Women and Girls
Rebecca Gonzales, CEO and Founder, Time to Learn Daycare
Laura Huerta Migus, Executive Director, Association of Children’s Museums
Erica Phillips, Chief Operating Officer, All Our Kin
Judy Reidt-Parker, Director, National Policy, Ounce of Prevention Fund