2026 Symposium Session Descriptions
Sunday, November 8 - Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Sacramento, CA
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
The growing movement to align school and health systems reflects a shared commitment to advancing whole-child care. As California continues to invest in prevention, early intervention, and other upstream approaches to improve child health and well-being, communities have a unique opportunity to strengthen partnerships that benefit children and families. Identifying the mutual value for educational and health institutions is critical to sustaining these efforts. The work undertaken in Los Angeles offers important lessons and proven strategies that can help county leaders develop successful cross-sector collaborations in their own communities.Participants will: Review current bold state initiatives that support child health and wellness; Identify goals that are in sync for schools and health systems; Identify systems that can address measuring impact in integrated systems; Review literature that supports the exchange of data to serve students
The L.A. Trust built an integrated system called the Data xChange that is capable of taking in data from any type of system and linking it to student records to measure impact of the health or social service system on a students ability to succeed in school. This system intersects data in a HIPAA/FERPA protected manner. Published research will be shared that supports future use.
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Speakers:
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Maryjane Puffer, Consultant, www.MJ4Health.com
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Strong partnerships between schools and Medi-Cal health plans are essential to improving outcomes for students and families. Drawing on a series of regional convenings, this interactive session brings together education and health partners to explore shared goals, better understand one another's roles and responsibilities, and identify opportunities for stronger collaboration. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of how Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and Medi-Cal managed care plans can work together to support student health and wellness. Through guided reflection and collaborative activities, participants will engage in dialogue designed to build trust, strengthen relationships, and highlight opportunities for coordinated action.
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By the end of the session, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the shared outcomes that unite schools and health plans, practical ideas for advancing cross-sector collaboration, and concrete next steps for building stronger systems of support for students and families.
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Speakers:
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Lisa Eisenberg, Child and Youth Health Financing Project Director, WestEd
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Alex Mays, Program Lead - Student Behavioral Health, Kaiser Permanente
Foster youth with disabilities navigate two of the most complex public systems simultaneously, yet the intersection remains structurally under-resourced. This session examines the unique demographics, service needs, and fiscal realities of system-involved youth enrolled in special education. Participants will explore where funding streams align and where critical gaps persist while identifying concrete opportunities to layer resources and build cross-system collaboration. Designed for advocates, state and local agency leaders, and school district administrators, this presentation offers actionable strategies to bridge agency silos, streamline service delivery, and improve outcomes for foster youth.
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Learning Objectives:Â
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Analyze Intersections: Understand the demographic overrepresentation and complex service needs of many foster youth receiving special education services.
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Unpack Fiscal Gaps: Navigate the funding overlay between IDEA, local general funds, and foster youth specific resources, highlighting the gaps in dedicated special education funding for system-involved youth.
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Build Strategic Partnerships: Identify practical opportunities for multi-agency collaboration, data sharing, and resource layering across districts, county offices, child welfare, and advocacy groups.
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Speakers:
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Anjanette Pelletier, Director, Management Consulting, School Services of California Inc.
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
Session description coming soon!
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