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We are facing an unprecedented crisis of mental illness in today’s children and teens. We desperately need more effective, functional medicine solutions.

Mental health and neurological conditions are reaching alarming levels in children and teens across the globe. The COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified mental health challenges among children and teens, especially when it comes to adolescent depression, anxiety, PTSD, grief and suicidal ideation. Research has found that rates of suicide in 2016 among teenagers were 48% higher than in 2000–a concerning pre-pandemic statistic alone. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of mental health problems in children and adolescents were concerning (Whitney 2019). To make matters worse, prescribing medications to children for mental health conditions is common, yet effectiveness is exceedingly poor. And unfortunately, for many mental health disorders, there are no approved medications for core symptoms.

Watch a groundbreaking 2-day symposium from November 6-7, 2021, featuring renowned clinical experts as they share cutting-edge integrative research and evidence-based treatment protocols. Topics range from treating nutritional deficiencies, to hormonal imbalances, gut flora problems and toxicities, to genetic defects and more.

CME Credit Available

Specific lectures from this conference have been approved for 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. This CME package is available for purchase separately from the full conference. Learn more about certification for these recordings below.
ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of MedicusCME and Comprehensive Psychiatric Resources, Inc.  MedicusCME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

DESIGNATION STATEMENT
MedicusCME designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Read the full accreditation information.

DURATION OF ACTIVITY
June 20, 2022 through June 19, 2024

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Describe the integrative treatment of mental health conditions in adolescents and children

  • Assess and apply integrative treatments for depression, autism, anorexia nervosa, PANDAS/PANS, ADHD and disruptive behavior disorder

HOW TO CLAIM CREDIT
In order to receive AMA PRA Category 1 credit™, participants must do the following:

  • Read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures

  • Participate in the activity, review course content and learning strategies, resources and support materials provided

  • Complete the post-test and activity evaluation

  • Achieve a score of 80% or higher on the post-test

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of MedicusCME and Comprehensive Psychiatric Resources, Inc.  MedicusCME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

DESIGNATION STATEMENT
MedicusCME designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

PLANNER CONTENT EXPERT
James Greenblatt, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Services
Walden Behavioral Care, Waltham, Massachusetts

Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry
Tufts University School of Medicine

Boston, Massachusetts

FACULTY CONTENT EXPERT

Robert Hendren, DO

Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science

James Greenblatt, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Services
Walden Behavioral Care, Waltham, Massachusetts
Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry
Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts

Andrew Farah, MD
Medical Director
Strategic Interventions ACT Team
Central North Carolina
Attending Psychiatrist
Novant Health of North Carolina
Clinical Faculty
High Point University

Nancy Hofreuter O’Hara, MD, MPH, FAAP

DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
MedicusCME requires instructors, planners, managers, and others in control of educational content to disclose all their financial relationships with ineligible companies over the previous 24 months. All identified financial relationships are thoroughly vetted and mitigated according to MedicusCME policy.

James Greenblatt, MD has disclosed a financial relationship with Pure Encapsulations and Jaymac Pharmaceuticals for his role as consultant.

Robert Hendren, DO has disclosed a financial relationship with grants from Curemark, Roche, Ostuka, NIH, GW Research LTD and Axial Biotherapeutics. He is also on the advisory board of Curemark, BioMarin, Janssen, Axial Biotherapeutics and GW Research LTD.

Andrew Farah, MD has disclosed financial relationships with Jaymac Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka, Neurocrine and Alkermes for his role as a consultant.

Nancy Hofreuter O’Hara, MD, MPH, FAAP is on the advisory board of ASPIRE, Designs for Health, TACA, MINDD, Fearless Angel and the Neurological Health Foundation.

All other planners and faculty, including MedicusCME planners and managers, have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. Any relevant financial relationships listed for planners or content contributors have been mitigated according to MedicusCME policies.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This activity is not supported by funds from an ACCME-defined ineligible company.

HIPPA COMPLIANCE ATTESTATION
In accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), this educational activity, especially when utilizing patient cases for learning demonstration, will not include individually identifiable health information.

DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE
This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The planners of this activity do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Purchase the CME Version of this Event Package

Practical & Comprehensive Training for Busy Providers

Trusted Researchers & Clinicians
Evidence-Based Education
Convenient & Accessible

Who Will Benefit from this Symposium?

This symposium is ideal for the following professions:
  • Psychiatrists, Pediatricians & Clinicians
  • Psychologists, Therapists, Counselors, Social Workers, Nurse Practitioners and Nurses
  • Functional & Integrative Medicine Physicians, Physician Assistants

Presentation recordings only $249!

