Child and Adolescent Mental Health | Evidence-Based Interventions | Professional Development
The MICAMH Conference Returns Feb. 5-7, 2025!
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About us:
The Miami International Child & Adolescent Mental Health (MICAMH)
The Miami International Child & Adolescent Mental Health (MICAMH) Conference is the leading interdisciplinary conference presenting state-of-the-art, evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions for mental health and educational challenges in children and adolescents. The conference offers keynote presentations, hands-on breakout workshops, student poster sessions and continuing education credits.
Conference Program
8:00 a.m. - Registration & Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - MICAMH Conference Welcome
9:00 -10:00 a.m. - Developing, Testing, and Implementing Novel Interventions Integrating a Focus on Parent Mental Health in Families of Youth with ADHD- Dr. Andrea Chronis-Tuscano, University of Maryland
- 9:00-10:00 a.m.
- Dr. Andrea Chronis-Tuscano
- Grand Ballroom
Developing, Testing, and Implementing Novel Interventions Integrating a Focus on Parent Mental Health in Families of Youth with ADHD
Learning Objectives:
1. To identify transactional family influences on the developmental course of ADHD in youth.
2. To implement screening for parent mental health in a manner that is culturally sensitive and feasible.
3. To integrate evidence-based tools targeting parent mental health in interventions for youth with ADHD.
4. To incorporate patient and provider voices when developing and implementing interventions.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Andrea Chronis-Tuscano is the Joel & Kim Feller Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, where she directs the Maryland ADHD Program and SUCCEEDS College ADHD Clinic. Dr. Chronis-Tuscano’s research focuses broadly on understanding early predictors of developmental outcomes for children with Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (including depression and alcohol/substance use) and developing novel treatments which target these early risks and protective factors. Much of this research has addressed issues related to parenting and parental psychopathology (namely, maternal depression and ADHD). Most recently, she has utilized hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs to develop treatments that can be implemented in community settings such as pediatrics and schools.
Dr. Chronis-Tuscano is the President of the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent
Psychology (SCCAP; APA Division 53); Past-President of the International Society for Research in Child and Adolescent Psychopathology; past Associate Editor of the Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology and the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology; Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), and SCCAP; and former standing member of the NIMH Mental Health Services Research (SERV) review committee. She is the recipient of multiple NIH grants and has served on several NIH review committees relevant to developmental psychopathology and interventions. She is the author of over 160 publications, primarily on the topic of ADHD.
10:00-11:00 a.m. - Diversity, Representation, and the Power to Disseminate Mental Health Programs- Dr. Antonio Polo, DePaul University
- 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
- Dr. Antonio Polo
- Grand Ballroom
Diversity, Representation, and the Power to Disseminate Mental Health Programs
Speaker: Dr. Antonio Polo, Psychology Professor, Clinical Psychology (Child) DePaul University
11:00 - 11:10 - Morning Break
11:10 - 12:10 p.m. - Treatment Engagement- Kimberly Becker, University of South Carolina
- 11:10 a.m. -12:10 p.m.
- Dr. Kimberly Becker
- Grand Ballroom
Treatment Engagement
Speaker: Dr. Kimberly Becker, Professor, Associate Director of Clinical Training Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina
12:10 - 1 p.m. - Lunch
1:00 - 4:00 - Workshops (you can only attend one)
Supporting Caregivers of Youth with ADHD - Dr. Andrea Chronis-Tuscano, University of Maryland
Latinx Parental Activation and the Act and Adapt Program - Dr. Antonio Polo, DePaul University
Treatment Engagement - Dr. Kimberly Becker, University of South Carolina
Navigating the Medication Maze: Essentials of Psychotropic Prescribing for Multidisciplinary Professionals Working with Youth - Dr. Carlos Salgado, Florida International University
8:00 a.m. - Registration & Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - MICAMH Conference Welcome
9:00 -10:00 a.m. - Adverse Childhood Experiences and Traumatic Stress in Marginalized Youth- Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King, Kennedy Krieger Institute /Johns Hopkins University
- 9:00-10:00 a.m.
- Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King
- Grand Ballroom
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Traumatic Stress in Marginalized Youth
About the Speaker:
Ernestine Briggs-King, PhD, is the Vice President of Community and Family Interventions at Kennedy Krieger Institute and is on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University. She recently retired from Duke University School of Medicine where she led many initiatives over the course of 24 years. At Duke, she served as the Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Network Relations and the Co-ÂDirector of Data and Evaluation Program for the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. She was an Associate Professor with tenure, and Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Department of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Science. She also served as the Director of Research for the Center for Child and Family Health. She is the Immediate Past President for the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC). Dr. Briggs-King is a clinical/community psychologist with professional expertise that focuses on implementation, dissemination, and evaluation of evidence-based treatments; child traumatic stress; resiliency; mental health disparities and inequities, quality improvement, and increasing access to care for underserved youth/adolescents.
