8:15-10:15 a.m.: Keynote

• Tai A. Collins, PhD, BCBA-D
  A Social Justice Framework for Intervention

The keynote presentation is available to psychologists, professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists for CE credit. It also meets ACT 48 Continuing Professional Education Requirements as mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and 2 BCBA CEUs per the Behavior Analyst Certification Board requirements. The Temple University Department of Psychological Studies in Education is a BACB Approved Continuing Education provider (ACE Provider Number: OP-22-0333). This session has been designated as providing hours towards the ethics training CEUs required by BCBAs.

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Session 1

• Gail R. Karafin, EdD
  Pediatric Sleep: It's Relevance and Benefits in Education
• Tiffany N. Brown, PhD
  Seeing Clearly from Afar: Farsightedness, Discrimination, and Self-Recognition
• Matt Tincani, PhD, BCBA-D
  Assent and ABA 

All Session 1 presentations are available to psychologists, professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists for CE credit. They also meet ACT 48 Continuing Professional Education Requirements as mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The session presented by Matt Tincani is available for 2 BCBA CEUs per the Behavior Analyst Certification Board requirements. The Temple University Department of Psychological Studies in Education is a BACB Approved Continuing Education provider (ACE Provider Number: OP-22-0333).

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Lunch with Conference Posters and Exhibitors
New for 2026! Lunch will be provided. Attendees are invited to view academic posters from students and early career professionals, and visit exhibitor tables.

1:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.: Session 2

• Brigid Garvin, PhD, BCBA
  Differential Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Considerations for Clinical Decision Making
• Jenn Pollitt, PhD
  What Practitioners Need to Know: Sexuality Education as a Core Component of Behavioral Health
• Prerna Arora, PhD
  Talk title to be announced

All Session 2 presentations are available to psychologists, professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists for CE credit. They also meet ACT 48 Continuing Professional Education Requirements as mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The session presented by Brigid Garvin is available for 2 BCBA CEUs per the Behavior Analyst Certification Board requirements. The Temple University Department of Psychological Studies in Education is a BACB Approved Continuing Education provider (ACE Provider Number: OP-22-0333).

4:00 - 6:00 p.m.: Session 3

• Beth Garrison, PhD
  AI in Behavioral and Mental Health Practice: Innovations and Ethical Considerations

The Session 3 presentations are available to psychologists, professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists for CE credit. It also meets ACT 48 Continuing Professional Education Requirements as mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and 2 BCBA CEUs per the Behavior Analyst Certification Board requirements. The Temple University Department of Psychological Studies in Education is a BACB Approved Continuing Education provider (ACE Provider Number: OP-22-0333). This session has been designated as providing hours towards the ethics training CEUs required by psychologists and BCBAs. 

8:15-10:15 a.m.: Keynote

A Social Justice Framework for Intervention
Tai A. Collins, PhD, BCBA-D (he/him) 
University of Cincinnati

Social justice advocacy is an ethical mandate for many professions in schools and community settings. We will define social justice and discuss how to center social justice in practice. We will also discuss culturally responsive multi-tiered systems of support, cultural adaptations to interventions, and the development and implementation of culturally relevant interventions.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to define social justice and identify how to center social justice in their work.

• Participants will be able to discuss culturally responsive MTSS.

• Participants will be able to identify ways to center social justice in intervention delivery. 

• Participants will be able to describe potential culturally-responsive modifications to interventions to enhance social validity.

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Session 1

Seeing Clearly from Afar: Farsightedness, Discrimination, and Self-Recognition
Tiffany N Brown, PhD (she/her)
Private Practice / Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 

