Sessions & Schedule
With over 550 attendees, 58 exhibitors and sponsors, and 38 presentations over two days, the annual NH Behavioral Health Summit, Dec. 7 - 8, 2026, at the Manchester DoubleTree Downtown Hotel, will focus on setting the public policy stage for key legislative and agency initiatives as well as integration and capacity building for primary care, mental health and substance use services.
This schedule is subject to change.
Monday, December 7, 2026
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Registration, Continental Breakfast, and Networking
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Plenary Session: coming soon!
Underwritten by the NH Charitable Foundation
Pemigewasset
Description coming soon!
Speaker coming soon!
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Break with Exhibitors
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Session A Workshops
A1 - Cultivating Hope: The power of positive experiences and connection in support of grieving youth and families
Location coming soon!
Without appropriate support, grief can adversely affect lifelong health and well-being. Friends of Aine has provided training and resources to 275+ schools and community organizations throughout NH and during these trainings, the below stats are substantiated -- the need for support is high and the staff working most closely with kids do not feel equipped/trained for these difficult conversations.
In NH, 1 in 12 children under the age of 18 have experienced the death of a parent or sibling. (CBEM, 2025); 1 in 4 youth who die by suicide were bereaved; Bereaved youth are 175% more likely to develop Substance Use Disorder in adulthood; Only 7% of educators indicate they have had any type of bereavement training.
Linda Dinndorf, Ed.M, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Friends of Aine Center for Grieving Children and Families
A2 - Supervision and Self-Care
Location coming soon!
This workshop will address the role that trauma plays in the teams/individuals that we supervise. Trauma informed supervision combines the knowledge of trauma and the principles of supervision. Creating a safe environment for supervision is imperative to prevent and treat vicarious trauma that arises in staff by applying the principles of trauma informed care to supervision. Staff self-care is essential for staff well-being, the ability to provide ethical care and the functioning of the team/agency.
Mary Ryan Woods, LADC, MSHS, BC-RN, Owner of Mary Ryan Woods Consulting
A3 – Whole-Person Recovery: Applying the 8 Dimensions of Wellness Framework to Address Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health
Location coming soon!
Behavioral health systems across the country continue to treat substance use disorders and mental health in isolation — missing the whole person behind the diagnosis. This workshop introduces a powerful, replicable framework for change: SAMHSA's 8 Dimensions of Wellness — Emotional, Physical, Social, Financial, Environmental, Occupational, Intellectual, and Spiritual — applied directly to SUD and mental health populations. As a former City Councilwoman, person in recovery, and CCAR Certified Recovery Coach Facilitator, presenter Carlene Fonseca draws on lived experience and real-world outcomes from the Pawtucket Central Falls Health Equity Zone — where a community-driven, equity-centered model achieved measurable overdose reductions even as rates rose nationwide — to offer attendees a trauma-informed, culturally responsive roadmap they can bring back to their organizations, communities, and policy tables the very next day.
Carlene Fonseca, MA, CCAR Recovery Coach Professional Facilitator at The Greatest You Counseling
A4 – Built for the Workforce You Have: Simplifying Evidence-Based Care in Stretched Community Behavioral Health Systems
Location coming soon!
The CCBHC transition raises the bar on how New Hampshire community behavioral health organizations deliver care, requiring a broader set of evidence-based treatments, standardized assessment, and measurement-based care, all on an already-stretched workforce. Governor Ayotte named the core problem in her inaugural address: substance use treatment and mental health care are too often siloed, when addressing them together would produce better outcomes. This workshop is built around that exact problem. The Common Elements Treatment Approach (CETA) is a transdiagnostic, evidence-based system of care developed at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and used across 40+ countries and a growing number of U.S. community behavioral health systems, treating trauma, depression, substance use, and safety concerns within one structured pathway instead of routing clients across separate specialty tracks. A single trained provider can deliver the full model, and to ease workforce strain, components can also be task-shared across licensed and unlicensed staff, including paraprofessionals and peer workers, so more of the team can contribute within scope. This session draws on U.S. implementations in Utah and Illinois showing what changed for providers, clients, and outcomes.
Stephanie Skavenski, MSW, MPH, Senior Research Associate at Johns Hopkins University and Clinical Director at CETA Global
A5 – Health Needs of Harm Reduction Program Participants in NH: Key Findings
Location coming soon!
People who use drugs are a medically and socially vulnerable population with complex health needs. However, seeking care is complicated by the health care stigma they often experience. In collaboration with the New Hampshire Harm Reduction Coalition, Dr. Kerry Nolte from the University of New Hampshire has conducted annual health needs assessments and interviews at harm reduction programs in New Hampshire. In this workshop, we will look at key findings together and consider how health services could be adapted to better meet the needs of people who use drugs. We will also consider trends in transitions away from injection drug use and consider how we can further promote injection alternatives.
