March 2022
International Networking Group on Peace Building with Young Children. Coordinated US Congressional support for children and teens in Lebanon.
February 2022 – present
Resilience through Relationships. Support to Mental Health efforts on behalf of survivors of the Russian - Ukrainian conflict.
International Networking Group on Peace Building with Young Children. Joint Statement on Ukraine.
State Visit, Ofir Libstein, Mayor of Sha’ar HaNegev, Israel, with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. Coordinated meeting of mayors with shared interests in supporting to neighboring populations across international borders. December, 2022.
Statement in Support of International Children’s Day (English/ Arabic). An Najah National University. Nov 30, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/ pci000
November 2021
Testimony Related to Middle East Peace Building, Global Affairs, California State Democratic Party Platform Committee.
October,2021
Panel Mediator “Reclaiming Our Narrative” - San Diego Democratic Party Central Committee.
2021 Legislative Cycle
California State Legislative Advocacy 2021 Legislative Cycle: SB562 Advocacy for Families Impacted by Autism and Related Disorders. Continuiing efforts to create, lobby, and pass legislation promoting provider use of evidence based practices, assessing current research, use of clinical judgement, providing all families at all income levels with range of options fro treatment so that they can make more truly informed consent decisions based on their own culture and values. Constructed and ran online letter writing campaigns to the legislature and the Governor.
Meetings with the Department of Managed Health Care and Department of Developmental Services November, 2021 and February 2022. Letter to the Editor, Los Angeles Times, March, 2022.
May 2021
Statement from the International Network on Peacebuilding with Young Children on the current Israel-Palestinian Conflict. released and distributed to US and UN officials about 12 hours prior to ceasefire.
August 2020
Aetna Evidence Based Care Appeal Process. Proposed the rationale for arguing Developmental approaches to autism are now arguably among the best verified for effect size.
April 2020
Early Childhood Peace Consortium consultation for policy development on criteria for reopening of early childhood care centers during the COVID19 pandemic.
January 2020 – present
DIR/Floortime Coalition of California/ ICDL Advocacy Committee. California State Budget recommendations regarding access to care for evidence-based practices for children with autism and related developmental challenges.
November 2019- March 2020
United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child- 30th Anniversary attendee with the Early Childhood Peace Consortium, November 2019, and briefing staff for The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, briefing December 2019, March 2020 exploring possible paths to US ratification of the Convention.
2018, 2019
San Diego Early Childhood Mental Health Leaders Collaborative political action development for We Can’t Wait annual conference.
August 2019
Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) Community Emergency Response Team (CERT ) advocacy to remove requirement of Critical Incident Stress Debreifing (CISD) based on updated research on lack of efficacy and possible harm. Advocacy including initiation of Congressional Inquiry.
California State Legislative Advocacy 2019 Legislative Cycle: Advocacy for Families Impacted by Autism and Related Disorders. SB163 legislation promoting provider use of evidence based practices, assessing current research, use of clinical judgement, providing families with a range of options for treatment so that they can make more truly informed consent decisions based on their own culture and values. Sub-committee work: fundraising.
Appointed December, 2018
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Resource Group on Children at the Border.
California Association of Infant Mental Health, Policy Committee: developed policy statement on Child Separation of Youth at the Border, As well as work on statements covering physical contact of caregivers with young children, and breastfeeding.
June 2018 – present
Chair, Child Separation Work Group. California Association for Infant Mental Health.
We must start early to prevent shootings San Diego Union Tribune March 19, 2018, letter to the editor on mass shootings.
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/sd-guns-mental-health-utak-20180319-htmlstory.html
Spring 2018 – present
Chair, Policy and Messaging Work Group. San Diego Early Childhood Mental Health Leaders Collaborative.
