Inclusive Mental Health Symposium
Transforming Care: Inclusive Mental Health Practices for People with Disabilities
June 18, 2026
9:15am - 5:15pm
Join Nutley Family Service Bureau for our first online symposium on zoom on May 28, 2026, for service providers on treating people with mental health issues and other disabilities. This symposium is the culmination of almost 3 years of work around inclusive healthy communities for persons with disabilities. This project is funded by the New Jersey Division of Disability Services through the Inclusive Healthy Communities initiative.
Printable PDF Symposium Flyer
The symposium is a culmination of a three-year IHC grant driven by a community advisory group made up of persons with disabilities and/or lived experience with disabilities, community partners, a community observational assessment and surveying area service providers. This led to a focus on the significant unmet needs related to accessibility and access to services for person with mental health issues and other disabilities.
Symposium sessions are being led by subject matter experts on topics such as special considerations for mental health clinician treating persons with intellectual development disabilities; blindness and low vison; deaf or hard of hearing; disability awareness and inclusion as well as a presentation from the Division of Disability Services.
Symposium Tickets are FREE
To learn more about scholarship opportunities, please contact Delmi Flores at dflores@nutleyfamily.org for further information and application details.
schedule
Download the Symposium Schedule
Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Philip Smith, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, LPC
Presentation:
Autism and Co-occurring
Anxiety Disorders:
A Hidden Challenge in Problem Behavior
Philip Smith, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, LPC
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Developmental, Rutgers Medical School
Dr. Philip Smith, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development. Dr. Smith’s work at The Boggs Center involves a variety of projects designed to increase the capacity of NJ-based programs to effectively support individuals with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and extremely challenging behavior.
Dr. Smith earned his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the New School for Social Research in New York City, and prior to joining The Boggs Center, he worked extensively in the area of Positive Behavior Support and Autism services. This included the development and delivery of training and technical assistance programs to schools and residential treatment programs across New York State, as well as collaboration with the New York Autism Network (NY State Education Department). He has also developed several Positive Behavior Support training curricula and implemented “Train the Trainer” programs to facilitate the delivery of this training.
Dr. Smith has presented extensively at state-wide, national, and international conferences on Autism and Positive Behavior Supports, and his recent publications include: co-authoring the book, Positive Strategies for Students with Behavior Problems, and a chapter on “Diagnosing and Treating Children and Adolescents with Co-occurring Depressive Disorders,” in the edited volume Mental Wellness for Youth with IDD.
Melissa Cheplic, MPH, NADD-CC, DrPH(c)
Melissa is a Senior Training and Consultation Specialist at The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development at Rutgers Medical School. Melissa designs and delivers training and technical assistance to community providers, state agencies, health professionals, and University students. Melissa holds a master’s degree in public health and is a NADD-certified clinician in dual diagnosis.
Melissa has developed and presented nationally recognized curricula on behavior and mental health, health promotion and access, emergency preparedness, and workforce development. She coauthored the training manual, “Mental Health Approaches to IDD” and is featured in the book, “The Good Stuff: Practical Positive Supports for People with IDD and Mental Illness.”
Melissa lives in Northern New Jersey and is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) candidate at Rutgers University.
Melissa Cheplic, MPH, NADD-CC, DrPH(c)
Presentation:
Creating Accessible
and Inclusive Clinical Settings
Priya Lalvani, Ph.D.
Presentation:
From Advocate to Ally:
Supporting positive identities among children and youth with disabilities
Priya Lalvani, Ph.D.
Dr. Priya Lalvani is a professor of disability studies and the coordinator for the graduate program in Inclusive Education at Montclair State University. She holds a Ph.D. in developmental psychology. Her research is focused on examining the socio-political contexts that frame the lived experiences of disability, and seeks to disrupt ableism in schools and society. Her work is widely published in scholarly journals and international textbooks. She is the co-author of Undoing Ableism: Teaching About Disability in K-12 Classrooms and the editor of Constructing the (M)other: Narratives of Disability, Motherhood, and the Politics of Normal.
Jessica Bacon, Ph.D.