Kerry Nolte, PhD, FNP-C, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Nursing at University of New Hampshire
Lauren McGinley, Executive Director at New Hampshire Harm Reduction Coalition
A6 – Speaking the Language of Shared Risk & Protective Factors to Integrate Prevention throughout Systems
Location coming soon!
This workshop will give participants a grounding or refresher in the ways that prevention initiatives work to influence the risk and protective factors which impact the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder. From there, the workshop will draw connections and explore ways that reducing these risk factors and increasing these protective factors in our communities positively impacts other behavioral health and educational outcomes.
Marissa Carlson, MS, CPS, Executive Director at NH Teen Institute
Maura McGowan, CPS, Program Director at NH Teen Institute
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch and Networking
sponsored by WestBridge
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Session B Workshops
B1 – Incorporating Sexual Health into Substance Use Treatment
Location coming soon!
Sexual health is an essential, yet frequently overlooked aspect of substance use and mental health treatment. This workshop equips clinicians with the knowledge and practical skills needed to integrate sexual health into recovery-oriented care.
Participants will learn how to comfortably and ethically initiate conversations about sex, conduct sexual health assessments, and understand the complex relationship between substance use, sexual behavior, and intimacy. The training also addresses common barriers, clinician bias, and myths about relationships in recovery, while emphasizing the importance of sexual health as a core component of overall well-being. Designed for behavioral health professionals, this workshop provides actionable strategies to support more holistic, client-centered recovery outcomes.
Michele Waldron, Psy.D, CST-S, PHM-C, Owner of Sexual Health and Healing, LLC
B2 – Partnering with CCBHCs: Practical Guidance for Community Organizations
Location coming soon!
The Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) model is building momentum across the state with the goal of transitioning all CMHCs to CCBHCs over the next five years. What does that mean for schools, primary care, or other behavioral health providers that collaborate with CMHCs? This workshop will help collaborating organizations to better understand how they might fit in the CCBHC landscape. Participants will be introduced to the basic requirements of the model, especially as they relate to care coordination and collaboration, and will evaluate the various opportunities for partnership, including as Designated Collaborating Organizations.
Katie Lipp, LICSW, PMP, Principal at Bowling Business Strategies
B3 – A Behavioral Health Professionals Guide to Serving Survivors of Domestic Violence and their Children
Location coming soon!
Behavioral health practices do not always meet the safety and behavioral health needs of survivors of domestic violence and their children. Services can be fraught with overt or subtle language, practices, and policies that are unhelpful or harmful, such as pathologizing or blaming language - practices that unfairly hold survivors accountable rather than perpetrators. Policies around consent and attendance, as well as documentation practices, can also be unhelpful or unsafe. In this workshop, we will review these problems and provide concrete examples of how to create services that are empowering and safe. We will emphasize universal precautionary approaches, language do’s and don’ts, unique considerations for confidentiality and privacy to ensure safety, and tips for fair documentation that holds perpetrators accountable and does not inadvertently back-fire on survivors in legal contexts.
Erin Barnett, PhD, Associate Professor at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Bailey H. Ray, PhD, Advocacy Manager and Campus Advocacy Coordinator at WISE of the Upper Valley
Becky Parton, MSW, Project Director at Dartmouth Health
B4 – Addiction, Matrescence, and the Parent-Infant Bond
Location coming soon!
The transition to parenthood involves profound psychological, neurobiological, and relational changes known as matrescence. For individuals experiencing substance use disorders, this period occurs alongside the challenges of recovery, stigma, and evolving caregiving demands. This presentation explores the intersection of matrescence, addiction, and infant attachment, drawing on research from attachment theory, developmental psychology, and perinatal addiction studies. Participants will examine how substance use can affect caregiving sensitivity, parent–infant interactions, and the development of infant attachment. Clinical strategies to support recovery while promoting secure parent–infant relationships will also be discussed.
Beth O'Dell, LCMHC, MLADC, PMH-C, CCPT-I, Northlight Counseling and Consulting LLC
Kerry Norton, RN, Executive Director at Hope on Haven Hill
B5 – An Integrated Approach to School Mental Health: The Role of Community Mental Health Partners
Location coming soon!
This session will explore conceptual foundations and innovative practices of school-community mental health integration within NH’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports for Behavioral Health and Wellness (MTSS-B). Based on the Interconnected Systems Framework, NH MTSS-B blends school mental health practices with the evidence-based tiered prevention framework of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). NH MTSS-B prioritizes collaboration between school districts and community mental health to increase access and equity in high-quality mental health service delivery. Our model includes an innovative community mental health “School Liaison” position that promotes efficient facilitated referral pathways and tools to support high-fidelity behavioral health integration. Participants will explore conditions for successful collaboration between districts and community-based mental health partners, including contracts/MOUs, system-level policy development, facilitated referral pathways, service delivery, and monitoring.
