ONLINE – November 4 – 5, 2026
Registration opens September 8
The NICU Mental Health Conference is available in English only at this time.
Find more resources in Spanish here.
ONLINE – November 4 – 5, 2026
Registration opens September 8
The countdown is on!
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Hand to Hold’s NICU Mental Health Conference is the premier national conference bringing together NICU parents and NICU professionals to engage in learning, discussions of critical mental health topics, and inspiring advocacy to improve the immediate and long-term mental health of all in the NICU: NICU families, NICU babies and NICU professionals.
The Conference program includes 4 key themes:
health equity, burnout and self-care, trauma-informed care, and grief and loss.
2025 NICU Mental Health Conference by the Numbers
550
NICU Professional + Parent Attendees
130+
Hospitals Represented
20
Speakers
1880+
CEUs Claimed
Exploring important and topical mental health themes
HEALTH EQUITY
BURNOUT & SELF CARE
TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE
GRIEF &
LOSS
Keynote Speakers
More speakers coming soon!
Gigi Khonyongwa-Fernandez, BSc, MSc, ACC, TICC
J.S. Park, MDiv
Register Here
Difficulty viewing the registration form? Register directly on Whova and download the Whova app.
Our Mission
Schedule
Wednesday, November 4
10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Welcome and NICU Hero Award Presentation
12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. – Break
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Keynote: What If Compassion Came First? Why being seen matters more than having all the answers
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Operationalizing Trauma-Informed Care through Partnering with Individuals with Lived Experience
2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. – Panel: Beyond the NICU: The Intersection of Unexpected Diagnoses, Long-Term Care, and Mental Health
3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Caring for Others Without Losing Yourself: A Practical Primer for NICU Families and NICU Professionals
Thursday, November 5
10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Welcome and NICU Hero Award Presentation
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – The Many Faces of Grief: Understanding and Supporting Families through Loss
12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. – Break
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. – Sensory Wellbeing Guide: Practical Sensory Strategies for Neonatal Staff
2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Collaborating with Parents for a Healthier Outcome
4 p.m. – 5 p.m. – Panel: More Than A Visitor: A NICU Dad’s Experience
Speakers
Gigi Khonyongwa-Fernandez, BSc, MSc, ACC, TICC
J.S. Park, MDiv
Dr Kaashif A. Ahmad, MD, MSc, FAAP
Jessi Barnes, MSN, RN, RNC-NIC, NPD-BC, C-ELBW
Erika Davis
Krista Gregory, MDiv
Ivette Hawthorne
Lindsay Hardy
Emily Hills, CNT
Kayla Huffman
Adam Ortega
Kristine Page, LCPC, LPC, PMH-C
Cynthia Shogreen, LMHC, LPC, BCBA, MBA
Andrew Vassell
Reena Weaver
2026 Sponsors
CHAMPION + NICU HERO AWARD SPONSOR
ADVOCATE
SUPPORTER
FRIEND