Purchase Recordings NowPurchase the CME Version

Registration includes:

  • Presentation material (PDFs/downloadable slides)
  • 6 event presentations (with attendee Q&A for speakers post-presentation*)
  • Private event dashboard providing bonus material and special sponsor offers
  • All presentation recordings (post-symposium)**

*Live event Q&A only. **Presentation recordings will be available approx. one month post-event. All recordings are included in registration and will be available to registrants post-event. For non-registrants, recordings will be available for purchase at an increased rate.

For questions about the symposium, contact Heather Getz at events@psychiatryredefined.org.

Meet the Presenters

Andrew Farah MD

Andrew Farah, MD

Click to Read Bio

Dr. Andrew Farah is a a graduate of Clemson University who earned his MD at the Medical University of South Carolina, and then completed his residency in psychiatry at Wake Forest University. Dr. Farah was named “Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association” in 2015 for his teaching, research, and his original contributions to the field. He is widely regarded as an expert on post-concussion syndrome, the prevention of dementia, and the “homocysteine theory of depression”. His research focuses on neuro-protection and preventative neuropsychiatry. He has consulted on various forensic cases and legal matters over the past 19 years. He now serves as the Chief of Psychiatry at the High Point Division of the University of North Carolina Healthcare System. He is the author of Hemingway’s Brain, has published widely in his field, and served as editor for two psychiatric journals.

James Greenblatt MD

James Greenblatt, MD

Click to Read Bio

A pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, James M. Greenblatt, MD, has treated patients since 1988. After receiving his medical degree and completing his psychiatry residency at George Washington University, Dr. Greenblatt completed a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Medical School. He has served as the Chief Medical Officer at Walden Behavioral Care in Waltham, MA for nearly 20 years, and is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine and Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine. Dr. Greenblatt has lectured internationally on the scientific evidence for nutritional interventions in psychiatry and mental illness. He is also the founder of Psychiatry Redefined, and author of eight books, including Finally Focused: The Breakthrough Natural Treatment Plan for ADHD, and Nutritional Lithium: A Cinderella Story.

Robert Hendren Do

Robert Hendren, DO

Click to Read Bio

Dr. Robert L. Hendren is a psychiatrist who specializes in caring for patients with autism, as well as in diagnosing and treating neurodevelopmental disorders, including pervasive developmental, bipolar, schizophrenia spectrum and impulse control disorders. In his research, Hendren studies the use of pharmacological and nutritional therapies in treating autism. He also examines the biological effects of alternative treatments for autism, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hendren earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree at the A.T. Still University. He completed a residency in general psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education and a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center. Before joining UCSF, Hendren was on the faculty of the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and University of California, Davis School of Medicine. A past president of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, he has published more than 150 scientific papers and five books. He serves as Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry.

Nancy O'Hara MD

Nancy H. O’Hara, MD, MPH, FAAP

Click to Read Bio

Dr. Nancy O’Hara is a board certified pediatrician. Prior to her medical career, Dr. O’Hara taught children with autism. She graduated with highest honors from Bryn Mawr College and as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh. After residency, chief residency and general pediatric fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. O’ Hara entered general private practice in 1993, and in 1998 began her consultative, integrative practice solely for children with special needs. Since 1999 she has dedicated her functional medicine practice to the integrative and holistic care of children with chronic illness and neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, PANDAS/PANS, OCD, Lyme and ASD. She is also a leader in the training of clinicians, both in the United States and abroad.

Amelia Villagomez MD

Amelia Villagomez, MD

Click to Read Bio

Dr. Villagomez attended medical school at Texas A&M, completing her training in General Psychiatry at Yale, and did a fellowship in Child/Adolescent Psychiatry at Harvard. After completing her fellowship, she served as the Medical Director of the outpatient child/adolescent psychiatry clinic at the University of Arizona. She then practiced child/adolescent psychiatry in Canada and worked in various settings (inpatient, outpatient, and ER). Currently, Dr. Villagomez has a private practice (findmindful.com) and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona where she trains residents, fellows, and faculty in Integrative Psychiatry. Dr. Villagomez has always been interested in searching for tools to help people heal more holistically. To this end, she completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, is certified in Mind-Body techniques, and trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy, a rapid trauma therapy based on the science of memory reconsolidation.

Get All Event Presentations Now

Symposium Lectures

Welcome & Introduction – James Greenblatt, MD
Research Update: Biomedical and Epigenetic Interventions for the Assessment and Treatment of Autism – Robert Hendren, DO
Anorexia Nervosa: The Most Lethal, Yet Misunderstood, Disorder in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry – James Greenblatt, MD
The Emerging Role of B Vitamin & Micronutrient Coenzymes in Pediatric Depression and ADD – Andrew Farah, MD
PANDAS/PANS: Transforming a Devastating Chronic Illness into a Treatable Disorder – Nancy Hofreuter O’Hara, MD, MPH, FAAP
Finally Focused: A Functional Medicine Approach to ADHD – James Greenblatt, MD
Broad Spectrum Micronutrients: Evidence & Applications for ADHD – Amelia Villagomez, MD
A Functional Medicine Perspective on Disruptive Behavior Disorder in Children and Adolescents – James Greenblatt, MD

Why Now?