We will describe how the School Liaison role is leveraged to increase mental health service efficiency and access, sharing evaluation data and lessons learned from school and community partners. While early evaluation data reflects schools’ growing recognition of community mental health as key partners, collaboration is often described as highly variable, with co-located community mental health operating adjacent to, rather than within, school MTSS systems. To improve integration, districts have established clearer protocols for communication, referral, and teaming. System improvements include more efficient triage processes and introduction of tiered bridge services for students on community mental health wait lists. Preliminary data suggest an increase in appropriateness and efficiency of referrals to community mental health; early engagement with families reduces barriers to access such as limited understanding of the mental health system, cultural differences, and logistical challenges such as childcare and transportation – with growing evidence of positive impacts on wait times.
Megan Phillips, PsyD, Principal Investigator and Lead Evaluator at Behavioral Health Improvement Institute, Keene State College
B6 – Curiosity Over Control: Leadership & Culture in Behavioral Health
Location coming soon!
The strongest retention strategy isn’t monetary; it’s cultural. In a field where burnout, turnover, and emotional exhaustion are more and more common, workplace culture often becomes the deciding factor in whether people stay, grow, and remain connected to the work.
The goal of this workshop is to share what we at Hope for NH Recovery have learned about creating a culture that helps people to keep showing up with passion for work they believe in. The workshop will focus on authenticity, shared ownership, staff empowerment, and recognizing the leadership potential in everyone. Participants will leave with realistic ideas and strategies to create healthier, more sustainable workplace cultures.
Randy Stevens, MSW, CRSW, ADS, Executive Director at Hope for NH Recovery
Janelle Black, Marketing Manager at Hope for NH Recovery
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Break with Exhibitors
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Session C Workshops
C1 – Recovery Without Conditions: Safety, Identity, and Overdose Prevention
Location coming soon!
Stephen Murray, MPH, NRP, will share his lived experience as a multiple overdose survivor and retired paramedic alongside his leadership running the nation’s only professionalized overdose prevention hotline. Murray oversees a public health workforce of more than 60 staff—over 70% of whom have lived or living experience with substance use. This presentation challenges traditional recovery narratives that equate safety with abstinence, and explores how conditional care, stigma, and rigid recovery identities can increase overdose risk.
Stephen P. Murray, MPH, NRP, Associate Director of Overdose Prevention at Boston Medical Center and Founder and Executive Director at SafeSpot Overdose Hotline, BUSPH
C2 – Beyond PTSD: Understanding Moral Injury in Veterans and First Responders
Location coming soon!
While Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is widely recognized among Veterans and First Responders, moral injury remains an under-identified and often misunderstood component of their behavioral health needs. Moral injury arises from experiences that violate deeply held moral beliefs and values, often resulting in profound guilt, shame, anger, and spiritual or existential distress. Without proper recognition, these presentations are frequently misdiagnosed or inadequately treated within civilian behavioral health settings.
This session will provide civilian providers with a practical framework for distinguishing moral injury from PTSD and other mental health conditions, while enhancing cultural competency when working with Veterans and First Responders. Participants will explore how occupational culture, identity, and ethical decision-making shape the lived experiences of these populations. The training will highlight common clinical presentations, treatment barriers, and potential missteps that can impact engagement and outcomes.
Through case-based discussion and applied strategies, attendees will gain tools to more effectively assess, conceptualize, and support individuals experiencing moral injury. Emphasis will be placed on approaches that foster validation, meaning-making, and reconnection, ultimately improving engagement in care and reducing risk factors associated with worsening mental health and suicidality.
Sheena Bice, DMSc, LCMHC, MLADC, Chief Clinical Officer at Forge VFR
C3 – Where Students Turn First: Reframing Peer Influence as Prevention Infrastructure in Schools
Location coming soon!
Students experiencing substance use, mental health challenges, or distress rarely begin by seeking help from adults. Instead, they turn first to one another—within informal peer networks that operate outside of formal systems of care. While schools have made significant progress in expanding behavioral health services, many interventions still rely on adult identification, often occurring after concerns have escalated.
This workshop introduces a systems-level reframe: peer influence is not simply a risk factor to manage, but an existing and powerful form of prevention infrastructure. When left unstructured, peer responses can unintentionally reinforce risk, delay help-seeking, or place students in roles they are not equipped to navigate. When intentionally supported, however, peer networks can play a critical role in early identification, timely intervention, and connection to appropriate supports.
Drawing on school-based clinical experience and real-world implementation, this session will explore how schools can better align with where students naturally turn first. Participants will examine common barriers that prevent students from escalating concerns to adults and engage in practical strategies for defining peer roles, establishing safe boundaries, and creating clear pathways to adult support.
