2026 On the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium

Too many children who need mental health support can’t get the care they need. Families often face long waits, fragmented systems, and limited access to specialists. The 2026 On the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium will explore new approaches to youth mental health care that could help more children get support when and where they need it.

The event will honor Peter Szatmari, MD, this year’s winner of the Sarah Gund Prize for Research and Mentorship in Child Mental Health. His influential work has shaped our understanding of autism and neurodevelopment. He will be joined by his protégés, Kathy Georgiades, PhD, and Stelios Georgiades, PhD, to explore how we can move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches to care and build a more responsive system that reaches children where they are — and adapts as their individual needs change.

Following the presentations, former California Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Ghaly, MD, MPH, will moderate a roundtable on how to turn these insights into real-world change. Experts from pediatric care, public health, and community-based services will consider where children should first receive help, the role of AI and digital tools in healthcare, and how to expand access without compromising quality.

• Evaluate approaches to youth mental health care that can improve access and outcomes for children from diverse backgrounds
• Assess ways to match children with the right care based on their individual needs, development, and response to treatment
• Identify practical, system, and equity challenges to delivering care across healthcare, schools, communities, and virtual settings
• Examine how AI and digital tools can expand access to youth mental health support while maintaining quality and safety

This virtual event will be recorded and shared with all registrants.

Continuing medical education (CME) credits for psychiatrists and continuing education (CE) credits for psychologists and social workers are available to registered course participants. Participants in this training are eligible to receive 2.5 CE/CME credits.

5:00pm–6:00pm
Presentations

Peter Szatmari, MD (Sarah Gund 2026 Winner)
From Heterogeneity to Better Care
What the differences among children teach us about how care should be designed.

Kathy Georgiades, PhD
From Individual Need to Population Impact
Who needs care, who receives it, who is missed, and what it takes to improve outcomes at scale.

Stelios Georgiades, PhD
Toward More Personalized Care
How developmental differences, particularly in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, can guide more individualized and responsive care.

6:00pm–7:05pm
Leading Experts Roundtable Discussion

Right Care, Right Time, Right Place: How Do We Build a Youth Mental Health System That Actually Reaches Children?

Moderator
Mark Ghaly, MD, MPH

Panelists
Peter Szatmari, MD
Kathy Georgiades, PhD
Stelios Georgiades, PhD

7:05pm–7:20pm
Q&A

7:20 pm–7:30 pm
Closing Remarks

The “On the Shoulders of Giants Scientific Symposium” is the Child Mind Institute’s annual celebration of scientific achievement in child and adolescent psychiatry, psychology, and developmental neuroscience — bringing together world-class researchers, children’s mental health care experts, educators, parents, and young people who are interested in learning about current advancements in these fields. This symposium celebrates the spirit of scientific collaboration and stewardship, highlighting seminal contributions to our understanding of the brain and behavior.