Join us in October for the ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference in Baltimore, Maryland
The ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference 2025 is the place to network, learn, and grow! Meet new people and connect with old friends.
Join us and you’ll learn from like-minded early childhood professionals, meet an incredible network of partners, and be there when new ideas are born.
We know that this is an invaluable experience, but we also know that it can be challenging to get approval for the budget and time to attend, so we’ve developed a document with some key talking points and testimonials from your colleagues to help you make the case for your attendance. And please don’t hesitate to reach out with any additional questions.
Scroll down to see the HealthySteps track!
Annual Symposium 2025
HealthySteps: Advancing Early Relational Health in Primary Care Pediatrics
Tuesday, October 6
Early relational health (ERH) is a Priority Outcome for HS sites, and they are well–positioned to promote ERH. But what exactly does ERH mean? How is it related to IECMH (Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health)? And in what ways do primary care pediatric providers and HS Specialists advance ERH? In partnership with the AAP and Erikson Institute (FAN), our Annual Symposium will take a deep dive into ERH including a review of foundational concepts, how HS provides a continuum of care, and practical applications of effective strategies and interventions.
Speakers
- Ellie Erickson, MD, Duke University School of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
- Dominique Charlot-Swilley, Thrive Center for Children, Families, and Communities at Georgetown University, Assistant Professor/Director of Provider Wellbeing
- Marie-Celeste Condon, Infant & Early Childhood Educator & Mental Health Specialist
- Linda Gilkerson, Erikson Institute, Professor
Conference Schedule - HealthySteps Track
Below is the schedule for the HealthySteps track. CLICK HERE to view the entire LEARN Conference Schedule.
Wednesday, October 8
10:30 AM
Identifying and Treating Postpartum Depression in Mothers of Young Children: HealthySteps in Miami Partners with the Healthy Start’s Moving Beyond Depression Program to Better Serve Mothers
This session focuses on the partnership between the University of Miami’s HealthySteps and Healthy Start/Moving Beyond Depression Programs. HealthySteps Specialists identify mothers experiencing depression, many of whom face barriers which impede their ability to access services. The evidence-based/grant funded program, Moving Beyond Depression, provides access to quality care.
Speakers
- Maite Schenker, University of Miami, Assistant Professor
- Connie Morrow, University of Miami, Program Director
- Isa Piloto-Baker, University of Miami, UM Pediatrics Director of Case Management and Healthy Start Program Manager
10:30 AM
Implementing Safe Baby Education Into Your HealthySteps Program; Preventing Infant Death
This session describes how the HealthySteps site has incorporated strategies to reduce the three leading causes of preventable infant death within our community. HealthySteps Specialists and practices will learn how to integrate additional education with their families during well-child visits.
Speakers
- Melissa Asencio, Healthy Start Coalition, Program Manager
- Ligia Vigo-Patron, Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County, HealthySteps Supervisor
- Rilee Wagner, Healthy Start Coalition of Hillsborough County, Lead HealthySteps Specialist
1:00 PM
Building a Healthier Future: A Three-Pronged Approach to HealthySteps Implementation, Evaluation, and Sustainability in Philadelphia
This session will highlight a three-pronged approach to implementing, evaluating, and sustaining the HealthySteps program in Philadelphia. By integrating implementation science, a mixed-methods evaluation, and advocacy for policy reform, the initiative aims to improve early childhood development, provider well-being, and family health, with promising early results.
Speakers
- Kali Hackett, PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Senior Project Manager
- Emma Golub, PolicyLab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Policy Analyst
- Nora Ahern, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, HealthySteps Specialist
1:00 PM
Part 1: Continuous Quality Improvement as a Critical Lever in Establishing HealthySteps at the Chickasaw Nation
This session will describe the evolution of continuous quality improvement (CQI) practices in the implementation of HealthySteps across multiple sites. Learners will be engaged through the use of examples from the perspectives of each clinic role and families.
Speakers
- Jennifer Jesse, Chickasaw Nation Public Health/Hofanti Chokma, Hofanti Chokma Program Manager
- Misty Boyd, Chickasaw Nation Public Health/Hofanti Chokma, Sr Public Health Psychologist
- Nora Ahern, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, HealthySteps Specialist
2:30 PM
Looking at the Parallel Process Through the Lens of HealthySteps
This session focuses on identifying one’s social location and the implementation of parallel process. Participants will list their relationship building skills that best serve historically marginalized families with young children. Participants will understand how the parallel process empowers oneself to encourage individuals and families to creatively solve their own problems. Group discussion will help participants identify biases that can perpetuate racism, oppression, and power over models that traditionally marginalized children and families experience.