This approach supports broader system goals by strengthening early identification and intervention, enhancing care coordination, and expanding the functional behavioral health workforce through structured student involvement. Attendees will leave with a framework they can apply within their own settings to more effectively integrate peer influence into existing prevention and support systems.
Bob Faghan, MLADC, Program Director at Live Free Adolescent Recovery
C4 – Kratom in Clinical Practice: Navigating an Unregulated Substance in Addiction Treatment
Location coming soon!
Kratom, a widely available and largely unregulated substance, is increasingly encountered across substance use, mental health, and primary care settings. Despite its accessibility and perception as a “natural” alternative for pain or opioid withdrawal, kratom presents with complex and often under-recognized patterns of dependence, withdrawal, and polysubstance use. Currently, there is limited clinical guidance and significant variability in provider knowledge, documentation, and treatment approaches.
This workshop will provide an overview of kratom’s pharmacology and epidemiology, followed by a clinically focused discussion of intoxication, dependence, and withdrawal syndromes. Emphasis will be placed on real-world challenges in assessment and management including supportive withdrawal strategies.
The session will also explore policy- and systems-level implications, including regulatory gaps at the federal, state, and local levels and barriers to standardized care. Through case-based discussion, participants will gain practical tools to improve identification, documentation, and treatment planning for individuals using kratom.
Renee King, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CARN-AP, Director of Nursing at Liberty Health Services
Melissa Dinoto, LADC, Director of Operations at Liberty Health Services
C5 – From Crisis to Recovery: How A School Community Mobilizes in Response To A Traumatic Loss
Location coming soon!
Sudden traumatic losses that impact communities can be especially far-reaching when a school community is affected -- such as a suicide death of a student or other high-profile trauma. These events can increase risk in vulnerable populations, such as youth and persons who have struggled with mental health and substance misuse conditions and suicidal ideation. Being prepared to respond with thoughtful best practices and resources for individuals, families, schools, and communities can help expedite support and resources, and reduce the risk of harmful outcomes related to the trauma.
This workshop will provide a summary of concerns and key best practices to consider when dealing with sudden traumatic loss in a school community. An overview of best practices in postvention will be reviewed, followed by applied examples of proactive and responsive interventions through a case example of a school community impacted by multiple deaths. Implementation of suicide prevention and postvention strategies were rapidly deployed and sustained through the Dover School District in collaboration with the Dover Mental Health Alliance who spent years building skills and knowledge through a mission of reducing stigma and promoting comprehensive wellness. The case example illustrates how learning best practices for postvention, developing practical crisis plans, and coordination of regional providers can create an informed safety net for a school and the broader community. We will invite dialogue about lessons learned and protocols that are applicable across the state. The discussion will also include a reflection of what statewide resources and infrastructure are accessible to equip all our regions to promote help and healing when impactful losses occur.
Christine Boston, Ed.D, Superintendent of Schools at Dover School District
Elaine de Mello, LCSW, Suicide Prevention and Postvention Advisor at NAMI NH
Katherine Leswing, MA, MAT, Administrator at the Office of Student and Educator Wellness at NH Department of Education
C6 – Get the Cops on your Team: Reducing Stigma using Law Enforcement
Location coming soon!
This interactive workshop will explore how law enforcement can serve as powerful partners in reducing stigma surrounding substance use disorder (SUD) within our communities. Participants will examine how stigma impacts individuals seeking treatment and recovery, while learning practical strategies to foster collaboration between behavioral health providers, recovery organizations, community members, and law enforcement agencies.
Through discussion, real-world examples, and community-based approaches, this workshop will highlight how trauma-informed policing, recovery-oriented practices, diversion programs, and compassionate communication can improve trust, engagement, and outcomes for individuals affected by SUD. Participants will also explore ways to shift community perceptions of addiction from punishment to treatment and recovery support.
Attendees will leave with actionable tools to strengthen cross-sector partnerships, reduce barriers to care, and build a more supportive, stigma-free response to substance use disorder in their communities.
Dave Suckling, Chief of Police at Alexandria Police Department
Ashley Douthart, LCMHC, MLADC, Director of Behavioral Health at HealthFirst
Tuesday, December 8, 2026
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Registration, Continental Breakfast, and Networking
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Plenary Session: coming soon!
Underwritten by the NH Charitable Foundation
Pemigewasset
Description coming soon!
Speaker coming soon!
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Break with Exhibitors
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Session D Workshops
D1 – From Screening to Systems Change: Mental Health Insights from a Health Linkage Demonstration Project for NH Adults with IDD
Location coming soon!
