2026 Be A Champion for Children
Lifetime Impact Award
Brenda Harden Jones PhD
Champions for Children is proud to recognize Dr. Brenda Jones Harden with the 2026 Lifetime Impact Award at Be a Champion for Children – World Mental Health Day October 6, 2026.
Dr. Jones Harden has devoted her career to understanding and improving the lives of children who face the greatest adversity — children who have been maltreated, placed in foster care, or exposed to early trauma and toxic stress. As the Ruth Harris Ottman Professor of Child and Family Welfare at Columbia University and Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, she brings a rare combination of rigorous science and deep human commitment to this work.
As a scientist-practitioner, she has spent decades translating research into real-world programs and policies. Through the Prevention and Early Adversity Research Laboratory, she and her team have examined how early adversity shapes child development — and, crucially, how the right interventions can change those trajectories. Her work spans home visiting, early care and education, infant and early childhood mental health, and child welfare, informing systems and policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
Dr. Jones Harden served as President of the Board of Zero to Three, lending her voice and expertise to the national movement for young children's health and well-being. She is currently a site Principal Investigator and Associate Director of the Healthy Brain and Child Development Study — the largest U.S. research study to examine brain and behavioral development in young children who have experienced adversity.
"Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of working alongside children, families, educators, clinicians, and advocates who remind us every day that mental health is foundational to a child's ability to learn, grow, and thrive." — Dr. Brenda Jones Harden
"Dr. Jones Harden's extraordinary contributions — as a scholar, educator, and advocate — have shaped how we understand and support children facing adversity. Her leadership has strengthened systems, informed policy, and inspired generations of practitioners and leaders." — Paula Widerlite, Champions for Children Board Chair
JOIN US for Be a Champion for Children – World Mental Health Day October 6, 2026, as we honor Dr. Jones Harden's extraordinary lifetime of impact and come together to advance a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Together, we can all be champions for children.
2026 Be A Champion for Children
Outstanding Leader in Equity & Access for Children's Mental Health
Sandy Chung, MD, FAAP, FACHE
Champions for Children is proud to recognize Dr. Sandy Chung with the 2026 Outstanding Leader in Equity and Access for Children's Mental Health Award at our annual Be a Champion for Children, World Mental Health Day, event on October 6, 2026.
Dr. Chung has dedicated her career to ensuring that children and families—regardless of where they live or their circumstances—have access to the mental health care they need. As a pediatrician, advocate, and national leader, she has been a powerful voice for advancing children's health and well-being.
Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Chung has championed innovative approaches to expanding access to care, including Virginia's Mental Health Access Program (VMAP). Through VMAP, pediatric primary care providers receive training, consultation, and resources that enable them to identify, treat, and support children with mental health concerns—bringing help to families where they already receive care and reducing barriers to treatment.
The impact is profound: more children receiving timely support, more families finding help sooner, and more communities equipped to address the growing youth mental health crisis.
Dr. Chung's leadership reminds us that meaningful change happens when vision, innovation, and determination come together on behalf of children. Watch her video message here.
Join us for our annual Be a Champion for Children on World Mental Health Day Event on October 6, 2026 as we honor Dr. Chung's extraordinary contributions and come together to create a future where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Together, we can all be Champions for Children.