TUFH2026

Abstract Submission

       IDD/Autism/Integrated

  Behavioral Health Summit

 

Transforming Care. Empowering Lives. Inspiring Change.

The Woods System of Care, a leading network of healthcare organizations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, USA, dedicated to providing lifelong care and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, and behavioral health challenges, has joined forces with The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH)—an official non-state actor of the WHO—and the Mollie Woods Hare Global Center of Excellence. Together, they are proud to present the IDD, Autism, and Integrated Behavioral Health Summit 2026.

This Summit is a global gathering aimed at advancing innovative, integrated care and improving outcomes for neurodivergent individuals worldwide. It will bring together thought leaders, healthcare professionals, policymakers, families, and advocates to share knowledge, explore bold, forward-thinking approaches, and collaborate on strategies that transform the landscape of care for individuals with IDD, autism, and behavioral health challenges.

✅ What You’ll Gain at the Summit:

      • Global insights from leading experts in IDD, autism, and behavioral health.

      • Practical strategies to improve outcomes and enhance the quality of life for neurodivergent individuals.

      • Connections with a worldwide network of innovators, caregivers, policymakers, and thought leaders.

      • Opportunities to influence policy and advance inclusive, lifelong care.

      • Exposure to innovative, family-first care models that put the individual at the center.

      • Collaborative knowledge-sharing to exchange solutions, best practices, and new ideas.

      • Inspiration and tools to drive meaningful change locally, nationally, and globally.

Be inspired. Be the change. Transform healthcare for neurodivergent individuals globally.

Date and Time

Thursday, August 6, 2026

  • 08:00 AM -09:00 AM     Keynote Address TUFH 2026
  • 09:00 AM -09:30 AM     Wellness Break
  • 09:30 AM – 10:00 AM     Keynote Address by Mark Williams, BSN, RN-BC, Board Chair, Woods System of Care
  • 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Keynote Address by Frances Hughes, RN, BA, MA, DNurs, CNZM, Registered Nurse and General Manager of Oceania Healthcare Nursing and Clinical.
  • 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM     ECHO Session
  • 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM     Lunch
  • 12:30 PM – 01:30 PM    Panel Discussion on Early Intervention and Integrated Care: Improving
    Outcomes for Individuals with IDD, Autism, and Behavioral Health Needs
  • 01:30 PM – 02:30 PM     Keynote Address TUFH 2026
  • 02:30 PM – 03:00 PM     Wellness Break
  • 03:00 PM – 05:00 PM     Panel & Round Top Coping with Mental Health through Global Disasters
  • 05:00 PM – 07:00 PM      Cultural Dinner

Register and Submit

Register

Register For TUFH2026

 

 

To attend the Summit, please register for the TUFH 2026 Conference.

 

Program

  Keynote Address

Mark T. Williams, BSN, RN-BC,  Woods System of Care Board Chair

Mark T. Williams has more than 40 years of psychiatric nursing experience in various roles and settings. He serves as Board Chair of Wood’s System of Care and Vice Chair of the RL Medical Center at Woods. Mark has been a staunch anti-stigma crusader and advocate for mental health parity since he began his career in nursing as an LPN within the State of New Jersey Psychiatric system.. Mark was featured in a Gannett News Documentary: Ending the Stigma, Mental Health in the Black Community. He is the President of NAMI NJ, serving on NAMI New Jersey’s AACT-NOW advisory Board, an African-American community outreach initiative. Additionally, Mark is certified in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. He is also certified as a Juvenile Sex Offender Training and Consultation Specialist. He is an Honored Fellow of the Minority Nurse Leadership Institute, Rutgers School of Nursing and has trained at the Multicultural Leadership Academy sponsored by the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.

Transforming Care. Empowering Lives. Inspiring Change. “BAYANIHAN”

At the IDD/Autism/Integrated Behavioral Health Summit during the TUFH 2026 Conference, this powerful keynote introduces Bayanihan—the Filipino principle of communal unity, shared responsibility, and collective action—as a transformative foundation for the future of integrated care.
This address reframes transformation not as the work of individuals or institutions alone, but as a collective lift—where dignity, belonging, and access to lifelong, integrated care become a shared global responsibility, including the urgent work of combating the stigma experienced across cultures around needing and asking for behavioral health care.
The keynote challenges traditional models of care with a new paradigm: empowered lives. Bayanihan is not about dependence—it is about cultivating independence, agency, and possibility through collaboration, trust, and systems that truly serve people across the lifespan.
Looking forward, the keynote explores a new frontier of systemic, cultural, and global change, calling on participants to co-create a future where integrated care is no longer innovative—it is standard.
The journey culminates in a bold call to action: The Manila Pact – TUFH 2026, a shared commitment to:
Listen with the intent to understand
Share with generosity of spirit
Collaborate for the common good
Envision a world where integrated, lifelong care is a universal standard

Project ECHO


Project ECHO®

Epilepsy & Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) is a globally recognized, case-based learning model that expands healthcare expertise and strengthens workforce capacity through guided practice. This one-hour interactive session, supported by the American Academy of Developmental Medicine & Dentistry (AADMD) and the Philippine League Against Epilepsy (PLAE), will demonstrate the Project ECHO approach using a real-world case focused on epilepsy care in individuals with IDD. Through a hybrid, multidisciplinary discussion, participants will explore culturally responsive, community-engaged strategies to improve diagnosis, treatment, and long-term support. One hour of Category 1 CME credit will be provided. This session also marks the launch of the Philippines Project ECHO hub, fostering sustained collaboration beyond the conference.

  Panel Discussion


Early Intervention and Integrated Care: Improving Outcomes for Individuals with IDD, Autism, and Behavioral Health Needs

Join the Summit for a dynamic panel discussion on advancing awareness, early detection, and integrated care for IDD, autism, and behavioral health. Leading experts from around the world will share innovative strategies, practical tools, and best practices to ensure timely support for neurodivergent individuals. This session highlights cutting-edge approaches, cross-system collaboration, and family-centered solutions designed to transform care and improve outcomes globally. 

This inspiring session will be guided by Tine Hansen-Turton, MGA, JD, FCPP, FAAN, President & CEO of the Woods System of Care, a renowned leader in healthcare innovation.

Public Consent

If you have an accepted abstract, you acknowledge and agree that The Network: TUFH, UP Manila, the organizing committee of this conference, and sponsors of this conference may edit and publish in any of their digital or printed communications or publications, including but not limited to, websites, social media outlets, newsletters, annual reports, and promotional materials;  the information provided including but not limited to the full abstract, your name, co-author information, pictures, and institutions.

Suggested Conference on the Move

Wednesday August 5, 2026

Quezon City Kabahagi Center For Children With Disabilities

The Quezon City Kabahagi Center for Children with Disabilities promotes the rights of Children with Disabilities who are aged 17 years and below and residing in Quezon City with their families, to achieve their holistic and inclusive development through participation in projects that are responsive to their needs in the areas of education, health, livelihood, and social empowerment. Their mission is to help improve the quality of life of Children with Disabilities through the creation of equal access to health, education, livelihood, and social opportunities.

Conference On The Move

 

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