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience significant disparities in preventive health care and overall health outcomes. Through a five-year CDC cooperative agreement, the New Hampshire Disability and Health Program partnered with Community Bridges, the NH START Program, and the National Center for START Services to implement a health linkage demonstration project. This initiative screened New Hampshire adults with IDD for unmet preventive care needs, gaps in healthy behaviors, and barriers to healthy living, while connecting individuals to accessible community resources. Mental health emerged as one of the top three unmet health needs. This workshop will present aggregated findings from the project, engage the audience regarding implications for clinical practice, and highlight opportunities for systems evolution and multi-disciplinary collaboration.
Emilia Poehlman, MSW, NH Disability and Health Program Manager at University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability
Julie Lago, MSW, LICSW, BT-CC, Executive Director at National Center for START Services at the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability and Adjunct Faculty at University of New Hampshire Department of Social Work
D2 – Stigma: What is it? And How Does Research Inform its Impact on Individuals, Families, Professionals, Institutions, and Public Policy?
Location coming soon!
Research has identified stigma as one of the most significant barriers to accessing mental health care as well as treatment and supports for substance misuse. We all use the term stigma, but do we have a clear understanding of what it is? Is there a difference between stigma and discrimination? This workshop will provide a research and evidence informed review of the major types of stigma associated with mental illness and substance use disorders including: self-stigma, public/societal stigma, professional stigma, and institutional stigma. We will look at the impact stigma has on individuals, family members, professionals, institutions, the greater society, public policy, and special populations including communities of color, veterans, and LGBTQ people. The media and entertainment industries play a major role in contributing to negative attitudes and stigma which can impact public perceptions as well as public policy. This workshop will also review the stigmatizing beliefs and attitudes research has found among health care professionals. Having a better understanding of stigma, as well as the strategies for effectively addressing it, can strengthen the workforce and improve access to care.
Kenneth Norton, LICSW, School of Life Long Learning
D3 – We Know the Gaps. Now What? Turning Frontline Frustration Into Behavioral Health Advocacy
Location coming soon!
This workshop is designed for professionals who are tired of identifying the same problems and want practical tools to help move systems forward. Frontline behavioral health workers see system gaps every day, yet many feel unsure how to turn frustration into meaningful change. This workshop will focus on practical, realistic advocacy strategies that providers, peers, recovery supports, social workers, care managers, and behavioral health staff can use in their everyday roles without needing to be policy experts or lobbyists. Participants will learn how to identify system barriers, communicate real-world challenges in ways decision makers hear, and use professional associations, coalitions, storytelling, and community partnerships to advocate for stronger systems of care. The session will focus on small, actionable advocacy efforts that can be integrated into daily work to improve access, care coordination, recovery supports, and outcomes for individuals with substance use and mental health needs.
Kimberly Fortin, MSW, LADC, WellSense
D4 – Best Practices for Working with Emerging Young Adults
Location coming soon!
Emerging young adults (ages 17-15) are a diverse demographic population that is often underserved in our communities. Arnett (2006) describes this population's need for support as critical because of the vastness in their presentations. Some are in school, some work, some live alone, some live with family, some are completely independent, and some are slowly building skills. However, there are specific interventions to guide them through this transitional period and into adulthood. This workshop explores the uniqueness of this population, their particular challenges, the research and interventions that promote positive outcomes and successful programming at the community mental health level. Specifically, the workshop will address the need in New Hampshire for this programming and how successful outcomes feedback into the state's future.
Lindsay C. B. Murphy, PhD, LCMHC, Associate Director of Child, Adolescent, and Family Services at Greater Nashua Mental Health Center
Alyssa Pasciuto, MSW, Therapist at Greater Nashua Mental Health Center
D5 – Practical Strategies to Strengthen Recruitment, Retention, and Career Pathways in Behavioral Health
Location coming soon!
This workshop will provide an overview of the MA Substance Use Career Pathways pilot project focusing on staff recruitment and retention efforts. We will share emerging lessons-learned from pilot implementation efforts, and practical strategies organizations can adapt within their own settings. The session will explore a sampling of organizational approaches related to supportive supervision, onboarding, role clarity, workforce wellness, career pathways, psychological safety, leadership practices, and workforce supports. Interactive discussion and small-group activities will allow participants to identify and prioritize strategies most relevant to their own organizations and communities. The project included provider surveys, interviews, working groups, and an ongoing statewide Community of Practice representing organizations across service types and geographic regions. In June 2026, the initiative culminated in the development of a Draft Recruitment and Retention Practice Guidance and an accompanying implementation-focused Toolkit designed to help organizations operationalize workforce development strategies in practical and sustainable ways. The Toolkit was developed primarily for substance use and co-occurring disorder service organizations, but the strategies are highly applicable to integrated behavioral health, mental health, recovery support, and primary care settings.
