CPP Futures Conference Highlights Collaborative Path to National Impact
On March 21, 2025, more than 60 experts, beneficiaries, supporters, and policymakers convened for CPP Futures, a one-day conference dedicated to exploring the future of the Chicago Parent Program (CPP) and strategies for scaling and sustaining it across local, state, and national levels. The event opened with remarks from CPP lead developer Dr. Debbie Gross, who reflected on the program’s 25-year journey—from a NIH-funded pilot in Chicago to a nationally recognized, evidence-based parenting program serving over 15,000 families. A child psychiatric nurse, Gross underscored CPP’s core philosophy: parents are essential agents of change in their children’s lives. This ethos, she noted, is embedded in CPP’s design, which was developed in close collaboration with families from under-resourced communities and the agencies that serve them to ensure cultural relevance and practical utility. Following Gross, Arnie Richman, President of The Richman Foundation, emphasized the Foundation’s alignment with CPP’s community-informed approach. While the Foundation’s support for early childhood is relatively recent, it has become an important partner in advancing CPP’s reach and impact.
Morning Panel: Building Stronger Communities through CPP
The first panel featured moderator Amie Bettencourt, Clinical Child Psychologist, Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Director of CPP Training; Shannon Burroughs-Campbell, Executive Director of Baltimore City Head Start, Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success; Tina Hike-Hubbard, Chief Communications, Engagement, and Enrollment Officer Baltimore City Public Schools; Linda Murray, Project Coordinator, Rochester Area Parent Program at Children’s Institute; and Adrian J. White, Senior Psychiatric Clinical Social Worker in the Center for Developmental Behavioral Health, Kennedy Krieger Institute. Each shared examples of how CPP strengthens families and promotes health equity across diverse settings—from schools to outpatient mental health clinics. The program’s flexible delivery—offered in-person, hybrid, or online—has increased access and engagement, particularly in underserved communities.
Panelists highlighted how parent engagement drives program success. At the Children’s Institute, involving parent leaders as facilitators and cultural brokers was noted as a key strategy to build trust and boost participation. Linguistic challenges were addressed through real-time AI-powered translation on Zoom, ensuring inclusive communication during CPP virtual sessions. Baltimore City Schools demonstrated their commitment to the Chicago Parent Program by choosing to allocate Title I funds to support its implementation, recognizing its positive impact on parent engagement, while Head Start programs have also embraced CPP as a valuable tool to strengthen family involvement and promote children’s behavioral health. Sustainability also emerged as a major theme, with organizations describing long-term integration strategies. The Kennedy Krieger Institute, for instance, embedded CPP into its outpatient behavioral health services, with very positive.
On March 21, 2025, over 60 experts, beneficiaries, supporters, and policymakers gathered for CPP Futures, a one-day conference focused on envisioning the future of the Chicago Parent Program and identifying strategies to scale and sustain it at local, state, and national levels. In addition to engaging morning and afternoon panels, attendees explored a gallery walk showcasing the many innovative adaptations of CPP.
Afternoon Panel: Sustaining Impact through Policy and Partnership
The afternoon session spotlighted policy and system-level strategies for sustaining CPP. Alex Briscoe, Principal, Public Works Alliance; Moderator Jennifer Oppenheim, Principal, Oppenheim Consulting; Melissa Rock, Director, Birth to Three Project at Maryland Family Network; Leslie Webb, Program Supervisor for the Parents as Teachers Program, InterCultural Children & Family Services; and Carrie Welter, Project Manager, Visiting Senior Research Specialist IL Behavioral Health Workforce Center (BHWC). Panelists shared how partnerships, strategic planning, and community investment support CPP implementation at scale. Leslie Webb discussed how CPP has successfully engaged Black and African-American families through collaborations with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families—helping to reduce out-of-home placements. Carrie Welter emphasized the importance of investing in grassroots organizations while acknowledging ongoing challenges related to funding stability. Alex Briscoe described how changes to California’s Medicaid (Medi-Cal) reimbursement policies, prioritizing prevention and early intervention in children’s mental health, now allow reimbursement for preventive parenting interventions like CPP. Through his leadership at the California Children’s Trust, he helped remove the requirement for a formal mental health diagnosis before accessing services, expanded the role of trained paraprofessionals, and guided school districts in securing large-scale funding for emotional supports. Panelists agreed that long-term sustainability depends on flexible funding models and embedding proven programs like CPP into broader systems of care.
Closing Remarks: Energizing the Future
In closing, Dr. Gross encouraged continued collaboration to build on the event’s momentum. Attendees discussed next steps, including exploring corporate partnerships and expanding CPP’s reach. The day concluded with a shared sense of purpose and renewed commitment to strengthening families and communities nationwide.