About the National Center for Relational Health and Trauma-Informed Care

Heather C. Forkey, MD, is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, and Vice-Chair of Pediatrics and Director of the Foster Children Evaluation Service (FaCES) of the UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center.  She also serves as the Pediatric Director for Lifeline For Kids at University of Massachusetts Medical School.  She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She completed her pediatric residency and chief residency at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.   

In addition to her clinical work, Dr Forkey has been the recipient of local and federal grants to address issues of children in foster care and to translate promising practices to address physical and mental health needs of children who have been traumatized.  She has published and presents nationally and internationally on the topics, and serves in leadership roles for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the Massachusetts Chapter and national American Academy of Pediatrics on issues related to foster care, mental health and child trauma. She coauthored the book Childhood Trauma and Resilience: A Practical Guide, available from AAP Press. 

Dr Szilagyi is a primary care pediatrician, educator, and Professor of Pediatrics at UCLA (since 2014) where she is Division Chief of Developmental/Behavioral Pediatrics and Peter Shapiro Term Chair for the Promotion of Child Developmental and Behavioral Health. She completed her MD, PhD, and pediatric residency at the University of Rochester. During her 30 years in Rochester, she developed a community-based, integrated-care medical home for children in foster care, worked in a suburban private practice, precepted residents in continuity clinic, created and led a regional child abuse program, conducted research highlighting vulnerable children, and mentored trainees. 

Dr Szilagyi has worked closely with the AAP for 3 decades. In the 1990s, she led a multi-disciplinary team at AAP-District-II NYS that developed the first health care standards for children in foster care--Fostering Health (now the national standards). She has served in leadership roles on the AAP’s Committee on Early Childhood, Task Force on Foster Care, and Council on Foster Care, Adoption and Kinship Care. She has authored several AAP policy statements, clinical and technical reports and speaks widely about child welfare, vulnerable children, and childhood trauma and resilience. 

A dedicated advocate, Dr Szilagyi works closely with the AAP’s Washington Office on legislation related to equity, diversity and the care of vulnerable children. She collaborates with mental health and child welfare to integrate evidence-based interventions into pediatric care. She continues to work closely with the AAP and University of Massachusetts Medical School to develop and implement curricula for pediatricians, trainees and health systems about trauma- and resilience-informed care and relational health.