MIH Partner Lab 2026

Session Schedule

June 1

Preconference

2:00pm: Welcome!

Presented by: Lauren Young-Work, LCSW, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue; Kendra Siler, PhD, CommHIT; and Talia Hunter, PMD, Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Rescue

2:10pm: Florida MIH Mission Statement Development Session

Join fellow Florida based MIH programs in a facilitated workgroup to create a mission statement for use by Florida MIH Programs.

Facilitated by: Joel Rowe, MD, FAEMS, UF Health, Gilchrist Fire Rescue & Lake County Fire Rescue and Riley Krotz, PhD, Florida State University Rockwood School of Marketing

3:10pm: Networking Break

3:20-3:55pm: Partnership Advocacy Through MIH Medical Directors

Learn strategies to utilize the expertise and experience of MIH medical directors when engaging internal and external stakeholders and partners.

Presented by: Jim Augustine, MD, FACEP, Wright State University, Lee County EMS and Collier County EMS and Joel Rowe, MD, FAEMS, UF Health, Gilchrist Fire Rescue & Lake County Fire Rescue

4:00-4:30pm: Your Most Important Partner: Your People

Join an expert in EMS peer support to learn more about how to expand peer support to your MIH Team.

Presented by: Steve Newell, PMD, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue

4:30-4:45pm: Rural Health Transformation Grant Update

Hear the latest from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) on this expansive grant and opportunities for qualified MIH programs in Florida.

Presented by: Daphnie Loriston, DrPH, MPH, Florida AHCA

4:45-5:00pm: Florida Department of Health Standardized Data Collection for MIH:

Learn more about the ongoing Florida Department of Health (FDOH) initiative to standardize MIH data collection within a flexible framework that is fully aligned with established EMS operational and reporting structures.

Presented by: Brenda Clotfelter, FDOH

5:00pm: Closure

June 2

Partner Lab Day 1

Expert Consultation Slots Begin at 2:00pm. Refer to Conference App to Schedule.

1:00-1:10pm: Opening

Presented by: Lauren Young-Work, LCSW Palm Beach County Fire Rescue; Kendra Siler, PhD, CommHIT; and Talia Hunter, PMD, Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Rescue

1:10-1:40pm: Keynote: Bridging Care and Community: The Sustainability Challenge in MIH Presented by: Ken Peach, MobileMedix Plus

1:50-2:30pm: The Pitch: Healthcare Marketing & MIH Programs

Learn how to effectively share your program and partnership concepts to “sell” your program to internal and external stakeholders.

Presented by: Riley Krotz, PhD, Florida State University Rockwood School of Marketing

2:40-3:20pm: Show Me the Money: Budgeting & Financial Planning for MIH

Explore how to approach financial planning for new and expanding programs.

Presented by: Lauren Magierowski, MBA, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue

3:30-4:10:pm: Fair Play: Legal Considerations in Partnerships

Learn the importance of consideration of legal issues as you design agreements and contracts with partners.

Presented by: Chris Kelly, Esq.

4:20-5:00pm: How Much Are We Worth: Developing Price Points for Billing MIH Services

Gain insight into how much MIH programs are charging for services, and considerations for creating your own price points for partners.

Presented by: Regina Godette-Crawford, EMSMC

5:00pm: Closure

June 3

Partner Lab Day 2

Expert Consultation Slots Begin at 9:30am. Refer to Conference App to Schedule.

9:30-10:00am: Pitching Partnerships to Administration: A Chief’s Perspective

Chiefs often are the first “yes” needed in partnerships. Gain valuable insight in to approaching command personnel with new ideas.

Presented by: Division Chief Kevin Gabay, Broward Sheriff’s Office, Department of Fire Rescue

10:00-10:50am: Working with Health Plans: What Matters Most

Hear the perspective of health plans, and why partnering with MIH is a growing trend in managed care.

Presented by: Aaron Malloy, Paralign and Gina Mangus, GuideWell/Florida Blue

11:00-11:50am: After the Transport: Hospital & MIH Collaboration

Hear the perspective of a hospital system, and why expanding EMS partnership to include MIH is a valuable approach.

Presented by: Jodi Plimpton-Werstein, PMD, Lee County Public Safety and Kristy Dutton, Lee Health

12:00-12:50pm: Lunch & Learn: Using the Florida Health Information Exchange (HIE) for MIH

Learn about how Florida’s HIE can help close gaps in care for patients and increase effectiveness of the MIH programs who serve them.

Presented by: Pam King, MBA, CPM, PMP and Kim Davis-Allen, AHCA

1:00-1:30pm: The Sophisticated MIH Workforce: Training, Boundaries, Smart Tech, Safer Care

As MIH matures, CHWs and other health professionals are doing more in‑home care—and the risks rise with it. Blurred boundaries, inconsistent documentation, and fast‑moving tech demand clearer guardrails, better‑connected tools, and stronger preparation. This presentation shows how to stay ahead and protect both the work and the workforce with modern training, tech solutions, and future‑ready assessments.

Presented by: Kendra Siler, PhD, CommHIT

1:30-2:00pm: Partner Looking Glass: Walton County, FL MIH

Join Walton County Fire Rescue MIH to learn more about their new innovative partner model, Care@Home, in partnership with DOH, Walton Community Health Center, and Florida State University College of Medicine.

Presented by: Arianna Deneau, RN, Walton County Fire Rescue

2:00-2:50pm: Hospice & MIH: Partners in Life Quality at End of Life

Hear the perspective of hospice, and why partnering with MIH can help support their mission to ensure patients and families receive the most compassionate end of life care possible.

Presented by: Talia Hunter, PMD, Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Rescue and Julie Corona Dew, RN, Catholic Hospice

3:00-3:30pm: Integrated Public Safety Response: A Collaborative Model for Mental Health and Social Services

The Goshen Fire Department will present its MIH program and the development of a structured, collaborative response model. This session will examine how fire, police, healthcare, and community partners are operationally aligned to address behavioral health crises, substance use disorders, emergency service super-utilization, and barriers to care within the emergency response system. Attendees will gain insight into governance structure, activation pathways, and measurable impact on emergency service demand.

Presented by: Andrew Priem, PMD, Goshen Fire Department

3:30-4:00pm The Value of Regional MIH Partnership: The South Florida MIH Coalition

This coalition leads a panel discussion to share ideas on how you can partner with MIH programs in your region and the benefit of working together.

Presented by: South Florida MIH Coalition Members

4:00-4:30pm: Open Discussion & CommHIT-FTFC December Kick Off

Let’s keep the partnership and growth discussions moving forward at CommHIT26 this December at Kennedy Space Center!

Presented by: Lauren Young-Work, LCSW, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue; Kendra Siler, PhD, CommHIT; and Talia Hunter, PMD, Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Rescue