Dr. Jessica Bacon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Montclair State University. Dr. Bacon coordinates programs in inclusive education and is a co-founder of the Increasing Access to College project and Certificate of General Education Studies, both of which offer inclusive higher education opportunities to people with intellectual disability labels at Montclair. Dr. Bacon’s research is informed by disability studies, and she investigates various topics related to inclusive education through a critical and intersectional lens. Dr. Bacon has recently published in journals such as the International Journal of Inclusive Education, Teaching Disability Studies, Critical Education, and Young Exceptional Children.
Jessica Bacon, Ph.D.
Presentation:
The link between inclusive educational opportunities and the development of a positive sense of self for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Elizabeth Hill, Exec. Dir., NJHS DDHH
Presentation:
Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Mental Health
Elizabeth Hill, Executive Director, New Jersey Human Services Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Elizabeth Hill is the Executive Director of Human Services’ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, with 25 years of experience dedicated to expanding access for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, particularly children and families. With a career distinguished by accomplishments in various leadership roles, Ms. Hill’s career is marked by innovative program development, dedicated leadership, and advocacy for policies that enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Ms. Hill pioneered innovative communication and language access grants for New Jersey counties, demonstrating her commitment to increasing inclusivity for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and children. These grants expanded access to sign language and captioning services as well as hearing induction loops, greatly expanding access in the areas where deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals live and work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her leadership was pivotal to increasing access to sign language communications during emergency briefings and other critical announcements. This included providing unprecedented access to sign language at the state’s COVID-19 vaccination mega-sites. The Division’s sign language team experienced significant overall growth, ensuring broader access to public forums and diverse communication needs.
Under Ms. Hill’s leadership, the Hearing Aid Assistance for the Aged and Disabled experienced significant expansion, providing more opportunities for qualified individuals to access hearing aids. This marked the first substantial growth of the program since its establishment in 1987. Her creative approach extended to collaborations with Montclair University to expand access to audiology services across New Jersey through the mobile audiologist initiative.
Ms. Hill’s visionary leadership extended to the implementation of a groundbreaking model state government program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children aged 0-5. The program provides language instruction services to children and their families throughout New Jersey, making a significant impact.
Her professional background includes roles as a school social worker serving children and families at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. She also served as Coordinator of Deaf Services with the Alabama Department of Mental Health, where she was responsible for coordinating mental health services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in 24 counties. She initiated multiple agency partnerships to establish mental health services for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. In her role as Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, she collaborated with the Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs on legislation standardizing infant hearing screenings. Ms. Hill also served as President of the Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf, where she was appointed to key coalitions and committees advancing the interests of deaf and hard-of-hearing Pennsylvanians.
A Pennsylvania native, Ms. Hill holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Government and a Master of Social Work degree from Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.
Samantha Messeck, LSW
Samantha Messeck, LSW, is a graduate of the Rutgers School of Social Work and currently serves as the Coordinator of the Inclusive Healthy Communities Program and School-Based Counseling Programs, as well as an outpatient therapist at Gateway Wellness Center, providing services throughout Cumberland Salem and Gloucester Counties in South Jersey. Her professional experience includes supporting youth, families, and individuals with cognitive, behavioral, and developmental disabilities across educational, community, and mental health settings.
In her current roles, Samantha provides therapeutic services to students with cognitive and behavioral disabilities while coordinating inclusive community initiatives focused on mental health awareness, accessibility, psychoeducation, and community engagement. Her work includes facilitating groups, workshops, events and collaborative discussions that support students, families, school staff, and community members.
As a neurodivergent clinician with lived experience navigating ADHD, Samantha is passionate about promoting inclusive, strengths-based, and trauma-informed approaches to mental health care and community support.
Samantha Messeck, LSW
Presentation:
Masking, Misdiagnosis, and Mental Health: Supporting Neurodivergent Clients Authentically
Symposium Tickets are FREE
Workshops
Dr. Smith will share the importance of looking for signs of anxiety in individuals with ASD, advocating for clinical assessment of these concerns, and looking for ways to adapt daily support planning and behavioral planning in light of the concerns about a potential anxiety disorder. A model for integrating diagnosis and treatment of an anxiety disorder with a Functional Behavior Assessment and Proactive Behavior Support Plan also will be presented.
Autism and Co-occurring Anxiety Disorders: A Hidden Challenge in Problem Behavior
Presented by Philip Smith, PhD, LMHC, LMFT, LPC
From Advocate to Ally: Supporting positive identities among children and youth with disabilities
Presented by Priya Lalvani, Ph.D.
