CALL FOR PROPOSALS

#Accept, Advocate, Act

Thank you for your interest in being a presenter at the National Federation of Families' 2024 Conference. The National Federation welcomes proposals from professionals, family members, and youth who support the well-being of our children—of all ages—and promote family voice.

The National Federation is looking for 60-minute proposals and a very limited number of 2-hour intensive workshop proposals.

The goal of our conference is to offer families and professionals the opportunity to:

Network, become partners, and to learn from each other’s experience.
Learn about ways to improve policy and enhance practices for families whose children have or are at risk of experiencing behavioral health and/or substance use challenges.
Acquire skills and strategies that will improve outcomes for families and their children.

Gain knowledge of best practices, and latest research in children’s mental health, substance use and related fields.
Enrich understanding of different perspectives and common goals in support of all children, youth, and families.

We welcome proposals that align with our theme, tracks, and National Core Competencies.

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Areas of focus

Accept - Proposals will explore strategies to enhance the acceptance of families and their children of all ages, who are experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges.
Advocate - Topics will include enhanced understanding of how to effectively advocate for equity, inclusion, and parity in all family-serving systems.
Act - Proposals that tell lived experience stories of moving beyond advocacy into action and accountability for child, adult, and family system transformation.

Tracks

Justice / Equity / Diversity / Inclusion - JEDI

The principles of JEDI, with an emphasis on families and their children, will be the focus of this track. Topics will include approaches to effectively advocate for equity, inclusion, and parity in child, family, and adult systems. This track will also include presentations that center on social justice issues—equitable rights, equitable access, equitable opportunity, equitable treatment—in organizational missions and the work they do to support families.

Supporting Families and their Children Through the Lifespan

Topics include family engagement, navigating systems, developing authentic partnerships between families and providers, and the importance of understanding and accepting individuals who experience mental health and/or substance use challenges in all settings—homes, schools, community environments, the justice system, health care, research.

Supporting Families with Co-occurring Challenges

Proposals should address evidence-based, practice–based, and community relevant topics that help families, the workforce that supports families and their children, family-run organizations, and communities understand, discuss, address, and prevent intersecting mental health and substance use challenges.

Lessons from the Field

Presentations will highlight strategies and practices that are proving successful in supporting, educating, and engaging families and their children of all ages. Innovations, collaborations, and lessons learned will inform participants.

Emerging Youth and Young Adult Leaders / Youth Workforce Development

Designing pathways for developing leadership skills and qualities in the next generation are essential. This can include programs, organizations, policies, and/or strategies that center youth voice, integrate and support youth as leaders, and promote sustainability by mentoring youth to take the reins on advocacy work. Presentations demonstrating Youth and Family Peers working in partnership to support families are particularly encouraged.

Workforce Development

The focus of this track is the creation of a strong, healthy, and sustainable workforce to support families and their children. Presentations about career development within the Family Peer Workforce, peer drift, strategies for organizational wellness and sustainability, mentorship, and collaboration with partnering organizations and agencies will be prioritized.

Please be sure to read the Call for Proposal & Presenter Requirements prior to submitting your proposal.

May 1st: Proposal submission deadline.
May 30th: Proposal decisions will be made, and presenters will be notified.
July 14th: Accepted presenters and co-presenters must be registered online and paid in full.
September 13th: All changes to presenter names and presentation descriptions are due.
October 18th: Presenters are responsible for uploading electronic PDF handouts to the conference app or emailing them to conference@ffcmh.org so they can be made available to conference attendees via the conference app.

Prior to completing an application to present at the conference, please be sure that you will be able to commit to the presenter expectations and deadlines.

Note: A unique session link will be emailed to presenters so they may add their bios, edit their session information, and upload presentations materials/handouts.

Important Deadlines to Remember