California State Legislative Advocacy 2018 Legislative Cycle: Advocacy for Families Impacted by Autism and Related Disorders. Continuing efforts to create, lobby, and pass SB399 legislation promoting provider use of evidence-based practices, assessing current research, use of clinical judgment, providing families with a range of options for treatment so that they can make more truly informed consent decisions based on their own culture and values. Successful facilitation of transition of the DIR/FLoortime Coalition of California to become a standing Advocacy Committee of the national and international Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning. Sub-committee work: fundraising.
2017 - present
Editor in Chief of the Carlat Child Psychiatry Report
2017 - present
Founding Member and Chair, policy committee (2017-2019), Equity and Diversity committee (2021). California Association of Infant Mental Health
September, 2017
Early Childhood Peace Consortium, United Nations High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace. New York, New York. Focus on peacebuilding through early childhood as part of United Nations Sustained Development Goals 4 and 16.
June, 2017
Early Years the Organisation for Young Children, International Advisory Group Meeting, Newry, Northern Ireland. Senior Advisor.
March 2017
Asia Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC), Peacebuilding Consortium meeting. Ankgor Wat, Cambodia.
2017
California State Legislative Advocacy 2017 Legislative Cycle: Advocacy for Families Impacted by Autism and Related Disorders. Continuing efforts to create, lobby, and pass legislation promoting provider use of evidence-based practices, assessing current research, use of clinical judgment, providing families with a range of options for treatment so that they can make more truly informed consent decisions based on their own culture and values. Successful completion of a major fundraising campaign.
November 2016
California Department of Developmental Services. Meetings including with Director of Developmental Services and staff related to advocacy for evidence-based practice, informed consent, and access to care. Sacramento, California.
October 2016
Autism Is Teaching Tolerance of Difference in Schools. Media Presentations and Discussions at the University of Southern California, and KIDA Educational Foundation, Irvine, California.
September 2016
Mission to Subotica Serbia. Support to the multicultural community impacted by armed conflict, refugee issues, and ongoing ethnic strife, with special attention to families affected by developmental challenges.
September 2016
International Committee for the Red Cross, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Meetings related to developing support for lay community leaders in the midst of continuing regional conflict.
2016
California State Legislative Advocacy 2016 Legislative Cycle: Advocacy for Families Impacted by Autism and Related Disorders. Successfully wrote, lobbied and passed AB 796 to extend benefits beyond the sunset provision of SB 946 requiring insurance coverage for these conditions, no matter the fate of the national Affordable Care Act and promoting provider use of evidence based practices, assessing current research, use of clinical judgement, providing families with a range of options for treatment so that they can make more truly informed consent decisions based on their own culture and values. Opposing AB 1715 due to concerns of limiting access to quality care and to informed consent in evidence based practice.
2014 - 2016
Advisory Board, Pacific Heights Academy, Carlsbad, CA.
November 2015 – present
Early Years International Network for Peace Building with Young Children: Media Initiative for Children, Toddler Module: Development of training for caregivers to support self-regulation and resilience in toddlers and families in regions impacted by armed conflict.
June 2015
Early Years International Network for Peace Building with Young Children Mission to Israel. Dinerman, D., Feder, J., Ziv, M. Planned and conducted international mission encompassing northern middle and southern parts of Israel, including Nazereth, S’Derot, the Triangle Region, and Jerusalem and Gush Etzion, visiting programs and sites relevant to a range of narratives and responses to the challenge of peace building. Israel.
September 2014 – Present
Early Years International Network for Peace Building with Young Children: Balkans Initiative: Organized and began pay-it forward process of training groups in Kosovo and Serbia in developmental and reflective practice approaches to support young children and families; arranged support for the government of Kosovo in partnership with San Diego State University for development of their preschool curriculum.
2010 – 2014
Co-Chair South Counties Autism Regional Taskforce of the California State Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders.
November 2014
The Need for Advocacy for Parent Choice in Evidence Based Practice. Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders International Conference. Boston, MA.
September 2014
Early Years International Network for Peace Building Volunteer Balkan Regional Mission. 5-day survey of institutions and resources in Serbia, Macedonia, and Kosovo focused on support for young children and children with Autism Spectrum and related challenges in post-conflict zones.
