Agenda Details - Wednesday, April 15
The Center for Practice Innovations presents
The Art of Engagement: A Pre-Conference Affair
Engagement is Harder Than Ever. Care managers across New York State are feeling the challenges of doing complex work in an increasingly demanding and complicated environment. Caseloads are heavier, participant needs are wide ranging, resources are limited, and trust in systems is often low. In this context, engagement doesn’t just feel harder...it is harder. Many care managers are navigating increasing pressure to keep things moving, manage risk, and still build meaningful connections.
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The Center for Practice Innovations' I CONECT, ACT Institute, OnTrack NY, and IPS would like to invite you to participate in one of the more important conversations at this moment. How do we engage individuals in the community? How do we connect individuals to services and resources? How do we develop positive, productive, and therapeutic relationships with the individuals working with us? It's all about connections, right? What does that mean???
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Let's talk!!!
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Other goals that we are exploring:
· Acquiring more knowledge about behavioral health community-based services.
· Sharing best practices in the behavioral health field.
· Learning about and linking resources across community-based services.
· Assessing what providers continue to need in training and support.
· Developing community with agencies leadership, community providers, and policy makers.
· Increasing CPI’s outreach in ROS regions of NYS.
11:00am – 12:00pm
Registration
12:00pm – 12:15pm
Welcome Remarks & Lunch
Luis Lopez, MA, MS, Director, ICONECT, Institute for Care Management, Outreach, Networking, Engagement, Connecting and Training, Center for Practice Innovations, Division of Behavioral Health Services and Policy Research, Center for Practice Innovations at Columbia Psychiatry, NYS Psychiatric Institute
12:15 – 1:00pm
Keynote Presentation: The Art of Engagement: CPI Expert Panel
1:00 – 1:15pm
Break
1:15 – 2:30pm
Concurrent Sessions
1. I CONECT - Why Engagement Feels So Hard Right Now
Samantha Sonia Headley, Implementation Specialist/Trainer, ICONECT
Marissa Messiah, Implementation Specialist/Trainer, ICONECT
Luis Lopez, Director, ICONECT
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This two-part pre-conference takes an honest, practical look at why engagement feels so difficult right now and what helps. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, the session focuses on realistic, person-centered strategies that respect today’s constraints while supporting recovery-oriented practice. If engagement feels harder than it used to and you’re not sure what to change without burning out, this session is for you. You’ll leave with clearer perspective, shared language, and practical tools you can use right away to engage participants more effectively while protecting your time, energy, and boundaries.
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2. TBA
Elizabeth "Mia" Haley, Coordinator of ACT Fidelity and Best Practices, ICONECT
Abigail "Abbe" Duke
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3. OnTrack NY: TBA
Jill Dunstan
Igor Malinovsky
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4. I CONECT: The Impact of Culture on Motivation: Guiding Personally Meaningful Goals and Change Readiness
Erika Esquivel
Luis Lopez, Director, ICONECT
Elisabeth Salner​
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Culture plays a critical role in shaping motivation and recovery goals. This workshop highlights culturally responsive practices that help individuals connect personal values to meaningful outcomes. Attendees will gain tools for enhancing engagement and readiness for change through cultural humility.
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2:30 - 2:45pm
Break
2:45 – 4:00pm
Concurrent Sessions
1. I CONECT - Now What? Engagement That’s Realistic and Sustainable
Samantha Sonia Headley, Implementation Specialist/Trainer, ICONECT
Marissa Messiah, Implementation Specialist/Trainer, ICONECT
Luis Lopez, Director, ICONECT
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This two-part pre-conference takes an honest, practical look at why engagement feels so difficult right now and what helps. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, the session focuses on realistic, person-centered strategies that respect today’s constraints while supporting recovery-oriented practice. If engagement feels harder than it used to and you’re not sure what to change without burning out, this session is for you. You’ll leave with clearer perspective, shared language, and practical tools you can use right away to engage participants more effectively while protecting your time, energy, and boundaries.
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2. ACT Institute - Trust Before Treatment: Foundations of Engagement
Allashia Smith Harris
Darlene Carrera
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Effective community mental health services begin with trust. This presentation explores how authentic relationships serve as the foundation for engagement, particularly when working with individuals who may have experienced trauma, systemic barriers, or mistrust of services. Participants will examine how trust develops in community-based settings and why relationship-building must come before clinical intervention. The session highlights practical strategies for strengthening engagement through consistency, natural supports, cultural sensitivity, and respect for autonomy, while emphasizing culturally responsive and culturally safe practices that honor the lived experiences, identities, and person-centered goals of the individuals we serve.
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3. OnTrack NY: TBA
Jill Dunstan
Igor Malinovsky
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4. IPS: TBA
TBA
Registration Information
Pre-Conference - April 15: $50/person
Pre & Full Conference - April 15-17: $400/person
Full Conference Registration - April 16 & 17: $350/person
Day One Only - April 16: $275/person
Day Two Only - April 17: $175/person
Hotel Reservations
Conference Venue:
Niagara Falls Convention Center
101 Old Falls St, Niagara Falls, NY 14303, US
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Hotel Accommodations:
Sheraton Niagara Falls
300 3rd Street, Niagara Falls, NY 14303, US
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Blocks of rooms have been set aside at a discounted rate for conference participants. Click the button below to make your reservations today!
Discounts Available for Groups
For 10 or More Registrations:
The Coalition is pleased to offer the following discounts to same organization paid registrants. If your organization is sending over 10 registrants, please complete the form linked here to register a group: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CFL8TWY
All group registrations MUST be paid for prior to the conference.
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REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS
10-15 Participants: One Complimentary Registration
16-25 Participants: Two Complimentary Registrations
26-39 Participants: Three Complimentary Registrations
40+ Participants: Four Complimentary Registrations per forty