PCBI is an annual, in depth, and interactive educational experience.
The Institute occurs over a period of 9 months, 2 days per month in person. The goal is to increase the administrative and clinical capacity across all systems supporting youth with complex needs and their families and to begin steps towards system change. The PCBI curriculum will accomplish this by promoting and strengthening:
- clinical knowledge and understanding among staff from local, regional, and state government,
- clinical expertise of providers – specific to individuals with both mental/behavioral health and developmental disabilities,
- local, regional, and state understanding of complex needs planning, (organizing/facilitating/philosophy of approach),
- each system’s understanding of other system’s available resources, processes, setting/service types, rules, and funding, and
- networking across systems and regions.
- engaging experiences of children and families utilizing supports
PCBI 4th Annual Webinar from 09-08-2026
The 4th Annual Pediatric Capacity Building Institute webinar held on September 8, 2026.
Curriculum Topics
Topics included below evolve each year as our collective understanding of the issues grows and as feedback from each year’s participants is received.
- Infant Mental Health, Attachment, and Child Development
- Trauma / Vicarious Trauma
- Trauma Informed Supervision
- Change Management
- Cross System Knowledge
- Multisystem Planning
- Education in Non-education Settings / Early Intervention
- Psychiatric Diagnosis
- Communication/Sensory Regulation
- Role of OT, PT, Speech
- Expressive Therapies
- Sexual Trauma in Youth
- LGBTQIA+ Supports and Programming
- Dignity of Risk
- Understanding the Whole Child and Family – Biopsychosocial Approach
- Relational Health and Permanency
Participants
Represent a diverse cross section of individuals from across the state, this includes:
- Families with Lived Experience
- Behavioral Health Managed Care Organizations
- Education Representatives
- Provider Representatives
- Hospital Representatives
- Juvenile Justice Representatives
- County Mental Health Administrators
- County Developmental Disabilities Administrators
- County Children and Youth Administrators
- CASSP/System of Care Representatives
- PA Department of Human Services Office Representatives
Timeline
PCBI is offered annually. A notice, informational webinar, and formal invitation with an interest survey are distributed widely each August and September.
DHS is working with The Columbus Organization to develop and implement this Institute.
