1. Increase knowledge and skills to promote wellness, prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery, holistic care, and continuous quality improvement with the use of best practices for their community across the lifespan.
   
2. Promote meaningful involvement in person and family-centered planning, services, supports, and system change.
   
3. Increase knowledge of peer support, peer-run programs, and topics related to Certified Peer Specialist in Wisconsin.
   
4. Increase knowledge and skills regarding special topics in mental health, substance use disorder, and integrated treatment.
   
5. Acknowledgement of the role that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma, equity, social determinants of health, and intersecting levels of oppression play in substance use and mental health so these factors can be considered and incorporated into the work the previous objectives seek to address.
   

Submit a 2026 Workshop Proposal

​The 2026 Mental Health and Substance Use Recovery Conference is scheduled for Thursday and Friday, October 22-23, 2026. This​ event will take place in-person at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells, with an option to attend virtually.

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) and the conference planning committee are accepting proposals for 90-minute workshops.

Proposals that focus on emerging trends, are inclusive of diverse perspectives that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, demonstrate evidence-based practices, promote strength-based approaches, include the voice of lived experience, address underserved populations, enhance skills, support mental health and substance use recovery work, and energize participants are encouraged. Proposal Deadline is March 11, 2026. Please submit one form per proposal.​

UWSP Continuing Education and Outreach staff and the conference planning committee will review all proposals. Selection criteria includes:

• Demand/interest for the topic.
• Presenter(s) experience and qualifications.
• Diverse perspectives that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Learning objectives.
• History of the topic at the conference, including frequency of similar offerings.
• Previous conference evaluation feedback, if applicable.
• Preference may be given to proposals on topics that have not been presented at recent conferences.​​

The Conference will offer a complimentary registration and one night of lodging for up to 3 presenters. A possible small honorarium will be considered.

The Mental Health and Substance Use Recovery Conference is committed to equity and inclusion. UWSP and the conference planning committee recognize that people come from different contexts and circumstances. This means that on a structural level, some individuals have fewer barriers preventing them from speaking at events like conferences and some individuals have significantly more. These systemic barriers are often a function of racial background, class, gender, and ability. The barriers themselves could be financial, physical, geographical, or social. Individual requests for additional compensation to alleviate financial barriers such as travel, etc. are welcomed and will be considered. Indicate your compensation need later in this proposal.

Selected workshop presenters will be notified by email by May 6, 2026.

If you have questions, please email the UWSP Conference Planning Team at​ uwspce-conf@uwsp.edu.

2026 conference information is tentative.