Participants will be introduced to practical tools and implementation concepts designed to strengthen workforce sustainability and organizational readiness. Interactive discussion and small-group activities will allow participants to identify and prioritize strategies most relevant to their own organizations and communities.
The presentation will briefly highlight complementary initiatives that support educational access, internships, mentorship, credentialing, and advancement opportunities designed to strengthen behavioral health career pathways and expand access for historically underrepresented workforce populations.
Participants will leave with practical ideas, implementation strategies, and adaptable tools that can support recruitment, retention, supervision, onboarding, and career pathway efforts within organizations of varying sizes and service models.
Jen Parks, MSW, Assistant Director for Provider Support at Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Addiction Services
Deborah Strod, PhD, MSW, Acting CEO and Managing Principal at DMA Health Strategies
Carolyn Castro, PhD, Owner and CEO at Castro Consulting Group, LLC
D6 – Screening Is a System: NH Mom Hub and the Statewide Infrastructure of Perinatal Mental Health Care
Location coming soon!
Universal perinatal mental health screening is now standard of care — recommended by ACOG (2023 Clinical Practice Guidelines Nos. 4 and 5), the AAP (2019 Clinical Report on perinatal depression in pediatric practice), and the AIM (Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health) Perinatal Mental Health Conditions Patient Safety Bundle. Yet, the evidence is unambiguous: screening without an embedded response system does not improve outcomes and can erode trust. The work of Byatt, Moore Simas, and colleagues at MCPAP for Moms and Lifeline for Moms has established that detection translates to treatment only when supported by a system — workforce capacity, real-time consultation, warm referral pathways, sustainable payment, and cross-sector coordination.
This workshop reframes perinatal mental health screening as a systems-level endeavor and presents NH Mom Hub — New Hampshire's statewide perinatal mental health warmline and resource navigation program, funded by NH DHHS — as the connective infrastructure operationalizing that systems framework across the state. Participants will examine four interlocking architectures: the policy architecture (NH Momnibus 1.0, enacted via the state budget, and the Momnibus 2.0 proposal currently before the legislature, which would establish a perinatal psychiatric consultation line, perinatal peer support certification, and maternal depression screening infrastructure); the workforce architecture (PMH-C certification, peer support, and navigator roles); the clinical architecture (the NH Mom Hub Perinatal Mental Health Provider Toolkit v1.0, distributed statewide in May 2026); and the funding architecture (the NHPQC/Dartmouth Health RFP model, Medicaid billing pathways including CPT 96127 and 96161, and sustainability planning).
Workshop deliverables include a regional gap-mapping exercise applied to participants' own service settings, a referral pathway template, and copies of the NH Mom Hub Provider Toolkit. The session is informed by the "Notice. Normalize. Navigate to Support." editorial framework now in use across NH partner organizations.
Allison Palmer, APRN, PMHNP-BC, WHNP-BC, Program Director at NH Mom Hub
Heather Martin, CPD, CCHW, PMH-C, Dartmouth Health Children’s Pediatrics
Julie Bosak, DrPH, CNM, MSN, NNEPQIN, NHPQC
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch and Networking
sponsored by Out of the Woods EMDR and Counseling Services
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Session E Workshops
E1 – Culturally Responsive Engagement with the LGBTQ+ community
Location coming soon!
This training offers information on core LGBTQ+ concepts and terminology, explores the direct link between discrimination and harm and increased rates of substance use and mental health concerns for this population, and provides strategies that can be embedded in one’s everyday work to foster protective factors and increase engagement. Strategies explored will include pronoun use, inclusive language, acknowledging the impact of lived experience on provider worldview, addressing mistreatment, and asking respectful questions. Particular emphasis will be provided around work with youth and families. Questions will be encouraged throughout and during dedicated time at the end of the session. This session supports professionals in the behavioral health realm to address barriers to service engagement and promote more positive outcomes through evidence-based practices for this population. The impact of the current policy landscape on the well-being of the LGBTQ+ community will be explored, within the context of building protective factors.
Sara Sullivan, LCHMHC, Consulting Clinical Director at NH Outright
E2 – Peers in Practice: Elevating Personal & Professional Development in Peer Support
Location coming soon!
This session will explore the connection between personal and professional development within the peer support field, moving beyond traditional conversations about self-care to examine the role of ongoing growth across the 8 Dimensions of Wellness. Peer support workers serve not only as service providers, but also as mentors, role models, and living examples of recovery, resilience, and change. Through the Peers in Practice framework developed at Archways, this presentation highlights how organizations can intentionally invest in staff wellness and personal development as a workforce and service strategy that strengthens leadership, authenticity, retention, and participant outcomes. Attendees will explore real-world examples and a case study involving a CRSW and Family Support Worker whose personal growth directly enhanced their effectiveness with participants, while also examining how this framework could be expanded to further strengthen and advance the peer support profession.
