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2020 CHILD-BRIGHT Policy Forum

This webinar is now over but if you missed it, please feel free to watch the recording below:


When: Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Time: 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. EST

CHILD-BRIGHT’s 2020 Policy Forum will take place virtually and will highlight the issues surrounding access to care and/or services (e.g. health care, education, recreation, etc.) that have been exacerbated by COVID-19 as experienced by children with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families. The forum, which will take place on November 18, will feature a multi-stakeholder panel and provide a platform to connect patients and families, service providers, policy makers, and researchers in open dialogue to explore what these gaps are, and possible strategies to improve access moving forward.

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In preparation for the forum and ahead of our time together on November 18, we will engage participants in reflecting on their experiences that highlight various barriers that have impeded access to care and/or services. Please feel free to submit feedback via our survey by November 14. The feedback generated will be anonymously relayed to the assembled panelists in preparation for the Policy Forum.

On November 18, during the 90-minute Policy Forum, the panel will discuss the issues raised and explore possible solutions at the local and national level. Through a moderated Q&A period, audience members will also be able to interact with the panelists to further inform the discussion and explore the role that research evidence plays in supporting the policy decision-making process.

Ultimately, the goal of the Policy Forum is to mobilize knowledge to action to advance solutions to the highlighted challenges.

Panel members:

  • Al Etmanski, Author and Advocate

  • Arlene Reid, Winnipeg School Division Trustee

  • Jeff Butler, Assistant Deputy Minister of Student Support and Field Services, Ontario Ministry of Education

  • Lilian Kitcher, CHEO Parent Navigator

  • Mai Luu Thuy, Pediatrician and Clinician-Scientist, CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center