SAVE THE DATE! Please join the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi, in concert with The Phil Hardin Foundation, on February 13, 2025, for our 4th annual Summit, “Heart to Hearts: Conversations on the Changing Landscape of Childhood.” The event will be held at the Thad Cochran Center at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

We are thrilled to announce that our Keynote Speaker for the 2025 Summit will be Michael Rich, MD, MPH. Dr. Rich is recognized globally for his acclaimed work as a pediatrician, child health researcher, and children’s media specialist. He is the author of The Mediatrician's Guide: A Joyful Approach to Raising Healthy, Smart, Kind Kids in a Screen-Saturated World. Furthermore, Dr. Rich is also the Founder & Director of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital, the Co-Director & Co-Founder of the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders (CIMAID), a Pediatrician of Adolescent Medicine at the Boston Children’s Hospital, and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Adolescent Medicine Division at the Harvard Medical School. Through his work, he uses a multidisciplinary approach to work with young people and their families on sustainable approaches to engaging with interactive media and technology. Dr. Rich's expertise will provide a road map for raising healthy children in the digital age.

Additional Summit programming will include:

• The release of the 2025 Mississippi KIDS COUNT Factbook and associated materials
• A presentation from the FrameWorks Institute
• ·Workshop-style breakout sessions:
  • Healing Hearts: How to Talk About the Hard Things
  • United Hearts: Community Resources and Partnerships for Children’s Mental Health
  • Hearts of Resilience: Nurturing Coping Skills in the Next Generation
  • Tender Hearts: Navigating Infant Development and Emotional Health
• Keynote-response panel made up of experts 
• Book signing with Dr. Michael Rich (with opportunity to purchase his book at the event!)

The registration fee is $85. Registration will close on January 30, 2025. 

Students enrolled full-time at a postsecondary institution may register for $35. Student tickets are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students must register with a school email address and/or bring a valid student ID to the event for verification. 

4 Continuing Education Hours (CEUs) will be offered for social workers and .5 for educators!

If you are interested in earning CEUs, please email Cheryl Dexter at Cheryl@childrensfoundationms.org for more information.

Registration will begin at 8 AM on the day of the event, and the program will tentatively start at 9 AM.