Deadline: 14-Jan-22
The Mental Health America (MHA) Mental Health America’s (MHA) 2022 Annual Conference, Forward Together: Recovery, Healing, Hope, will take place in Washington, DC June 9-11, 2022.
The event will bring together hundreds of MHA affiliates, peers, providers, government officials, media and more from across the country to explore the intersecting equity issues that exist in mental health. This year’s event will be offered in a hybrid format consisting of both in-person and virtual components.
At MHA, they work every day to address the needs of individuals living with mental illness and promote the overall mental health of all people. At the heart of everything they do is the belief that quality mental health resources should be accessible and equitable to all regardless of an individual’s race, ethnicity, gender, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, ability level, geographical location or any other identity. That is why they value diversity and inclusion among the conference attendees, speakers, and sponsors.
They recognize that there are populations often overlooked when talking about mental health and substance use, and they want to ensure they are fighting in the open with and for them as well. If you are an expert on a topic that is in line with the conference theme and impacts underserved populations, they encourage you to submit a proposal.
Why This Theme?
Forward Together: Recovery, Healing, Hope
- COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, a profound negative effect on the mental health of the nation. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, MHA has witnessed increasing numbers of people experiencing anxiety, depression, psychosis, loneliness, and other mental health concerns. The nation has also seen the largest number of opioid deaths in the history this year. These times demonstrate that health equity is still not a reality for all. These events have unequally affected many Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), putting certain groups more at risk of ill health or mortality, and placing an undue burden on the frontline and care economies. At the same time they are experiencing the health crises, they have witnessed the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police officers, including the murder of George Floyd, COVID-related violence against Asian Americans, and continued gun violence.
- For many, these events functioned as a catalyst to expose a history of inequity in the nation resulting in widespread hopelessness, despair and racial trauma. At the conference this year, they will come together to talk about recovery – both individual and collective – and ways to move forward together.
Workshop Format
To be considered, workshop presentations must*:
- Align with one of the conference themes
- Be interactive, thought-provoking, and action-oriented
- Allow time for group discussion
- Fit within a 60-minute timeframe with 45 mins for presenting and 15 mins for audience Q&A
- Be conducted with no more than three presenters.
*Please note: all sessions will be closed captioned with English and Spanish options
Presentation Topics Of Interest
They are looking for presentations related to the following topics:
- Equity: Identifying and responding to equity in mental health
- COVID-19: Coping with pandemic-related trauma and recovery
- Storytelling and Community Voices: Sharing the mental health journeys
- Rest and Self Care: Interactive sessions to encourage self care and relaxation
- Crisis Response: Harm reduction, addiction crisis, peer support, etc.
- A Way Forward: Alignment for future actions in mental health
Sample Presentation Titles
These are samples only, and NOT indicative of the final agenda.
- Indigenous Communities and Healing
- Collective Healing: Black Women and Breath Work
- Addressing Equity Through Dynamic Leadership Change
- Learning From Youth: What Do They Really Want Us to Know About Their Struggles
- Does Language Really Matter?
- Responding to Crisis Through Community Empowerment
- Self-care Isn’t Just About Yoga
For more information, visit https://mhanational.org/2022/annual-conference/cfp