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It is with great pleasure that we announce several recognitions of Mailman Center programs and valued community partners at this year’s Children’s Trust Champions for Children Awards Ceremony, one of the most anticipated events within the child advocacy community in Miami-Dade County. The awards celebrate outstanding individuals and programs dedicated to improving the lives of children and families. This year’s honorees include the Little Seals Program at the UM Linda Ray Intervention Center and the Families First Program at UHealth Mailman Center for Child Development, both receiving Program of the Year; Twala Kelly, Social Worker with the UM School Health Initiative, who will receive the Excellence in Direct Service Award; and Gepsie Metellus, Executive Director of Sant La, who will receive the David Lawrence Jr. Champion for Children Award. All honorees will be formally recognized at the Champions for Children Awards Ceremony on April 16 at Jungle Island.
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We’re proud to share that Dr. Daniel Armstrong has been appointed to the Kristi House Board of Directors.
Kristi House provides specialized treatment for children impacted by sexual abuse, supports youth experiencing trafficking, and delivers trauma-informed care for families.
Dr. Armstrong has been a key partner in advancing this mission. He was instrumental in facilitating the co-location of the University of Miami Child Protection Team at the Kristi House Children’s Advocacy Center in September 2024, strengthening coordinated care for children and families.
His appointment reflects a shared commitment to protecting children and expanding access to compassionate, multidisciplinary support in our community.
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March is National Social Work Month, and we are proud to celebrate the vital role social workers play across the Mailman Center and the broader University of Miami community. This year’s theme is Social Work: Uplift. Defend. Transform. and it reflects the profession’s mission to enhance human well-being, meet the basic human needs of all people, and put special attention on the needs and the empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.
Click here to read the full article
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Dr. Brosco is beginning an exciting new chapter at the Mailman Center for Child Development, stepping into the role of Senior Advisor to the Director and continuing a legacy of leadership, collaboration, and community impact.
“When I started as director of the Mailman Center in 1999, the first person I asked to join our leadership team was Jeff Brosco,” said Daniel Armstrong, Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics at the Miller School and Director of the Mailman Center for Child Development. “Jeff served as associate director for more than two decades, and his return in this new role is a tremendous asset as we look toward the future.”
Read more about Dr. Brosco's impact and his new role
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Advocacy in Action at the Florida Capitol
On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council hosted the 20th Annual Developmental Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol in Tallahassee. Representing the UM Family Navigator Program, Silvia Calderon-Frontana addressed members of the Florida House during the Education & Employment Committee meeting in support of HB 859 – Cameras in Classrooms.
Click here to read more
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1940 - 2025
The Mailman Center was sorry to learn of the passing of former faculty member Debra Bachus Bendell-Estroff, PhD, in October 2025. Dr. Bendell-Estroff was a clinical psychologist whose work was recognized nationwide for its contributions to the understanding and care of high-risk and premature infants, sudden infant death syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, pediatric pain, and psychopathology in primary care.
She was a valued colleague of Dr. Tiffany Field and a friend to many; Dr. Armstrong fondly recalls meeting her while he was interning at the University of Oklahoma. She also served in the Society of Pediatric Psychology as Treasurer from 1990 to 1992.
Dr. Bendell-Estroff was known not only for her scholarship and dedication to children and families but also for the warmth she brought to her work. Her laughter and optimistic view of the world were infectious to colleagues and to the trainees fortunate enough to learn alongside her. She made a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of many and will be deeply missed.
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Mailman Center New Member Spotlight
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Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Dr. Jennifer C. Muñoz Pareja is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, with appointments at Holtz Children’s Hospital, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, and the Mailman Center for Child Development. Her research focuses on pediatric neurocritical care, advancing the use of blood-based biomarkers and studying neuroinflammation to improve how brain injuries are diagnosed, monitored, and treated in critically ill children.
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Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology
Dr. Martin Hyland is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine with expertise in pediatric neuromuscular disorders and clinical neurophysiology. His clinical and academic work focuses on caring for children with neuromuscular and complex neurological conditions that can significantly affect development and quality of life, often requiring coordinated care across neurology, rehabilitation, and developmental specialties.
Click here to read more
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Speaker: Jeffrey Brosco, MD, PhD
March 18, 2026 | 12:00pm - 12:50pm | Join Here
Dr. Brosco will be presenting at the Oregon Health & Sciences University Department of Pediatrics Grand Rounds in Celebration of National Developmental Disability month.
