Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Join us for the New Jersey Early Relational Health Summit: Innovating for Families’ Futures on September 23, 2026,

at The Palace at Somerset Park (333 Davidson Ave., Somerset, NJ 08873).

Connect with local and national leaders as they explore innovative, evidence-based approaches to building strong caregiver-child relationships—the foundation for healthy development, lifelong well-being, and resilient families and communities.

Morning Workshop Selections

Highlight emerging innovations and statewide opportunities to expand Early Relational Health, focusing on system transformation, unmet needs, and the next phase of implementation in New Jersey.

Presented by:

Atiya Weiss, MPH – The Burke Foundation
Rebecca Bryan, DNP – DCF Office of Resilience
Mahako Etta, PhD, MBA – NJMIHIA
Usha Ramachandran, MD, FAAP – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Strengthen participants’ ability to use practical, relationship-centered tools in real time to enhance attunement, trust, and communication with infants, children, and caregivers in clinical and community settings.

Presented by:
Emily Lawton, MSEd – Montclair State University
Lise Carolyn Johnson, MD – Harvard Medical School

Examine cross-system approaches to identifying family needs early and connecting them to appropriate supports through integrated screening, referral pathways, and community-based partnerships.

Presented by: 
Sanjna Shah, MD, FAAP – FamilyConnects/Connecting NJ
Latasha Nwajagu, LCSW – Rooted in Healing Therapy Services

Afternoon Workshop Selections

Equip participants with strategies to meaningfully engage fathers and diverse caregivers as central partners in early relational health and child development.

Presented by:

Helen Hannigan, MGA – Family Health Initiatives
Sahai Cole, MS – Children & Family Health Institute

 

Identify practical approaches to sustaining Early Relational Health initiatives through financing strategies, value-based care opportunities, and alignment with payer and policy structures.

Presented by:

Pamela Tew, LSW – HealthySteps at ZERO TO THREE
Kate Shamszad, MS, MPH, CCLS – New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute

 

Explore how evidence-based Early Relational Health models can be successfully scaled and sustained through workforce development, implementation strategies, and integration into real-world practice settings.

Presented by: 

Alan Mendelsohn, MD – NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYC Health+Hospitals/Bellevue

A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors and Exhibitors

NJAAP’s NJ SEEDlings program, lending support to the 2026 Early Relational Health Summit, is made possible through the support of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $4,000,000 with 0% financed from non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

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