2026 Early Intervention & Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Annual Summit
EI Sessions – Tuesday, May 19th
1:45 am – 12:30 pm: Registration Open
12:30 pm – 12:35 pm: Opening Remarks – Main Ballroom
12:35 pm – 2:00 pm: Bureau of Early Intervention & PCG Updates
Bureau of Early Intervention and PCG Staff
2:00 pm – 2:15 pm: Break
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm: Innovation in the Early Intervention Program at the Local Level (Local Health Department Panel)
The New York City Early Intervention Referral Portal Program
- Nora Puffett, MPA, Director of Administration and Data – NYC DOHMH Bureau of Early Intervention
Building Teams: Looking Through Every Lens
- Deseré Baker, M.S.Ed, Supervisor, Children with Special Needs – Wayne County Public Health
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Transition from Early Intervention to Pre-School Special Education
New York State Education Department Staff
4:30: Closing
Joint EI/CYSHCN Sessions – Wenesday, May 20th (Morning)
7:30 am – 8:30 am: Registration Open
8:30 am – 8:35 am: Opening Remarks – Main Ballroom
8:35 am – 9:45 am: Collaboration Between EI & CYSHCN Programs (Local Health Department Panel)
Combined EI and CYSHCN Parent-Child Groups using Community Accessibility and Inclusion (CAI) Funding
- Denise Nichols, RN, Early Intervention Manager – Chautauqua County Health Dept
- Jacquelyn Gambino, CYSHCN and EI Service Coordinator – Chautauqua County Health Dept
Increasing CYSHCN Awareness and the Importance of Partnerships
- Paula Hayes-Hayden, CYSHCN Coordinator – Orange County Department of Health
- Sandra Brownsey MS, CAS, Director of Intervention Services – Orange County Department of Health
Access to Safe Aquatic Recreation and Community Inclusion for Children with Special Needs
- Nina Battista, Program Administrator – Westchester County Department of Health
- Gerardo Alvarez, Staff Assistant, CYSHCN Coordinator – Westchester County Department of Health
9:45 am – 11:45 am: Four Tools to Help Make Meetings More Effective and Fun
Jim FitzGerald, Director of Operations – Mediation Matters
11:45 am – 1:00 pm: Lunch Break
CYSHCN Sessions – Wednesday, May 20th (Afternoon)
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm: Bureau of Child and Adolescent Health Welcome – Main Ballroom
Bureau of Child & Adolescent Health Staff
1:45 pm – 3:15 pm: CYSHCN Center of Excellence Activity
Cornell CYSHCN Center of Excellence Staff
3:15 pm – 4:30 pm: County Innovation in the CYSHCN Program (Local Health Department Panel)
Building Bridges for Families in Rural Communities
- Hillary Drake, MPH, CLC, Public Health Outreach Coordinator – Essex County Health Department
Transition Binders and What They Can Become
- Mary Jane Manning, Children’s Services Supervisor – Franklin County Public Health
- Brittany Patterson, Community Health Worker – Franklin County Public Health
The Bag That Opened Doors: Building Belonging Through Community Partnership
- Allison Robb, Public Health Program Specialist – Wyoming County Health Department
4:00 pm: Closing and Thank you!