Dr. Mark Watman, Vice President and COO at Archways
Cara LaPlante, Professional Development, Wellness Coordinator, and Peer Recovery Coach at Archways
E3 – Children of Parents with Mental Illness: An Invisible and Underserved Population
Location coming soon!
This presentation will engage participants in conversations about Children of Parents with Mental Illness (CoPMI), with the goal of identifying and introducing practices to support this vulnerable and often invisible population. Examples of laws, national initiatives, and practices from England, Australia, Norway, and the U.S. will be presented. In addition, links to online training from Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust which, together with Our Time Charity, offer "KidsTime Workshops" for CoPMI and their parents will be provided. These resources can be applied for professional development, in a variety of practice settings, in program design and implementation, and to build community support and political will in support of CoPMI.
Cynthia Collea, M.Ed., MSW, LICSW, C.A.G.S
E4 – Providing Compassionate Behavioral Health: Understanding the Unique Needs of Older Adults
Location coming soon!
Join us for a dynamic workshop designed to deepen your understanding of the needs of older adults in behavioral health settings. Through the lens of intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1991), we’ll explore how overlapping identities—such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status—shape experiences beyond age alone. We will explore how ageism impacts the workforce as well as access to care for older adults navigating mental health conditions. Together, we’ll examine assessment and treatment strategies tailored to this population, featuring evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Reminiscence Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and Mindfulness. The session will also tackle a critical issue that is not always spoken about: suicidality among older adults. Older adults comprise 16.8% of the population, but they make up 22% of suicide deaths in the United States (CDC, 2025). Using a public health perspective, we’ll draw on the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (Joiner, 2005) and the Social Ecological Model (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) to guide prevention and intervention efforts. Together we will learn tools for recognizing, connecting and responding to older adults experiencing suicidal ideation (NAMI NH ConnectTM© NAMI NH, 2024). By the end of this workshop, participants will leave with practical tools, research-backed strategies, and advocacy resources to make a meaningful impact on the lives of older adults.
Meredith Kolodze, DSW, LICSW, Program Manager at NAMI NH
E5 – Lead with Impact: Clinical Supervision
Location coming soon!
In this session, participants will learn the fundamentals of ethical supervision, including what should be in a supervisory agreement, the expectations for both parties and how to have difficult conversations. We will examine the role and responsibility of the supervisor and potential liabilities.
Matthew Stone, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Compass of Hope & Infinite Learning Institute
Brittany Barberian, LCMHC, Founder of Compass of Hope & Infinite Learning Institute
E6 – Beyond the Crisis: Aligning 988 and Primary Care Systems to Improve Mental Health Care for Adolescents and Young Adults
Location coming soon!
Despite recent declines in suicide rates among youth—partly due to the implementation of 988 chat and text services—adolescents and young adults (AYA) in New Hampshire continue to face significant mental health challenges. This project focuses on improving outcomes by aligning efforts across healthcare providers, crisis services, and community organizations to create a more coordinated and effective system of care. By emphasizing collaboration, reducing fragmentation, and incorporating input from AYA advisors, this initiative aims to strengthen continuity of care from early identification through follow-up. Leveraging existing resources and a practical, evidence-based toolkit, the work seeks to increase provider confidence, improve care transitions, and ensure consistent, high-quality mental health support for all young people, especially in underserved rural areas.
Christine Arsnow, MD, FAAP, President of American Academy of Pediatrics, NH Chapter
Patrick Fitzgerald, Youth Ambassador at Connors Climb
Rachael Anderson, MSW, 988 Chat/Text Supervisor at Headrest
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Session F Workshops
F1 – Suicide Prevention in Practice: Risk Assessment & Clinical Documentation
Location coming soon!
Suicide is a complex public health issue shaped by biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors. This presentation will offer a practical framework for clinicians to enhance suicide prevention in behavioral health settings. Participants will review current trends and disparities across age, gender, and marginalized populations, with emphasis on culturally responsive care and reducing stigma. The session highlights the importance of shared clinical language to improve the accuracy and consistency of suicide risk assessment. Attendees will learn strategies for conducting collaborative, strengths-based, and fluid risk assessments that incorporate risk factors, warning signs, and meaningful protective factors. Best practices for clear, defensible clinical documentation and risk formulation will be discussed to support appropriate levels of care. The presentation also introduces Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM), emphasizing how reducing access to lethal methods during high-risk periods can save lives and strengthen safety planning and intervention outcomes.
Heather Gaylord, MS, LCMHC, CCISM, Director of Quality Assurance and Compliance at Riverbend CMHC
Melissa Stephens, MS, LCMHC, CCISM, Director of Psychiatric Emergency Services at Riverbend CMHC
F2 – Ethical Case Closure & Termination: Ending Therapy without Harm
Location coming soon!