Speakers
- Sara Kiehn, Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, HealthySteps Specialist
- Margaret McGaw, Children’s Home Society of North Carolina, HealthySteps Specialist
2:30 PM
Part 2: Continuous Quality Improvement as a Critical Lever in Establishing HealthySteps at the Chickasaw Nation
This session will describe the evolution of continuous quality improvement (CQI) practices in the implementation of HealthySteps across multiple sites. Learners will be engaged through the use of examples from the perspectives of each clinic role and families.
Speakers
- Jennifer Jesse, Chickasaw Nation Public Health/Hofanti Chokma, Hofanti Chokma Program Manager
- Misty Boyd, Chickasaw Nation Public Health/Hofanti Chokma, Sr Public Health Psychologist
- Nora Ahern, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, HealthySteps Specialist
TBA
HealthySteps 30th Anniversary Celebration
Stay tuned for details about our 30th Anniversary Celebration networking event!
Thursday, October 9
10:30 AM
Supporting Fathers at Their Children’s Primary Care Visits
A father’s health status has implications for himself and also for the health and well-being of his children. This session will focus on engaging fathers during pediatric primary care visits both to support their children’s health and development and to prioritize their own health and connection with the healthcare system.
Speakers
- Eva Johnson, Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Assistant Professor
- Holly Pangrace, University Hospitals Rainbow Center for Women and Children, HealthySteps Specialist
- Kristin Cipolla, University Hospitals , Healthy Steps Specialist
10:30 AM
HealthySteps and the FAST approach
Distilling principles and strategies of specialized evidence-based programs (Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Promoting First Relationships), the FAST-Early Childhood (FAST-E) program was developed by child clinical psychologists at Seattle Children’s Hospital to support early childhood mental health, in the context of family, community, and culture.
This session will share and reflect on how our HS team incorporates FAST concepts and strategies into our HS program to help break a caregiver’s cycle of low mood and inactivity, or worries and fear, that may get in the way of responsive parenting.
We will relate our experience with this approach, including the successes and challenges of initial engagement, motivation (setting aside time and space), and sustainability.
Speakers
- Mary Beth Callie PhD, CALLIE PEDIATRICS, Director of Integrated & Whole Person Care, HealthySteps
- Liz Denogean, LMSW, Callie Pediatrics, HealthySteps Specialist
1:00 PM
Part 1: HealthySteps and Value-Based Care: How Evidence-Based Care Supports the Journey to Outcomes, Value, and Sustainability
Planning for HealthySteps sustainability in all practices is something that cannot be left to chance. Focusing on revenues and value-based care means program leaders need solutions for ongoing program support. This session will show how HealthySteps will increase pay-for-performance compensation while ensuring the proven superior outcomes for babies and families.
Speakers
- Warren Brodine, Health Management Associates, Inc., Managing Director, Delivery Systems
- Christina Altmayer, HMA, Senior Vice President
1:00 PM
Part 1: Capturing Care in Context: family-centered approaches to data collection for HealthySteps quality improvement and evaluation
Ready to center and strengthen patient and family voice in your quality improvement and program evaluation activities? In this session, we will review the community engagement continuum of emerging evidence-based practices and pragmatic approaches to data collection for program improvement that centers patient and family perspectives.
Speakers
- Sarah Ronis, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Attending Physician
- Alissa Huth-Bocks, Wayne State University, Director, Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute
- Kimberly Burkhart, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Clinical Psychologist/Associate Professor of Pediatrics
2:30 PM
Part 2: HealthySteps and Value-Based Care: How Evidence-Based Care Supports the Journey to Outcomes, Value, and Sustainability
Planning for HealthySteps sustainability in all practices is something that cannot be left to chance. Focusing on revenues and value-based care means program leaders need solutions for ongoing program support. This session will show how HealthySteps will increase pay-for-performance compensation while ensuring the proven superior outcomes for babies and families.
Speakers
- Warren Brodine, Health Management Associates, Inc., Managing Director, Delivery Systems
- Christina Altmayer, HMA, Senior Vice President
2:30 PM
Part 2: Capturing Care in Context: family-centered approaches to data collection for HealthySteps quality improvement and evaluation
Ready to center and strengthen patient and family voice in your quality improvement and program evaluation activities? In this session, we will review the community engagement continuum of emerging evidence-based practices and pragmatic approaches to data collection for program improvement that centers patient and family perspectives.
Speakers
- Sarah Ronis, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Attending Physician
- Alissa Huth-Bocks, Wayne State University, Director, Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute
- Kimberly Burkhart, University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Clinical Psychologist/Associate Professor of Pediatrics
