2023 Conference Information

Join us for IMHCA’s 17th Annual Conference

A Field of Opportunities: Cultivating the Art of Clinical Counseling

April 19-21, 2023

Wednesday, April 19, 2023 – Pre-Conference Sessions (online only)

Thursday, April 20th & Friday, April 21st, 2023 (main program)

Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel (in person) and Whova (online)

1800 50th St. West Des Moines, IA 50266

515-223-1800

IMHCA is grateful to our conference sponsors!

If you would like to be a sponsor, follow this link Sponsorships >> or contact Lindsay Stack via email at: lkalvig@yahoo.com

Platinum Sponsor:

 

Gold Sponsors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to be an exhibitor at the conference, find more information and sign up here: Exhibitors >> or contact contact Lindsay Stack via email at: lkalvig@yahoo.com

Meet our Speakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a detailed description of the program with session descriptions, objectives, and biographies of presenters, please click here.

About the Conference
The IMHCA Conference is a state-wide professional conference focused on licensed mental health counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists. IMHCA members, mental health counseling students, and other mental health professionals gather to share their expertise at this conference. Take this opportunity to get involved and share your work with your colleagues. IMHCA is an approved continuing education provider (ACEP) for NBCC. As an NBCC ACEP provider, IMHCA is responsible for ensuring that all aspects of our continuing education offerings comply with the NBCC Continuing Education Provider Policy. The IMHCA Conference also provides continuing education hours for alcohol and drug counseling professionals certified through Iowa Board of Certification. Please note that the IMHCA Conference is unable to provide CEs for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors certified through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification this year. Tentative schedule indicates approximately 12 continuing education hours for LMHC’s, LMFT’s, Social Workers, and CADCs/IADCs. Additionally, a 3-hour ethics session for satisfying ethics licensure requirements will be provided through the pre-conference session online Wednesday evening. 

Pre-Conference sessions this year include a choice between Ethics and Documentation; offered virtually through Whova on Wednesday, April 19th from 5:30-8:30pm.

The 2023 IMHCA Conference will be a hybrid conference; held live at the West Des Moines Sheraton and available virtually through Whova on Thursday, April 20th and Friday, April 21st.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Sheraton. Please call 1-888-627-8043 and mention “Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association Annual Conference” to receive a discounted rate of $124/night. Reservations must be made by March 29, 2023 to receive the discounted rate.

Click here to make your reservation online.

 

Schedule:

DAY ONE: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 – Virtual Pre-Conference – 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm (3 CEs)

DAY TWO: Thursday, April 20, 2023
7:15 am – 8:15 am: Registration
8:15 am – 8:30 am: Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:45 am – 12:00 pm: Keynote Session #1 (3 CEs) (break from 10:00-10:15am)

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Exhibitors, Lunch and IMHCA Board Meeting

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Breakout Session #2 (90 minutes; 1.5 CEs)
3:00 pm – 3:15 pm: Break
3:15 pm – 4:45 pm Breakout Session #3 (90 minutes; 1.5 CEs)
4:45 pm: Networking Event

DAY THREE: Friday, April 21, 2023
7:15 am – 8:15 am: Registration
8:15 am – 8:30 am: Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:45 am – 10:15 am: Breakout Session #4 (90 minutes; 1.5 CEs)
10:30 am – 12:00 pm: Breakout Session #5 (90 minutes; 1.5 CEs)

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Lunch Break

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Breakout Session #6 (90 minutes; 1.5 CEs)
2:30 pm –2:45 pm: Break
2:45 pm – 4:15 pm Breakout Session #7 (90 minutes; 1.5 CEs)

 

Register for the conference: Register >>

IMCHA recognizes the service, dedication, and excellent work of LMHC’s and mental health advocates across the state of Iowa.  We encourage you to nominate yourself or someone else to recognize their outstanding contributions to the profession by March 31, 2023!  Awards >>

There are a limited number of scholarships available for a free 2023 Conference. Scholarships are supported by platinum sponsors. Special consideration will be made for those who self-identify as BIPOC or as affiliated with BIPOC-owned business in mental health. Deadline to apply is March 1, 2023. Scholarship >>

There are a limited number of volunteer positions available during the 2023 Conference which allow the volunteer to attend the conference free (note: you will be volunteering at times which means you will not be in attendance at all sessions and will not receive the full number of CEs). Deadline to apply is March 15, 2023. Volunteer >>

CE Hours: Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 2060. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. IMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

IMHCA determined that this conference meets the criteria for the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science Examiners and the Iowa Board of Social Work Examiners for 15 hours of continuing education (CE Hours) for mental health counselors and 15 hours continuing education (CE Hours) for marriage and family therapists and social workers. This includes 3.0 hours of CE Hours for Ethics if you attend the ethics related workshop on Wednesday evening.

ATTN NCC’s: This conference has been submitted for approval (NBCC Provider #2060) for 15.0 CE contact hours (1.2 CEU’s) including 3.0 contact hours of Ethics if you attend the ethics related workshop.

CADC/IBC: This conference has been submitted for approval by the Iowa Board for Certification for 15 CE contact hours (Category A: Counseling Theories or Generic).

 

Call for programs for the 2024 conference will be announced in early fall 2023. We would love to have you, submit your proposal to present at our conference here! We appreciate those who dedicate their time and effort to educating the mental health professionals across Iowa. Submission Deadline will be: November 30, 2023. For additional guidelines and topics of interest, please wait for additional updates in fall 2023!