Farsightedness, clinically referred to as hyperopia or hypermetropia, is a visual condition in which distant objects are perceived with clarity while objects that are near appear blurred. This talk adopts the concept of visual farsightedness and applies it to a phenomenon in which one can readily recognize discrimination and bias occurring at a distance—particularly in context which one has limited or no involvement—while being unable to recognize discriminatory attitudes and behavior that occur in close proximity or within themselves. For example, a practitioner may advocate for community resources that support the mental health and well-being of minoritized populations, yet invalidate or minimize the lived experiences of clients of color while providing therapeutic interventions. Just as visual perception is complex and depends on the coordinated functioning of multiple ocular structures, the recognition of discrimination and bias is likewise a complex psychological process. It requires observed information to penetrate psychological defenses, motivations and one’s socialization. As practitioners, we must be aware of our own farsightedness. Professional training often includes education on bias, cultural competence and systemic oppression, helping to equip us with the ability to identify discriminatory practices affecting clients, students and broader institutions. However, such knowledge and awareness does not render practitioners immune to engaging in discriminatory acts themselves, revealing their farsightedness. This talk explores the developmental and psychological origins of farsightedness, including early socialization that positions discrimination primarily as a historical or macro-level phenomenon while minimizing or neglecting discrimination that occurs interpersonally. Additionally, the discussion explores contemporary factors, such as social media and the use of professional discourse, that may exacerbate or reinforce a sense of moral distance from bias and further obscure self-recognition. The presentation concludes by highlighting the significance of understanding farsightedness, as increased insight into this phenomenon enables a more nuanced and critical engagement with discrimination and bias.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to define and describe the concept of farsightedness, as discussed in the context of discrimination and bias.

• Participants will be able to identify developmental and psychological factors that contribute to challenges in recognizing one’s own biased attitudes and behaviors.  

• Participants will be able to analyze the impact of contemporary influences, such as social media and professional discourse, on awareness of discriminatory and bias attitudes and behaviors.  

• Participants will be able to  apply strategies for increased self-awareness to reduce the impact of farsightedness in therapeutic interactions and in professional roles.

Pediatric Sleep: It's Relevance and Benefits in Education
Gail R. Karafin, EdD
Independent Practice, Doylestown, PA / Pennsylvania Psychological Association 

This program addresses the science of sleep and the research about healthy sleep for children and adolescents. It reviews findings about insufficient sleep in relation to physical health, mental health, cognitive processing, educational performance, risky behaviors, suicidal ideation, drug and alcohol usage, accidents and injuries, and demographic factors. It will address the challenges for changing secondary school start times to be biologically more appropriate for the age of the learner. This program will also review the role of school psychologists, mental health providers and school personnel for educating the community and advocating for healthy sleep hygiene, and biologically appropriate school start times.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will review the physiology of sleep.

• Participants will be able to list educational advantages of healthy sleep.  

• Participants will be able to list consequences of short/deprived sleep with respect to physical health, mental health, cognition and behavior.  

• Participants will be able to describe barriers to changing to healthy school start times for adolescents.

• Participants will be able to describe the role of school psychologists, mental health providers and educators for promoting healthy sleep habits and for advocating for appropriate school start times.

Assent and ABA
Matt Tincani, PhD, BCBA-D
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

Assent is an individual’s agreement to participate in educational and clinical interventions. Recent discussion of assent in ABA is undoubtedly a positive development given the importance of assent across clinical and educational contexts. However, some have argued that opportunities for assent should be embedded into all aspects of ABA programming, regardless of whether the client has the capacity to assent, or whether assent is ultimately beneficial for the client and their goals. In this presentation, I will examine assent in ABA programming, addressing issues of capacity, assent versus dissent, autonomy and the best interest standard, voluntariness and coercion, implementation and social validity. I will outline concerns with a newly disseminated approach, “assent-based ABA,” and conclude with practical considerations for assent in ABA programming based in a humanistic, behavior analytic and evidence-based framework.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will define assent and dissent from a behavior analytic perspective and differentiate assent from informed consent.

• Participants will describe the concept of capacity and how it relates to assent and informed consent in the context of clinical and educational programming.

• Participants will define autonomy, voluntariness, and coercion from a behavior analytic perspective and understand how these interact with client/student assent.

• Participants will identify procedures for maximizing assent and choice making toward furthering client/student autonomy and goal attainment.

• Participants will describe key considerations for incorporating assent into ABA and related clinical/educational programming.

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Lunch with Conference Posters and Exhibitors