10:00-11:00 a.m. - Impact of Pediatric Cancer on Children and Families- Dr. Cynthia Gerhardt, Nationwide Children’s Hospital/The Ohio State University
- 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
- Dr. Cynthia Gerhardt
- Grand Ballroom
Impact of Pediatric Cancer on Children and Families
About the Speaker:
Hospital and is a Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at The Ohio State University (OSU). As Chief Clinical Research
Officer at The Abigail Wexner Research Institute and Pediatric Director of the OSU Clinical and Translational Science
Institute (CTSI), Dr. Gerhardt is dedicated to ensuring a rich environment to support research. She co-directs the
Community and Stakeholder Engagement program for the OSU CTSI and is the Chief Diversity Officer of the FDA-funded
Midwest Pediatric Device Consortium. Dr. Gerhardt is also current President of the Society of Pediatric Psychology.
Her research focuses on risk and resilience among families coping with childhood cancer and bereavement, and she
has enjoyed mentoring numerous students and trainees in her lab for over 25 years.
11:00 - 11:10 a.m. - Morning Break
11:10 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. - Latest Developments Adapting Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Youth in Clinical and School Settings- Dr. Alec Miller, Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants, LLP (CBC), Clinical Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- 11:10 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.
- Dr. Alec Miller
- Grand Ballroom
Latest Developments Adapting Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Youth in Clinical and School Settings
About the Speaker:
Dr. Alec Miller is a clinical psychologist, teacher, researcher, treatment developer and disseminator of evidence-based interventions to clinical settings, schools and organizations worldwide. He is the co-author of three leading textbooks and treatment manuals of DBT for adolescents in clinical and school settings. He wears three hats: 1) as Co-Founder of Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants (CBC) in White Plains and New York City, NY, a clinical group practice and training center, 2) as a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, and 3) as the President of the Access Psychology
Foundation (APF), a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to overcome mental health disparities among historically under-represented populations by increasing access to evidence-based prevention, treatment, education and training.
12:10 - 1 p.m. - Lunch
1:00 - 4:00 - Workshops (you can only attend one)
Motivational enhancements to behavioral parent training - Dr. Paulo Graziano, Florida International University
- 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Dr. Paulo Graziano
- TBD
Motivational enhancements to behavioral parent training
About the Workshop:
This workshop will focus on how to integrate two evidence-based interventions: motivational interviewing (MI) and parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT). 
The first half of the workshop will focus on providing an overview of PCIT followed by MI. During the second half of the workshop, attendees will learn via videos and role plays how to use and integrate MI skills within PCIT sessions as well as other parenting programs. 
Learning objectives:
1) Attendees will demonstrate a basic understanding of PCIT
2) Attendees will demonstrate a basic understanding of MI
3) Attendees will demonstrate initial skills in embedding MI skills in the context of a parenting session
About the Speaker:
Dr. Graziano is a Licensed Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University. (FIU) He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro followed by two postdoctoral fellowships with the first focused on Child/Pediatric Psychology at the University of Florida while the second was an Institute of Educational Sciences (IES)-Department of Education funded position focused on intervention research for children with disruptive behavior disorders. Dr. Graziano is a renowned expert in early childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Disruptive Behavior Disorders. As the Director of the S.E.L.F.-Regulation Laboratory, his research strives to integrate theory and methods from developmental psychology and neuroscience to examine the development of children’s self-regulation skills and how such processes can be applied to the understanding and treatment of ADHD and related comorbidities. His work has been supported by both federal grants (e.g., the National Institute of Mental Health, IES) and local agencies (e.g., The Children’s Trust) and has resulted in over 100 peer reviewed scientific articles along with 100+ talks and posters at national and international conferences and meetings. Clinically, he directs a Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) clinic at FIU along with a summer treatment program for young children (ages 4 to 6) with ADHD and related comorbidities who are transitioning to and from kindergarten (STP-K). Lastly, he is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and provides motivational interviewing training in the community as well as to mental health counseling graduate students at FIU.
Mindfulness and Validation: Applying Acceptance-Based DBT Skills and Strategies to Adolescents and Families - Dr. Alec Miller, Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants, LLP (CBC), Clinical Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Impact of Pediatric Cancer on Children and Families - Dr. Cynthia Gerhardt & Dr. Molly Gardner, The Ohio State University
Supporting Children in the Aftermath of Extreme Weather Events: Respond with CARE - Dr. Jami Furr, Florida International University
8:00 a.m. - Registration & Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - MICAMH Conference Welcome
9:00 -10:00 a.m. - TBA
- 9:00-10:00 a.m.
- TBA
- Grand Ballroom
To be announced
10:00-11:00 a.m. - Diversity, Representation, and the Power to Disseminate Mental Health Programs- Dr. Alice Carter, University of of Massachusetts Boston
- 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
- Dr. Alice Carter
- Grand Ballroom
Early identification or early intervention for children at-risk for Autism
Speaker: Dr. Alice Carter, Professor - Psychology, University of of Massachusetts Boston
11:10 - 12:10 p.m. - School Crisis and Recovery - Dr. Marleen Wong, University of Southern California/ Center for Safe and Resilient Schools and Workplaces
- 11:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m.
