Speaker Talks and Expert Panels

In this session, Dr. Michele Bechor will show how behavioral science principles can help parents navigate common challenges like anxiety, oppositional behavior, and major life transitions. She’ll share practical strategies—drawing on reinforcement, natural consequences, and clear limit-setting—that support children’s independence, resilience, and emotional growth. Parents will leave with actionable tools to guide behavior, foster confidence, and create a safe, accountable family environment.

In this session, Daniel Barrasso, MSW, explores the transition young people face after leaving residential treatment. He presents practical strategies across four pillars—peer support, therapy, hobbies, and life skills—to foster long-term recovery and resilience. Drawing on 20+ years of experience, Barrasso highlights how structure, connection, and purpose help young people build meaningful, productive lives.

Addiction is one of the most urgent and misunderstood public health crises in America, and families are navigating it largely alone. In this talk, Shannon Greene, Vice President of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising, and Lauren Petriello, Director of Fundraising Programs at Shatterproof, will share what their organization is doing to change that—and how you can be part of the movement.

R Partner in Care returns to OPLM to help families better navigate health insurance for mental health treatment. This session covers how plan selection and current benefit trends impact access to care, ways to manage costs using HSAs and FSAs, and what to expect with prior authorizations. Families will also learn practical strategies for handling claim denials, negotiating costs, and navigating the appeals process to make their insurance work more effectively.

In this session, Ann Coleman explores how parenting must evolve as children move into adolescence. She’ll discuss common challenges families face during this stage and why traditional approaches often stop working. Parents will gain insight into supporting independence while maintaining connection, communication, and healthy boundaries during the teen years.