MELVILLE, NY – Long Island parents, educators and mental health professionals will gather for a free public summit on how smartphones and social media are reshaping childhood, hosted by Suffolk County Legislator Rebecca Sanin and veteran trauma specialist Stacy Pellettieri, LCSW-R. The inaugural Childhood Reset Summit, “Mental Health, Learning & Development in the Smartphone Era,” takes place Thursday, Oct. 8, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at The Huntington Hilton in Melville, with free registration open to the public at childhoodreset.com/registration.
The summit arrives amid a widening local and national conversation about how constant connectivity is affecting children’s attention, sleep, self-esteem and mental health. Organizers designed the evening to move past the debate and toward action, pairing clinical research with practical guidance for parents, teachers and policymakers on the value of experiential learning, the effects of technology and social media on development, play, navigating conflict, and more.
The program brings together a mix of clinicians, educators and government leaders. Confirmed speakers include New York State Senator Monica R. Martinez; Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr.; Dr. Jeffrey L. Reynolds, president and CEO of the Family and Children’s Association; cybersecurity expert David Schwed; and school superintendents Lars Clemensen and Dr. Danielle Gately of the East Williston School District, along with Michael Fink of District Support Services. Sessions will be available to view online after the live event for those who cannot attend in person.
“Every day in my practice, I see how much a child’s phone shapes their mood, their sleep and how they see themselves. I have also seen how few parents have been given tools to help them out of these habits, not just warnings,” said Stacy Pellettieri, LCSW-R, founder of Long Island Counseling and co-host of the Childhood Reset Summit. “This summit is about giving families, and the professionals who work with them, something they can actually use on Monday morning.”
“Protecting kids online can’t just be a parenting problem. It’s a public health and policy problem, too,” said Rebecca Sanin, Suffolk County Legislator and co-host of the summit. “Bringing educators, law enforcement, clinicians and lawmakers into the same room is how we start building solutions that actually reach families.”
Event at a Glance
- What: The Childhood Reset Summit — “Mental Health, Learning & Development in the Smartphone Era”
- When: Thursday, October 8, 2026, 5:30 – 9:00 p.m.
- Where: The Huntington Hilton, 598 Broadhollow Rd, Melville, NY 11747
- Cost: Free and open to the public; capacity limited to 250 guests
- Registration: childhoodreset.com/registration
About the Childhood Reset Summit
The Childhood Reset Summit is an inaugural gathering of mental health professionals, physicians, educators, researchers, policymakers and community advocates examining how technology is shaping childhood development. Its mission is to equip families with practical, evidence-based tools, connect research to everyday parenting and classroom practice, advance policy solutions, and build a lasting community focused on children’s wellbeing. Learn more at childhoodreset.com.
About Stacy Pellettieri, LCSW-R
Stacy Pellettieri is a licensed clinical social worker and trauma specialist with more than 30 years of experience. She is the founder of Long Island Counseling, Right Path Counseling, District Support Services, and the ADHD Training Center, which together employ a network of roughly 90 therapists serving Long Island families. She hosts the podcast “What Triggers You?” and provides trauma-informed training to schools throughout the region.
About Rebecca Sanin
Rebecca Sanin is a Suffolk County Legislator and longtime nonprofit leader. She previously served as President and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island and has led government initiatives in disaster response and early childhood programming. She holds a law degree from Fordham University and a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Columbia University.
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