- Dr. Marleen Wong
- Grand Ballroom
School Crisis and Recovery
Speaker: Dr. Marleen Wong, David Lawrence Stein - Violet Goldberg Sachs Professor of Mental Health and Senior Vice Dean, Emerita University of Southern California/ Center for Safe and Resilient Schools and Workplaces, Co-Founder and CEO
12:10 - 1 p.m. - Lunch
1:00 - 4:00 - Workshops (you can only attend one)
Supporting Healthy Child Media Use Habits in the Delivery of Mental Health or Developmental Services - Dr. Shayl Griffith, Florida International University
- 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Dr. Shayl Griffith
- TBD
Supporting Healthy Child Media Use Habits in the Delivery of Mental Health or Developmental Services - Dr. Shayl Griffith
About the Workshop:
In this session, the potential benefits of addressing children’s media use habits as an essential component of delivering mental health or developmental services to children and families will be discussed. An overview of the state of the evidence regarding screen media use intervention will be provided, and approaches for addressing screen media use will be discussed. Participants will have the opportunity to practice implementing intervention strategies, and to brainstorm how interventions related to screen media routines can be integrated into existing evidence-based services.
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Learning Objectives:
1. Describe how children’s screen media habits may impact development and mental health, and how screen media routines may be relevant for mental health and/or developmental treatment targets
2. Explain the components of a healthy screen media routine, and key considerations for creating a routine that is well-tailored to individual families’ needs.
3. Create a plan for integrating screen media intervention strategies into the delivery of existing mental health and developmental services.
About the Speaker:
Shayl Griffith, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling, Recreation, and School Psychology at Florida International University. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Griffith’s research interests center on the social-emotional, behavioral, and academic development of young children, particularly within the context of family technology use and digital home learning environments. Her research examines 1) screen media use in young children with externalizing behavior problems, 2) parent- child interactions during co-use of educational digital media (e.g., educational apps), and 3) the use of digital technology to support early learning in home and school contexts. Dr. Griffith’s work has been supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation.
CBITS/Helping schools recover from a school shooting - Dr. Marleen Wong, University of Southern California/ Center for Safe and Resilient Schools and Workplaces
- 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Dr. Marleen Wong
- TBD
CBITS/Helping schools recover from a school shooting
About the Speaker:
Marleen Wong, Ph.D. is the Stein/Goldberg Sachs Professor of Mental Health and Senior Vice Dean Emerita at the USC Peck School of Social Work. Identified as one of the “pre-eminent experts in school crisis and disaster recovery “by the White House and the “architect of school-safety programs” by the Wall Street Journal”, Dr. Wong is one of the original developers of Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) and Psychological First Aid for Schools: Listen Protect Connect Model and TEACH. She has worked with survivors and school districts of targeted violence and terrorist attacks including those in Littleton, Newtown, Parkland, Oklahoma City, 9/11 NYC and San Bernardino. She has worked as a subject matter expert and K-12 program developer and consultant for disasters and trauma recovery after hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Iniki, after wildfires in Oregon and Maui, typhoons in the Republic of the Philippines and earthquakes in the US, Kobe Japan, PRC (China), and Taiwan. Her work has been funded by private foundations, FEMA, UNICEF, international teachers’ unions, education ministries, the US Department of Education and the World Health Organization. Formerly the Director of Mental Health, Crisis Intervention, Threat Assessment Teams and Suicide Prevention Programs in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Dr. Wong is Co-Founder and CEO, Center for Safe and Resilient Schools and Workplaces. She has been honored as a NASW Social Work Pioneer®; a Fellow, American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and inductee in the Hall of Distinction, California Social Welfare Archives.
Early identification or early intervention for children at-risk for Autism - Dr. Alice Carter, University of Massachusetts Boston
- 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Dr. Alice Carter
- TBD
Early identification or early intervention for children at-risk for Autism
Culturally-affirming interventions for Latinx and LGBTQ and gender nonbinary individuals and communities - Dr. Roberto Abreu, University of Florida
- 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Dr. Roberto Abreu
- TBD
Culturally-affirming interventions for Latinx and LGBTQ and gender nonbinary individuals and communities
Racism, Trauma, and Child Welfare: The Need for System Transformation and Radical Healing - Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King, Department of Family and Community Interventions at Kennedy Krieger Institute / Johns Hopkins University
- 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Dr. Ernestine Briggs-King
- TBD
Racism, Trauma, and Child Welfare: The Need for System Transformation and Radical Healing
Meet the speakers
From insightful keynotes to hands-on workshops, these leaders in the field will bring the latest in evidence-based strategies for addressing mental health and educational challenges in children and adolescents.
Continuing Education
This conference offers up to 18 continuing education credits and has been approved by:
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling
Florida Board of Psychology and Florida Office of School Psychology.
The Center for Children and Families is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center for Children and Families maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
For more information about the conference, contact us at micamh@fiu.edu.
2025 Poster Presentations
We welcome submissions covering research or scholarship relevant to all areas of clinical child and adolescent psychology, including evidence-based assessment, prevention, and treatment, as well as research on the etiology, course, psychopathology, and correlates of child mental health problems.