NAMICon 2026 Call For Proposals
Overview and Guidelines
Submission Deadline: January 21
Welcome
NAMICon 2026 will be held in Atlanta, GA, from May 28–30.
Anyone who cares about mental health is welcome to attend NAMICon, including individuals with lived experience, family members, students, community members, and mental health professionals. Many attendees are new to NAMI, while others have been involved for years. All are welcome.
Please keep this broad and diverse audience in mind when preparing your proposal.
Our Commitment to DEI
NAMI is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all programs, services, and presentations. We ask all submitters to keep this commitment in mind when preparing proposals.
You can read NAMI’s full DEI statement here: https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/Our-Commitment-to-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion
Please ensure your session content and presenters reflect the varied experiences, cultures, backgrounds, and identities represented in the NAMICon community.
Guidelines for Presenters
Session Format
Session Format
IMPACT SESSION
- A presentation, small panel discussion, or interactive discussion
- Up to 60 minutes, including live Q&A
- 1–5 presenters
Submission Guidelines
Submission Guidelines
- All submissions must be completed through this online Call for Proposals form.
- Each presenter must have complete information submitted. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
- Use inclusive and respectful language in all materials.
- Sessions cannot promote or market a company, product, or service.
- If selected, presenters may be asked to rehearse their session with NAMI producers and must be available for any assigned date or time during NAMICon.
- Successful submissions will:
- Align with a convention track
- Be interactive and engaging
- Include no more than five presenters
- Leave time for Q&A
- Offer practical, take-away ideas or skills
- Accessibility: Presentation materials must follow basic accessibility standards (clear fonts, readable contrast, and alt text for key images).
- Accuracy: Claims should be accurate and evidence-informed when possible. Please avoid overstating impact or making clinical promises.
- Disclosure of AI Use: If AI tools are used to create slides, images, or written content, please note this during your submission. This helps us understand how materials were prepared and ensures transparency.
- What not to submit:
- Sales pitches
- Promotion of unproven clinical treatments
- Content presented at recent NAMICons without significant updates
- Materials: Presentations and resources should be provided as standard files (PDF, PowerPoint, or links).
NAMI may edit session titles and descriptions for use in NAMICon materials.
Review & Selection Process
Review & Selection Process
We receive many strong proposals, but space is limited.
A committee of NAMI topic experts reviews all submissions. Proposals are evaluated using the following criteria:
1. Attendees
- Will the content interest our audience?
- Does the proposal address timely topics?
- Will the session engage participants?
2. Presenter
- Does the presenter have relevant knowledge and experience?
3. Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
- Are different perspectives represented among the presenters and in the content?
- Does the session help broaden understanding of different backgrounds and experiences?
4. Proposal Quality
- Is the title, description, and learning objectives clear and easy to understand?
- Does the proposal fit within a convention track?
- Does it support NAMI’s mission and goals?
Keynote speakers and invited presentations are selected directly by NAMI based on organizational priorities. These selections are not part of the Call for Proposals and are not open for external application.
Sharing Presentation Resources
Sharing Presentation Resources
Presenters must upload related materials (documents or links) before their session. These resources will be included in NAMICon materials for attendees after the event.
Presenters will receive a deadline for submitting materials and must follow it.
Notification Timeline
Notification Timeline
All submitters will be notified of their status in March 2026.
Presenter Registration
Presenter Registration
All accepted presenters are required to register for NAMICon. We will notify you when registration opens.
NAMI does not cover general speaker-related expenses, such as travel or presentation materials.
Session Tracks
The Science That’s Changing Mental Health Care
From discovery to better care for everyone.
Explore the latest breakthroughs in brain science, treatment, and care innovation—and what they will mean in real-world practice. This track will highlight advances that are improving outcomes, shaping systems, and informing recovery, including how data, technology, and collaboration will accelerate progress. It will offer Continuing Education opportunities and welcome anyone interested in how new research is redefining what’s possible.
The Next Generation: Youth Mental Health
Building solutions that support and empower young people.
Learn what’s shaping youth mental health today and how schools, families, clinicians, and communities will work together to respond. Sessions will feature programs and partnerships designed to reach youth where they are, expand access to care, and reflect the diverse realities of a generation growing up in a rapidly changing world.
Connections That Heal
Empowering families, caregivers, and communities in recovery.
Healing happens through connection with family, friends, and peers. This track offers strategies and shared insights to help people strengthen support systems, improve communication, and build pathways to recovery together. Sessions also explore peer support innovations, culturally grounded approaches, and community models that foster belonging and resilience.
Making Mental Health Work for Everyone
Building care that meets people where they are.
This track will focus on real-world solutions that make mental health care more responsive and accessible. Sessions will highlight efforts to close gaps, strengthen community-based supports, and design systems that meet people’s needs in their everyday lives. Participants will hear how leadership, partnership, and innovation are helping make quality care available and effective for all.
Leading the Change: Policy, Crisis, and the Future of Mental Health
Turning big ideas into lasting impact.
See how leadership, collaboration, and smart policy design will shape the future of mental health care – from protecting health care coverage to transforming crisis response and expanding access to care. Sessions will highlight impacts of a rapidly changing policy environment, policy innovation and best practices, and cross-sector partnerships that will strengthen community care and long-term recovery.
The Power of Awareness
Changing minds, sparking connection, and expanding NAMI’s reach.
Discover how storytelling, partnerships, and innovative digital engagement are changing the way people understand and talk about mental health—building trust and breaking stigma. Sessions will share ways to reach and engage more people with credible, compassionate information while ensuring the voices of lived experience remain central in every conversation. They will also explore how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, are changing the ways people find information, seek help, and connect with others.