Early Connections: Integrating Mental Health and Multidisciplinary Care in Craniofacial Diagnosis

Date/Time: Wednesday, January 21st at 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET

Speakers:
Eran Bornstein, MD
Shelley Cohen, MA, CCC-SLP
Brittany Heath, LCSW, ACSW

Description: This webinar highlights holistic multidisciplinary care for patients with craniofacial anomalies and their families, from prenatal through perinatal care. Attendees will learn about advanced prenatal screening, multidisciplinary care planning, and strategies to address the mental health needs of parents facing a cleft diagnosis. Practical tools and interventions for supporting families and optimizing outcomes will be shared.

  • Prenatal Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Counseling of Patients with Fetal Facial Anomalies presented by Eran Bornstein, MD, and Shelley Cohen, MA, CCC-SLP
  • Whole Care Starts Early: Supporting the Mental Health of Mothers Facing Cleft Diagnoses presented by Brittany Heath, LCSW, ACSW

Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this activity, learners will be able to:

  • Identify effective practices utilized to adequately screen and diagnose fetal facial anomalies.
  • Describe the psychosocial impact of a cleft diagnosis on families and the importance of early perinatal mental health screening.
  • Implement practical interventions, including peer support and referral systems, to support families and improve overall patient and caregiver outcomes.

Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this activity, learners will be able to:

  • Self-assess a gain in knowledge related to best practices in the care of patients with craniofacial anomalies, including early detection, holistic multidisciplinary management, and family-centered support.
  • Self-assess that they will improve their performance in their clinical practice based on knowledge gained.
  • Self-assess that they anticipate improved patient outcomes based on changes in their performance.

Teaching Methods: Lecture, Case Studies, Discussion, Q&A

Live attendees must claim credit by February 25, 2026.

 

Intended Learners
All healthcare professionals caring for people with cleft and craniofacial conditions, to include but not limited to:
Physicians
Dental Professionals
Speech Language Pathologists
Audiologists
Nurses (RNs, APNs, LPNs)
Dieticians
Psychologists
Social Workers
Physician Assistants

Accredited Continuing Education
ACPA is accredited by ACCME and ANCC, approved by ASHA, and recognized by ADA CERP, to provide accredited continuing education to physicians, nurses, SLPs, audiologists, and dentists.

Continuing Medical Education

The American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association (ACPA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association designates this live activity for 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

Nursing Continuing Professional Development

The American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association (ACPA) is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This live educational activity is offered for 1.00 Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) contact hour.

American Nurses Credentialing Center

Continuing Dental Education

The American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association (ACPA) is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider.

ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.

The American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association designates this live activity for 1.00 continuing education credit.

Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at CCEPR.ADA.org.

 

Continuing Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Education

The American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association (ACPA) is approved by the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to provide continuing education activities in speech-language pathology and audiology.

ASHA CE Provider Approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures.

 

DISCLOSURES

All financial relationships have been mitigated.

Commercial Support: None

No Financial or Non-financial Relationships Declared.

Speakers:
Shelley Cohen, MA, CCC-SLP
Brittany Heath, LCSW, ACSW

Planning Committee Members:
Joli C. Chou, DMD, MD
Paul Deitrick, MD, DMD, FACS
Emily R. Gallagher, MD, MPH
Catharine B. Garland, MD
Jordan N. Halsey, MD
Elizabeth Huette, RN
Noel Jabbour, MD
Aditi Kanth, MD
Serena Kassam, DMD, MS
Heather Koehn, MD, MMHC
Sue Ann S. Lee, PhD, CCC-SLP
Margaret M. Lico, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC
Leanne Magee, PhD
Judy Marciel, MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, PCNS, CWCN, APN (Nurse Planner)
Dianna Metzler, BS
Caitlyn Reinauer, BS
Stephen “Alex” Rottgers, MD
Jill Schechter, DDS
Sameer Shakir, MD, FACS
Amanda M. Smith, RN, BSN, CPN
Cleo J. Yi, DMD, MDS

Content Expert and Peer Reviewer:
TBD

Financial and/or Non-financial Relationships Declared with Eligible Organizations.

Planning Committee Members:
Katelyn Kotlarek, PhD, CCC-SLP – Principal Investigator for National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; Principal Investigator of American-Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation; Principal Investigator for National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Catherine Mazzola, MD – 80% Owner of New Jersey Pediatric Neuroscience Institute

Linping Zhao, PhD – Stock Option Holder for Immersive Touch

Financial Relationship with Ineligible Company Declared; Relationship Not Topically Related to Presentation. No Non-financial Relationships Declared. All Financial Relationships Have Been Mitigated.

Planning Committee Members:
Sean P. Edwards, MD, DDS, FRCDC – Consultant for Stryker CMF

Christopher Runyan, MD, PhD – Consultant for KLS Martin

 

 

This webinar is supported by EduCleft through the Dawson Family Fund for Cleft and Craniofacial Education, Research and Innovation.