Video: 1st Annual Family Strengthening Summit: Building Resilience in Our Network
[This event is captured on video. Scroll down and enjoy!]
LA Best Babies Network hosted the first annual Family Strengthening Summit on June 2 at the Taglyan Cultural Complex in Los Angeles. The event brought together over 400 staff members and others affiliated with the Welcome Baby program and its home visiting services. These programs, which are funded by First 5 LA and administered by LA Best Babies Network, serve pregnant women and families with newborns. Services include health and parenting education, plus support with breastfeeding, infant safety, and connections to community resources.
Now offered through 13 hospitals and nearly two dozen community organizations in L.A. County, the Welcome Baby program got its start nearly six years ago at California Hospital Medical Center with partner organization Maternal & Child Health Access. The program is voluntary and available to families at no cost, regardless of income status, if they deliver at one of these participating hospitals.
The June 2 summit celebrated the accomplishments of Welcome Baby and its home visiting services. Attendees heard opening remarks from First 5 LA Executive Director Kim Belshé, California Hospital President Margaret Peterson, and LA Best Babies Network Executive Director Margaret Lynn Yonekura.
The event also featured two keynote speakers: Dr. Jacquelyn Christensen, a trainer with Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic’s Early Intervention Training Institute, spoke on building resilience in children and families (see “Part 2” video below), and Dr. Jaiya John, founder of Soul Water Rising, talked to attendees about the value of their work.
LA Best Babies Network also showed a video (see it here or in “Part 1” below, at 48:33) highlighting the importance and effectiveness of the attendees’ work – and of working together as a team.
“While the work that people do here is all about developing relationships with families, it’s also important to build relationships with their peers so they learn from each other and learn about other programs in different agencies,” said Janice French, Director of Programs at LA Best Babies Network.
Videos of the event
Part 1: Opening remarks and a short video (at 48:33) by LA Best Babies Network:
Part 2: Keynote speaker Dr. Jacquelyn Christensen, on “Maximizing Potential: Building Resilience in Children, Families, and Communities”:
Part 3: An after-lunch energizer, followed by keynote speaker Dr. Jaiya John’s speech: “The Value in Your Work”: