Call for Programs Submission Form

2024 Conference Call for Programs

Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA)
18th Annual Conference

Dates TBD

Submission Deadline: November 30, 2023 (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 17th 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 IMHCAconference@gmail.com

About the Conference
The IMHCA Conference is proud to provide a 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. Tentative schedule indicates approximately 15 continuing education hours for LMHC’s, LMFT’s, and Social Workers. Additionally, a 3-hour ethics session for satisfying ethics licensure requirements will be provided.

Submission Guidelines

• Presentations must be received by November 30, 2023
• 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 at the bottom of this page.
• 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 in December 2023.
• 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, EMDR, EFT or treatments addressing specific disorders
• Specialty with specific populations/diagnoses (Adoption/Foster Care, Men’s mental health, Geriatric/Elderly, Personality Disorders,
• Eating disorders, binge eating, referral and collaboration with other professionals
• Telehealth techniques, billing, best practices and engagement
• LGBTQ+ topics – parents, social justice
• Sexual Health and Sexuality
• Substance Abuse and Addictions
• Couples Therapy, Family Therapy, Group Therapy
• Somatic Therapy
• 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
515-822-1269
IMHCAconference@gmail.com