Call for Programs Submission Form

2022 Conference Call for Programs

Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA)
16th Annual Conference

Thursday, April 21st & Friday, April 22nd, 2022

Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel

1800 50th St. West Des Moines, IA 50266

515-223-1800

Submission Deadline: November 30, 2021 (submission form below)

IMHCA members and mental health professionals are invited to submit a proposal to present a 90-minute or 3-hour breakout session on a mental health counseling topic at the 16th Annual IMHCA Conference. If you have any problems filling out the program submission form please contact IMHCA’s Continuing Education Chair, Rachel Swanson, at IMHCAcontinuingeduc@gmail.com or the conference chair Rebecca Spiess at IMHCAcontinuingeduc@gmail.com

About the Conference
The IMHCA Conference is the only state-wide professional conference for licensed mental health counselors. 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 and for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors certified through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. Tentative schedule indicates approximately 12 continuing education hours for LMHC’s, LMFT’s, Social Workers, CADCs/IADCs, and CRCs. Additionally, a 3-hour ethics session for satisfying ethics licensure requirements will be provided. 

Submission Guidelines

• Presentations must be received by November 30, 2021
• Incomplete information may result in presentations being excluded from the conference committee review process.
• You will be asked to indicate the intended audience for your presentation (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced).

• Beginner: 80% of your presentation is background, research, or theory-based information with some application, intended for participants new to this topic.
• Intermediate: 50% of your presentation is background, research, or theory-based information and 50% application, intended for participants familiar with and have some experience in this topic.
• Advanced: Your presentation is 80+% application intended for participants with background knowledge and experience in this topic.

Oral Presentation Format

• Presentations can be either 90 minutes, or 3 hours (including Q/A).
• Presentation should be designed to be interactive and produce identifiable outcomes.
• Presentations may be made by single or multiple presenters, or in panel formats.

Next Steps

• Submissions must be made through the IMHCA website. You will find the online program submission form here: https://imhca.net/call-for-programs-submission-form/
• IMHCA will acknowledge receipt of proposal applications by email within 7 days.
• If you do not receive an email acknowledgment within 7 days of submission of your program, please contact IMHCA’s Conference Committee Chair, Rebecca Spiess, at IMHCAconference@gmail.com or IMHCA’s Continuing Education Chair, Rachel Swanson, at IMHCAcontinuingeduc@gmail.com

Abstract Review Process

• The IMHCA Conference Planning Committee will review all presentations that have been submitted with complete information.
• Presentations will be selected based on topic, speaker qualifications on the topic, and intended audience.
• The Committee will send notification by email to the main presenter indicating acceptance or rejection.
• The main presenter will be responsible for notifying others participating in the program of the outcome.

Presenters will receive a complimentary conference registration. Complimentary registrations are limited to two for team presentations. All accepted presenters will need to register for the conference.

Possible presentation topics based on attendee feedback:

• Specialty treatments such as ACT, DBT, IFS or treatments addressing specific disorders, sports psychology
• Eating disorders, binge eating, referral and collaboration with other professionals
• Telehealth techniques, billing, best practices and engagement
• LGBTQ+ topics – parents, social justice
• Race and Equity – policy, practice, ethical considerations; multicultural issues and serving diverse populations
• Neurodevelopmental diagnoses or Neuropsychology and the interactions with mental health diagnoses, assessment, and treatment – intellectual disability, brain injury, developmental disabilities, autism, PANDAS, etc.
• Pastoral counseling and faith-based practices – how to incorporate, when to refer
• Supervision
• Business practices for agencies and independent practice
• Ethics
• School based mental health practices

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.

Contact Information
Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA)
P.O. Box 8233
Des Moines, IA 50301
www.imhca.net

Rebecca Spiess, LMHC
Conference Committee Chair, IMHCA
515-556-8933
IMHCAconference@gmail.com