Dr. Lalvani will explore ways to support people with disabilities through an allyship lens. She will consider ways to align work with the missions of the disability justice movement to disrupt ableist practices and create more inclusive communities.
Ms. Cheplic will provide insights into practical ways to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and mental health needs across clinical settings. This session will help clinicians, healthcare providers, disability service staff, and community partners learn how to make environments more accessible, inclusive, and sensory-friendly, and how to use clear, supportive communication to better understand and respond to mental health needs.
Creating Accessible and Inclusive Clinical Settings
Presented by Melissa Cheplic, MPH, NADD-CC
The link between inclusive educational opportunities and the development of a positive sense of self for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Presented by Jessica Bacon, Ph.D.
Ms. Bacon will explore the current state of in/exclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in New Jersey Schools and institutions of higher education. Discuss the literature base regarding the damaging impact of segregation on an individual with IDD’s mental health, identity development, and ability to maintain community-based adult connections.
And provide an exemplary model of how inclusive postsecondary education opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities across the state of New Jersey offer substantial benefits to individuals development and access to mental health care. Share information about how various constituents can adopt an inclusive mindset and develop inclusive structures in their work to advance the inclusion and positive mental health of all New Jersey citizens, including those marginalized by disability.
And provide an exemplary model of how inclusive postsecondary education opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities across the state of New Jersey offer substantial benefits to individuals development and access to mental health care. Share information about how various constituents can adopt an inclusive mindset and develop inclusive structures in their work to advance the inclusion and positive mental health of all New Jersey citizens, including those marginalized by disability.
This presentation will explore key considerations for effectively serving the mental health needs of deaf and hard of hearing communities. Participants will gain insights into how deafness and hearing loss fit within a holistic framework that acknowledges the whole person. The discussion will also cover the diverse communication and linguistic needs of deaf and hard of hearing individuals and how these factors influence mental health service delivery.
Additionally, an overview of the New Jersey Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing’s (DDHH) programs and resources will be provided, highlighting how DDHH supports service providers in delivering accessible and culturally competent care.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing & Mental Health
Presented by Elizabeth Hill
Masking, Misdiagnosis, and Mental Health: Supporting Neurodivergent Clients Authentically
Samantha Messeck, LSW
This presentation explores the intersection of neurodivergence and mental health, with a focus on how masking, stigma, and lack of awareness contribute to missed or delayed diagnoses in autistic and ADHD individuals. Special attention will be given to the experiences of women, high-masking individuals, and those whose symptoms are frequently overlooked or misunderstood within healthcare and educational settings.
Drawing from both professional and lived experience, this session will examine the emotional and psychological impact of growing up undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, including effects on identity, self-esteem, academics, relationships, and long-term functioning. Participants will gain insight into commonly overlooked presentations of ADHD and autism, co-occurring mental health concerns, and the ways neurodivergent individuals often adapt to survive in systems not designed for them.
The presentation will also provide practical strategies for clinicians, educators, caregivers, and support professionals to foster more affirming, accessible, and strengths-based approaches when working with neurodivergent individuals across healthcare and school settings.
Symposium Tickets are FREE
sponsorship opportunities
$2,500 Platinum Sponsor
- 8 virtual tickets
- Logo visibility on the NFSB media and marketing including the event and registration on nutleyfamily.org
- Logo on the zoom events virtual portal
- 6 social media announcements about your company prior to the conference
- Announcements of your sponsorship and company during the conference.
$1,000 Gold Sponsor
- 6 virtual tickets
- Logo visibility on the NFSB media and marketing including the event and registration on nutleyfamily.org
- Logo on the zoom events virtual portal
- 4 social media announcements about your company prior to the conference
- Announcements of your sponsorship and company during the conference.
$500 Silver Sponsor
- 4 virtual tickets
- Logo visibility on the NFSB media and marketing including the event and registration on nutleyfamily.org
- Logo on the zoom events virtual portal
- 2 social media announcements about your company prior to the conference
- Announcements of your sponsorship and company during the conference.
$300 Bronze Sponsor
- 2 virtual tickets
- Logo visibility on the NFSB media and marketing including the event and registration on nutleyfamily.org
- Logo on the zoom events virtual portal
- 1 social media announcements about your company prior to the conference
- Announcements of your sponsorship and company during the conference.