Ethical case closure and termination are among the most high-risk and under-trained aspects of clinical practice. This session provides clinicians with a structured, ethically grounded approach to ending therapy in a way that prioritizes client welfare while reducing legal and professional risk. Participants will explore the ethical, legal, and clinical foundations that guide termination decisions, including how to differentiate between planned, client-initiated, and therapist-initiated termination. The training emphasizes the prevention of abandonment through clear frameworks for notice, continuity of care, referrals, and risk assessment. Through practical guidance and case-based application, clinicians will learn how to prepare for termination, conduct clinically sound termination sessions, and implement documentation practices that meet ethical and legal standards. Special attention is given to high-risk scenarios, therapist-initiated termination, and common factors that lead to board complaints. By the end of this training, participants will be equipped with concrete strategies to approach termination intentionally, confidently, and in alignment with professional ethical codes—ensuring that therapy ends as responsibly as it begins.
Brittany Barberian, LCMHC, Founder of Compass of Hope & Infinite Learning Institute
Annmarie Karayianes, LCMHC, Director of Clinical Services at Compass of Hope & Infinite Learning Institute
F3 – Beyond Amplification: Developing Youth Voices and Integrating Them into Mental Health Systems
Location coming soon!
Youth voice is increasingly recognized as an important component of mental health awareness efforts, yet in many settings it remains limited to storytelling or symbolic participation. While amplification is valuable, it often stops short of meaningfully influencing how young people access and engage with support. This session will explore how developing youth voice as a skillset and intentionally integrating it into school and community-based mental health systems can strengthen early identification and improve help-seeking behaviors. Drawing from Connor’s Climb Foundation’s Youth Ambassador Program in partnership with Peers Not Fears, this presentation will highlight how youth are supported to move beyond awareness into active roles that shape peer conversations, reduce stigma, and influence pathways to care. Participants will examine the gap that exists before a young person enters the behavioral health system, where peers are often the first point of contact, and consider how youth can be positioned as connectors rather than passive recipients of services. The session will also explore how adult roles must shift from directing to facilitating in order to create space for authentic youth engagement. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to more effectively develop youth voice and integrate it into existing systems, ultimately creating environments where young people feel heard, supported, and more likely to seek help.
Lindsay Gilbert, Executive Director at Connor’s Climb Foundation
Lorraine Connell, M.Ed, Founder of Peers not Fears
F4 – Boundaries in Treatment: A Shifting Landscape
Location coming soon!
Boundaries are something that are discussed a lot in mental health treatment, but what does it look like to hold different kinds of boundaries in treatment? How might that look across the spectrum of care? And, given rapidly evolving discussions on social media about "blank slate" vs dynamic and interactive clinicians, how do we ethically maintain boundaries while understanding the changing cultural and generational expectations of therapists? This training will explore types of boundaries, their impact on the therapeutic relationship, and the potential ethical and legal risks involved, as well as cultural considerations around what boundaries can look like.
Erin Chamberlain, LCMHC, Residential Clinical Director at Westbridge
F5 – Post-Incarceration Syndrome and Reentry Trauma: Implications for Behavioral Health Practice
Location coming soon!
This workshop will examine post- incarceration syndrome (PICS) and reentry trauma as conceptual frameworks for understanding behavioral health challenges following release from correctional settings. It will integrate trauma-informed care principles and reentry research to explore barriers to treatment engagement, continuity of care, and community reintegration, with implications for clinical practice.
Tammy Marie Fernandes, LCDP, LADCII, LADC, CADC, Corrections Clinician at Hillsborough County Department of Corrections
F6 – Family Treatment Court: Cross Systems Support for Families Impacted by SUD in the Abuse/Neglect Process
Location coming soon!
Families affected by parental substance use often face overwhelming challenges when they become involved with DCYF and the court system. For parents with a substance use disorder (SUD), the twelve‑month timeline to address the conditions leading to court involvement can be difficult, especially given the time needed for meaningful behavior change and recovery. Family Treatment Court (FTC) offers a coordinated, supportive approach that increases access to treatment, strengthens accountability, and improves the likelihood of safe reunification. Through a multidisciplinary team, including treatment providers, peer supports, case management, and system partners, FTC works to meet the needs of parents, children, and the family unit as early as possible. This workshop will help attendees understand the typical abuse/neglect court process, how the FTC model improves outcomes, and how participants can support these families within their own roles.
Jacqui Baker, BS, Statewide Family Treatment Court Coordinator at New Hampshire Judicial Branch
Hon. Daniel Swegart, Judicial Officer at 5th Circuit Court at New Hampshire Judicial Branch
Tonya Suarez, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker at Dartmouth Health