Creating Connections: Building an Inclusive Home Visiting Village: The 2023 Family Strengthening Network Summit
“In order to connect with you, I have to connect with something in myself that knows that feeling.”
— Brené Brown
At the Family Strengthening Network’s annual Summit on June 15, 2023, keynote speaker Jesse Bernal spoke about how the work of home visiting is intensely personal and requires us to show up for others, but reminded us that we must also show up for ourselves.
Jesse is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant who gave a presentation on “Responding Rather Than Reacting: A Body-Mind-Emotion Approach for Helping Professionals to Understand Triggers and Stress Responses, and Increase Self-Regulation.” Jesse explained how we can be mindful of situations that are challenging or triggering, and how we can better regulate our response. And the response from the 600+ participants? Spirited plaudits and enthusiastic affirmations that blew up the chat box.
The event, which was funded by First 5 LA and conducted virtually for the fourth year in a row, brought together the 14 Welcome Baby hospital programs, along with the more than two dozen agencies affiliated with Healthy Families America and Parents as Teachers home visiting programs across L.A. County. (See First 5 LA’s article about the Summit here.)
LA Best Babies Network — in partnership with First 5 LA, Work2Live Productions, California Hospital Medical Center, and LA County’s Department of Public Health and Department of Public Social Services — hosted the event.
Always a celebratory affair, the Summit included remarks from leaders in the county, grateful testimonials from client families, and an impressive presentation of data on activity and outcomes over the year. It’s all in the video recordings below.
Staff members also took the opportunity to recognize each other. See the shout-outs they gave to highlight their coworkers’ dedication, hard work, and compassion. Check out the agenda, speaker bios, data presentation slides, and keynote presentation slides. (Want more? See recordings from previous Summits.)