On July 20 and 21, 2023, 400+ children’s mental health professionals gathered at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa to hear vital presentations from 40 renowned experts about issues challenging today’s area youth (and the professionals that serve them) during Claritycon 2023—the annual children’s mental health conference that Clarity CGC has sponsored since 2013.
Considering that one in every five kids struggle with a behavioral, emotional or mental illness (equating to over 130,000 children in Bexar County alone), it is essential that mental health professionals—nurses, counselors, teachers, psychologists, etc.—get as much training as possible. And that is exactly why San Antonio-based Clarity Child Guidance Center—a leading non-profit hospital providing pediatric mental health treatment and prevention services to more than 8,000 children each year, ages 3-17—has sponsored Claritycon for the past ten years (even during COVID) to provide professional education and CEUs/CNEs to 350+ educators, therapists, nurses, physicians, social workers, childcare workers and community members from the region.
Claritycon was a great success, judging from surveys. On a scale of 1-5, attendees rated their satisfaction:
- 4.5 experience overall
- 4.5 speakers
- 4.3 quality of sessions
- 4.2 amount of sessions
Here are snippets of comments from the attendees surveys:
- “This was my first attendance for ClarityCon and I enjoyed every bit of it. I feel like I was able to connect with many other mental health professionals and learn from the speakers and their topics.”
- “The schedule was full and robust. I loved it.”
- “I would say sessions were all valuable to me because they gave insight into mental health needs….definitely pearls for your data bank.”
- “I gained a better understanding of autistic characteristics and how to address behaviors in school. Advocating for students to learn healthy social skills and improve their ability to work with other students.”
- “This was my second Claritycon – both were incredible. Thank you for all your hard work.”
Admission to Claritycon included:
- 12 hours of professional development (CEUs and CNEs available)
- Continuing education certificates to nurses were available for the first time, administered by the Department of Lifelong Learning (DLL) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Nursing
- CEUs were administered by Texas Psychological Association (TPA)
- Breakfast and lunch keynote presentations
- Four meals plus snacks, including breakfast and lunch keynote addresses
- Conference syllabus
- Exhibitors from agencies offering services/programs including community resources, therapy resources, school/tutoring assistance
- Free admission to Friday’s celebratory luncheon with keynote speaker David Ambroz, Head of External Affairs & Community Engagement at Amazon, who will share his personal story of resilience as he navigated a parent with mental illness, homelessness, and the foster care system. Named by President Barack Obama as an “American Champion of Change” and a leading advocate for child welfare, his recent book, A Place Called Home, depicts his personal account of childhood poverty and homelessness experienced by so many young people who have been systematically overlooked and unprotected. A Porchlight bestseller and Zibby Owens 2022 Book of the Year, it’s at once a gripping personal account of deprivation—how one boy survived it, and ultimately thrived—and a resounding call for readers to move from empathy to action.
Presentations explored the numerous internal and external factors that impact the emotional, psychological and social well-being of young people. Topics included:
- Revisiting Adolescent Sexuality in the Age of Technology
- Activating Student Voice
- Risk Need Responsivity in the Juvenile Justice System
- Recognizing Eating Disorders and Utilizing Effective Treatment Modalities
- In Her Shoes: Living with Domestic Violence
- The Impact of Combat-Related PTSD on Children & Families
- Tier 1 Social, Emotional, and Wellness Support
- Responding with CARE
- School & Community Collaboration to Address Mental Health Needs: Pitfalls and Recommendations
- Utilizing DBT with Adolescents and Their Families in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
- Clarity’s First Step Evaluation Process for Children and Teens
- From Boys to Men: Exposure, Experience & Expectations
- Panel on Health Disparities
- Ditch the Protocol and ACT Flexibly: A Brief Introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Human Trafficking & Exploitation
- Ethics for Healthcare Providers
- Autism & Aggression
- Examining the Intersectionality of LGBTQ+ Mental Health Practice
- In Their Shoes: Teen Dating Violence
- Dismantling Diet Culture and Interventions for Supporting Youth
- “I’m Not Going!”: A Closer Look at School Refusal
- Understanding the Cultural Experiences of Immigrant Youth
- Food & Mood: The Relationship Between Nutrition & Mental Health
- Sports Performance, Healthy Bodies, Increasing Movement, and the Impact on Mental Health
- Worker Well-Being in the Post-Pandemic Era
- A Collection of Experiences: How ACEs and PACEs Shape Our Story
- Integrating Neurobiology & Trauma-Informed Care into Family Therapy
- Play Blast Off: A Launch into Children’s Mental Health & Understanding Family Dynamics
- Health Disparities Among the LGBTQ+ Community
- Human Trafficking: Training for Healthcare Professionals
- Commonly Used Psychotropics on Children & Medication Management
- A Review of Ethical and Legal Standards: Staying Current on Rules Affecting Your License
“In 2023 we celebrated our 10th year of sponsoring Claritycon and I am once again extremely proud to be CEO of an organization that is so dedicated to educating professionals and helping our community’s children,” says Jessica Knudsen, LCSW, FACHE, CEO and President of Clarity Child Guidance Center since February 2019. “Through Claritycon, it is not only our goal to educate, but to foster robust conversations about mental health so children get the services they need.”
Keep an eye out for information about attending for Claritycon2024 by signing up for the Moments of Clarity newsletter.
