Poster 83 - Including the Full Family Voice in System of Care Wraparound Training: Guided by Experience, Grounded in Empathy

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM MDT

Location: Screen 14, Exhibit Hall Poster Pavilion

This interactive workshop highlights the power of Family Facilitators—parents and caregivers with lived experience—in shaping youth-centered behavioral health services within New Jersey’s Children’s System of Care. Through guided storytelling and reflective exercises, participants gain firsthand insight into navigating emotional, behavioral, developmental, and substance use challenges, fostering empathy and improving service delivery. The training aligns with Wraparound Values and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) principles by promoting early intervention, reducing stigma, and empowering communities through authentic family engagement.

Learning Objectives:

Explore how lived experience enhances empathy and system responsiveness in shaping youth-centered service plans.
Identify strategies to incorporate family voice into behavioral health training and planning.
Demonstrate the connection of Wraparound Values and Principles with MHFA’s mission to empower communities and reduce stigma.

Poster Presenter(s)

Jessica Montgomery-Brown, M.Ed.

Training and Consultation Specialist
Rutgers University - UBHC CSOC
Piscataway, New Jersey

Disclosure information not submitted.
Karen Rea, MA

Senior Training and Consultation Specialist
Rutgers University - UBHC CSOC
Piscataway, New Jersey

Disclosure information not submitted.