FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 14, 2026
App Well’s 2nd annual Growing Well Conference to focus on support for children, youth with special healthcare needs
Registration is open for the 3-day event, set for Oct. 4–6 in Boone
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness (App Well), in partnership with the Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC), will host its second annual Growing Well Conference from Oct. 4–6 at Levine Hall in Boone. The conference theme is “moving mountains for people with special healthcare needs.”
Conference attendees will include health and medical professionals, educators, researchers, policymakers and families who will collaborate on innovative ways to support children and youth with special healthcare needs in rural Western North Carolina.
Health and medical professionals can earn continuing education credits, including American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award (AMA PRA) Category 1 Credit™ hours.
The 2026 conference is supported by title sponsor Vaya Partners. The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities is providing paid scholarships for families.
The event begins Oct. 4 with a pre-conference workshop, followed by two days of interactive programming Oct. 5–6. Attendees will hear from speakers with diverse expertise and lived experience navigating complex health and social systems.
Conference sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including:
- Medicaid waivers, waiting lists and systems redesign for children and youth with special healthcare needs
- Early detection, developmental follow-up and rural access to care
- Mental health, well-being and family-centered supports
- Communication and behavior, including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), language development, evidence-based approaches outside of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and understanding behavior as communication
Organizers say the conference aims to provide professional development and opportunities for networking, resource sharing and collaboration among those who serve children and families in the region.
To register, visit appwell.appstate.edu/outreach/growingwell/conference. For more information, contact Mary Sheryl Horine at ho******@******te.edu.