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Speaker: Madeleine Thakur
March 27, 2026 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm | Register here
This talk will address how The Children's Movement of Florida created and activated Florida's Early Learning Roadmap with input and participation from nearly 1,000 parents, educators, and leaders across the state. We will explore the key components identified to strengthen children's educational opportunities from birth through age five, and discuss how we all have a role to play: policymakers, business leaders, medical professionals, and more.
Credit Designations:
- 1 CE credit approved for Psychology
- 1 CE credit approved for LCSW, LMHC, LFMT
- 0.1 ASHA CEU
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Grand Rounds Replay - Speaker: Jenny Radesky, MD
Using the 5 Cs of media use framework (Child, Content, Calm, Crowding Out, and Communication), Dr. Radesky reviews the research evidence regarding youth social media use and wellbeing. Implications for clinical care and kids online safety policy are also provided.
Click here to watch
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Innovation and Connection Conference
The Mailman Center will be hosting the Innovation & Connection Conference on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from 8:45 am - 3:40pm via Zoom. Click here to register!
This full-day workshop provides a comprehensive overview of unilateral hearing loss (UHL) in children, led by a multidisciplinary team of audiologists, psychologists, therapists, and educators. Participants will explore audiological management strategies, including current intervention options, candidacy considerations, and distinctions between conductive, mixed, and sensorineural UHL.
Credit designation:
- Florida Board for LCSW, LMFT and LMHC approved 6.0 CE credit, Provider # BAP Exp. Date 3/31/2025.
- 5.5 CE credit approved for psychology. Mailman Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.
- 0.55 ASHA CEUs.
- 7 MPPs.
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Article
Delamater, A.M., Pulgaron, E.R., Guevara, G., Washington, S.A., Franz, D.Z., Gomez, R., Felipe, D., Bhat, J., Chalew, S. (2025). African American Youth and Parent Perspectives on Advanced Insulin Delivery Technologies in Diabetes Management: Challenges to closing the loop on health disparities. The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care.
DOI: 10.1177/26350106251397906
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Article
Batalha, M., Filigrana, P., Perreira, K.M., McClain, A.C., Pirzada, A., Daviglus, M., Cordero, C., Delamater, A.M., Gallo, L.C., Isasi, C.R. (2025). Intergenerational Socioeconomic Mobility and Cardiovascular Health Among Hispanic/Latino Youth and Caregivers Living in the United States. Journal of the American Heart Association.
DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.125.042972
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Article
Siega-Riz, Anna Maria PhD, MS; Vladutiu, Catherine J. PhD, MPH; Cordero, Christina PhD, MPH; Delamater, Alan PhD; Isasi, Carmen R. PhD, MD; Gallo, Linda PhD; Van Horn, Linda PhD, RD; Daviglus, Martha L. PhD, MD; Stuebe, Alison M. MD, MS; LeCroy, Madison N. PhD; Grove, Megan L. MS; Highland, Heather M. PhD; North, Kari E. PhD; Sotres-Alvarez, Daniela DrPH, MS. Association of Prepregnancy Cardiometabolic Markers With Early Childhood Weight in a Study of Hispanic Dyads. Obstetrics & Gynecology ():10.1097/AOG.0000000000006149, December 18, 2025.
DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000006149
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Article
Gonzalez-Nahm S, Sotres-Alvarez D, Isasi CR, Gallo LC, Cordero C, Delamater AM, Daviglus ML, Van Horn L, Siega-Riz AM. Effects of Maternal Feeding Style and Child Eating Behaviors on Body Mass Index in Young Children in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Family Lifestyle Outcomes Research Study. Curr Dev Nutr. 2025 Nov 29;10(1):107611. doi: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107611. PMID: 41532144; PMCID: PMC12794496.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2025.107611.
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Article
Caroline J Gillenson, Jamil A Malik, Luiza Mali, Kimberly L Klages, Amy E Noser, Jennifer Shroff Pendley, Janine Sanchez, Meghan McGrady, Lawrence Dolan, Alan M Delamater, Self-Management Behaviors Mediate the Relationship Between Distress and Glycemic Levels in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes, Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2025;, jsaf106
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsaf106
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Calendar of Upcoming Events
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