November 2013
Building a Framework for a Middle East Peace Building Initiative, International Network for Peace Building. Asian Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) conference. Singapore.
2009 – 2013
Co-Chair/ Secretary, DIR/Floortime Coalition of California, Spring 2010 to Fall 2013 – specific activities including lobbying and testifying in Sacramento, partnering with other intervention programs and models and supporting clinicians and families in advocacy efforts.
June – September, 2013
DIR/Floortime Coalition of California legislative campaign initiatives on legislation supporting client and family choice in evidence based practice and respect for diversity and culture.
July, 2013
Early Years International Network for Peace Building Volunteer Middle East Mission. 10 day survey of institutions and resources in the Palestinian Authority and Israel, meeting in Nablus, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Haifa, S’derot, Kiryat Shemona, and focused on support for young children in conflict zones.
February, 2013
The Power of Early Childhood Development Services in Conflict and Post-Conflict Environments. Subgroup meetings on joint efforts between middle-eastern countries to develop realistic, sustainable, ecologically appropriate training, support and reflective institutions to address early child development in the context of chronic and recurrent crisis. Belfast.
Spring 2013
California State Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders Work Group on Diversity. Fall 2012. Resulting in “A Report by the Taskforce on Equity and Diversity for Regional Center Autism Services”.
November 18, 2012
ICDL Annual Conference Advocacy Fundraiser, Montclaire, NJ.
September, 2007; January, 2012
Medication for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Rady Childrens Hospital Autism Resource Guide. San Diego, CA.
January, 2012
DIR/Floortime. Rady Childrens Hospital Autism Resource Guide. San Diego, CA September, 2007.
September, 2011
Legislative effort: CA SB946 California Autism Insurance Legislation. Participation in writing and promoting legislation to provide insurance coverage for Evidence Based Practices for persons of all ages with Autism and related disorders in the State of California. Bill signed into law.
July 13, 2011
California Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders: Hearing on Autism and Insurance. Testified on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Treatment for those conditions, Evidence Based Practice, and the importance of compliance with existing Parity legislation. California State Capitol, Sacramento, CA.
May 2010
Chair, Ethics Committee, San Diego Psychiatric Society; member 2000-January 2011;Investigated and clarified legal and ethical environment for the adjudication of ethics complaints, resulting in action to protect the rights of members and the liability of the Society in the context of federal and state law.
2009 – 2010
WIG Task Force on Lifespan Considerations
State of California Department of Developmental Services
San Diego Regional Center for Developmental Disorders.
2009 – 2010
State of California Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders (SCART) Subcommittee Co-Chair on Early Identification and Intervention Southern California Region (San Diego and Imperial Counties)
June 9, 2010
Developed Lobbying Guidelines and Training for Sacramento Rally and Legislative Meetings for the DIR/Floortime Coalition of California with legislative advocate Jim Lantry, Chair Diane Cullinane, MD, actor Ron Ostrow, and parents and clinicians. Met with 26 legislative offices, with health advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger, and with the head of the California Department of Developmental Services promoting Parent Choice and Informed Consent and Responsible Funding of Autism Treatment and Intervention..
Winter through Spring 2010
Expert Witness, East Los Angeles Regional Center Class Action Suit. Determined that DIR/Floortime is clinically proven intervention, requiring the ELARC to offer this option and providing judicial oversight, covering approximately 2000 families.
March, 2010
Life Journey Through Autism: A Guide for Military Families. Organization for Autism Research. Served as consultant for portions on developmental approaches to autism intervention and evidence based practice.
February 9, 2010
Sacramento Advocacy meetings with legislative advocate Jim Lantry and Devin Casenheiser Ph.D., for the DIR/Floortime Coalition of California with Health Advisor to California Senate President re Evidence Based Practice, Parent Choice, and Responsible Funding for Autism Treatment.
