2026 BRIDGING CARE CONFERENCE | Linked Family Svs

Bridging Care Conference 2026

The Linked Family Serices Bridging Care Conference brings together professionals across child welfare, behavioral health, healthcare, education, and community-based organizations to explore how we better support caregivers and families before challenges escalate.

This cross-sector convening centers collaboration, coordination, and prevention—creating space for honest dialogue, shared learning, and stronger connections across systems.

Submit Your Fireside Chat Question

Sponsor the Conference

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Why This Conference Matters

Caregivers often show signs of stress long before a family reaches crisis — but too often, those signs are missed, misunderstood, or addressed in isolation. Families frequently navigate multiple systems at once while trying to meet basic needs, care for their children, manage mental and physical health challenges, and maintain stability. At the same time, professionals across sectors are often working toward the same goals without enough opportunity to collaborate, communicate, or align support efforts in meaningful ways.

The Bridging Care Conference was created to bring professionals together across systems to explore what it looks like to support caregivers earlier, strengthen coordination, and advance child welfare prevention through intentional cross-sector partnership. This conference will create space for honest dialogue, shared learning, and relationship-building among professionals who touch the lives of children and families every day.

Designed for professionals across:

Child welfare
Healthcare
Behavioral health
Maternal and parental health
Education
Community-based organizations
Social work
Doula and birth work
Family support and prevention services

Together, we can strengthen the ways systems respond to families before stress escalates into crisis.

CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE
-WHAT TO EXPECT

Panel Discussion

“When Caregivers First Show Signs of Stress — What Happens Next?”

Fireside
Chat

Conversation with Vonée Hill, Founder & Executive Director of Linked Family Services

Featured Presentation

Topic: Ecosystem Collaboration & Social Work Integration

Networking

Cross-sector connection and relationship-building opportunities

Join Vonée Hill, Founder & CEO of Linked Family Services, and Dr. Romaine Thrower, Founder of Elite Professional Consulting Firm, for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation on what it truly means to support caregivers before crisis occurs.

This interactive fireside chat will explore the realities facing families today, including poverty versus neglect, caregiver stress, parenting capacity, protective factors, and the impact of Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs) on family stability. Together, they will discuss how professionals across systems can move beyond reactive approaches and work collaboratively to strengthen families, build trust, and create pathways to support before families reach a breaking point.

Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions and participate in a live audience discussion as we explore practical strategies, lived experiences, and innovative approaches to child welfare prevention and family well-being.

Whether you work in healthcare, behavioral health, child welfare, education, maternal health, or community services, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about how we engage, support, and partner with caregivers.

Because stronger families don't begin at crisis—they begin with connection, support, and care.

Questions may be submitted anonymously and selected for live discussion during the session.

What would you like to ask?

Your question could help spark a meaningful conversation that benefits professionals, caregivers, and families across our community.

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION

FEATURED PARTICIPANTS

Romaine

Geremi

Tamera

Jabina

Aminah

Porschae

GEREMI JAMES, LSW, MSW has spent more than 18 years supporting individuals and families impacted by poverty, mental health challenges, and complex medical needs. As Vice President of Mission Delivery at Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, she leads efforts to bring hope and meaningful experiences to children facing critical illnesses while continuing her commitment to creating spaces rooted in dignity, wellness, and support for families.

DR. ROMAINE THROWER, Ed.D founder of Elite Professional Consulting Firm and the Elite LeadHER Circle, a growing community dedicated to the advancement and connection of women leaders. A consultant, speaker, and workforce development executive, Dr. Thrower has spent her career building partnerships, developing talent, and creating opportunities that help individuals and communities thrive. Known for her people-centered leadership style and commitment to collaboration over competition, she brings a unique perspective at the intersection of workforce development, leadership, and community impact.

TAMERA COX, LPC, NCC is a behavioral health professional with more than 21 years of experience supporting children, youth, and families. Her work spans child welfare, juvenile justice, private practice, and perinatal mental health, with a strong focus on resilience, healing, and family well-being.

JABINA COLEMAN, LCSW, IBCLC is a licensed clinical social worker, reproductive psychotherapist, and board-certified lactation consultant advancing maternal and infant health equity. Her work focuses on healthcare equity, culturally responsive care, workforce development, and supporting Black and BIPOC families across maternal health systems.

AMINAH HUSAM-YOUNG, MS has spent over 20 years supporting youth and families within the child welfare system. She currently leads Older Youth Support & Engagement Services at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, focusing on youth advocacy, transition-age support, and peer mentorship initiatives.

PORSCHAE M. HOWARD, LMSW, SSW is a school social worker with more than 10 years of experience supporting students and families in mental and behavioral health settings. She works collaboratively with schools, families, and communities to promote safe and supportive learning environments.

AMY FEDERER leads community engagement and crisis support initiatives at NAMI Philadelphia, including the Warmline and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trainings. She brings both professional expertise and lived experience navigating behavioral health systems

NASHEED COLEMAN, MSW is a social worker and certified perinatal doula dedicated to supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Her work focuses on culturally responsive care, advocacy, and early intervention for underserved families.

DR. JANET N. NWAUKONI is a family medicine physician and advocate focused on health equity, community wellness, and rebuilding trust in underserved communities. Dr. Nwaukoni’s work centers on bridging clinical care with community-based healing and system transformation.

Amy

Nasheed

Janet