We are facing a growing youth mental health crisis. And since the pandemic, rates of mental health disorders appear to have worsened.

In Teens

A survey in the United States evaluated mental health in adults and teens during the pandemic, revealing that in teenagers 55% had depression, 48% anxiety, 45% post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 58% prolonged grief, and 37% suicidal ideation (Murata 2020). And the problem appears to be global. Studies out of China have shown rates of depression and anxiety in adolescents reaching as high as 43.7% and 37.4% respectively (Zhou 2020).

Currently, suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescents after accidents (CDC 2020), and the data indicates the rates of suicide are increasing among teenagers. The rate of suicide in the United States for both boys and girls has increased up through 2016 with rates 48% higher than they were in 2000 (Miron 2019)–a concerning statistic even before the pandemic.

The time to act is now, as rates of mental illness have been found to be higher as adolescents approach adulthood (Racine 2020).

In Children

Teenagers aren’t the only demographic facing unprecedented mental health challenges. In children, autism has increased to 1 in 54 (Maenner 2020), and rates of developmental disability in children overall are 1 in 6, or 17% (Zablotsky 2019). Along those same lines, eating disorder rates have more than doubled worldwide, from 3.5% during 2000-2006, increasing to 7.8% from 2013-2018 (Galmiche 2019).

While prescribing medications to children for mental health conditions is common, effectiveness is exceedingly poor and in need of transformation. As of 2008, doctors prescribed antidepressant medication to about ⅓ of children struggling with depression in the United states (Murphy 2014). Yet a recent meta-analysis came to the conclusion that of 16 different standard antidepressants, only fluoxetine had any efficacy for treating depression in children (Zhou 2020). More serious still, for many mental health disorders, such as autism and anorexia, there aren’t any approved medications for core symptoms.

Discover solutions to transform mental health care for today’s youth population.

All presentation recordings only $249!

Puchase Now!Purchase the CME Version

References

Whitney DG, Peterson MD. US National and State-Level Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders and Disparities of Mental Health Care Use in Children. JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(4):389-391. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.5399

Ghandour RM, Sherman LJ, Vladutiu CJ, et al. Prevalence and Treatment of Depression, Anxiety, and Conduct Problems in US Children. J Pediatr. 2019;206:256-267.e3. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.09.021

Murata S, Rezeppa T, Thoma B, et al. The psychiatric sequelae of the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents, adults, and health care workers. Depress Anxiety. 2021;38(2):233-246. doi:10.1002/da.23120

Zhou SJ, Zhang LG, Wang LL, et al. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychological health problems in Chinese adolescents during the outbreak of COVID-19. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020;29(6):749-758. doi:10.1007/s00787-020-01541-4

Racine N, Cooke JE, Eirich R, Korczak DJ, McArthur B, Madigan S. Child and adolescent mental illness during COVID-19: A rapid review. Psychiatry Res. 2020;292:113307. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113307

Miron O, Yu KH, Wilf-Miron R, Kohane IS. Suicide Rates Among Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States, 2000-2017. JAMA. 2019;321(23):2362-2364. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.5054

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2019 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released in 2020. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2019, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html on May 11, 2021.

Maenner MJ, Shaw KA, Baio J, et al. Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016 [published correction appears in MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020 Apr 24;69(16):503]. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2020;69(4):1-12. Published 2020 Mar 27. doi:10.15585/mmwr.ss6904a1

Zablotsky B, Black LI, Maenner MJ, Schieve LA, Danielson ML, Bitsko RH, Blumberg SJ, Kogan MD, Boyle CA. Prevalence and Trends of Developmental Disabilities among Children in the US: 2009–2017. Pediatrics. 2019; 144(4):e20190811

Galmiche M, Déchelotte P, Lambert G, Tavolacci MP. Prevalence of eating disorders over the 2000-2018 period: a systematic literature review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;109(5):1402-1413. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy342

Murphy JM, McCarthy AE, Baer L, Zima BT, Jellinek MS. Alternative national guidelines for treating attention and depression problems in children: comparison of treatment approaches and prescribing rates in the United Kingdom and United States. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2014;22(3):179-192. doi:10.1097/HRP.0000000000000026

Zhou X, Teng T, Zhang Y, et al. Comparative efficacy and acceptability of antidepressants, psychotherapies, and their combination for acute treatment of children and adolescents with depressive disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(7):581-601. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30137-1