BHE One-Day Summit

BHE will host a one-day summit, “Hot Topics: Trends and Challenges in Behavioral Healthcare” on May 29, 2026, virtually via Zoom..

Call for Presentation Proposals

The BHE team invites you to submit an abstract for a 60-minute workshop, which will consist of 50 minutes of presentation and 10 minutes for questions and answers.

Topics for submission can include (but are not limited to): integrated behavioral and physical health, digital health and AI innovations, unique therapeutic interventions, youth and family, workforce wellbeing and burnout, mental health parity and policy shifts, addiction-related issues, harm reduction, and inclusivity and equity in behavioral health.

Proposals must be received by February 27, 2026. All proposals will be considered, but only a limited number can be selected. All submissions will be peer reviewed by a committee of experts in the field of behavioral health. Proposals will be evaluated based on relevance to the summit theme, originality, clarity, and potential impact. Notifications of proposal acceptance will be emailed to presenters by March 13, 2026.

Please note: Although presenters will not be financially compensated for their presentations, all presenters are invited to attend the entirety of the summit, earning the maximum number of continuing education credits free of charge.

Submit a proposal

Important Dates

• Proposal submission deadline: February 27, 2026
• Notification of acceptance: March 13, 2026
  • You will be assigned a one-hour time slot during the Summit.
  • You will be expected to arrive at least 15 minutes early for preparation and technology set up.
• Submission of materials: May 1, 2026
  • All completed presentation materials MUST be submitted to BHE by this date. Presentation materials include a copy of your PowerPoint file along with any handouts. (Drexel will create a six-slides-per-page handout of your presentation unless you direct us otherwise.)
  • Note: Your PowerPoint file will not be shared with attendees; it is used by BHE only as a backup in the event of technical issues on the presenter's end.
• Summit date: May 29, 2026

Annual BHE Forensic Rights and Treatment Conference

For more than 30 years, BHE has hosted the Pennsylvania Forensic Rights and Treatment Conference. Each year, we offer a dynamic virtual educational event that addresses a wide variety of forensic topics related to behavioral health. Our webinar-based conferences have been highly reviewed, including by one attendee who wrote that our event is “the gold standard of virtual conferences.”

The 2025 theme for the conference was "Contemporary Issues Impacting Forensic Services," which was held December 10-11, 2025. The conference offered a variety of educational sessions, including plenary presentations on cultural considerations, hip hop counseling, traumatic brain injuries and fetal alcohol syndrome. Our workshops widely varied, including sessions on trauma-informed care, intimate partner violence, peer supports, motivational interviewing, HIV linkages, neurodivergence, aging in prison and several others. 

We also celebrated award recipients, who are listed below. Congratulations to all of our honorees!

2025 Award Honorees

• 2025 Forensic Rights and Treatment Award - Mariah J. Zur, MS, LPC, CCTP NCC
• 2025 Forensic Rights and Treatment Award – Tyanna Marge, CRS, CFRS, CPS, CCHW, Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association (PMHCA)
• 2025 Lance Couturier Award – Michelle McGee, PSS, SCI Mahanoy
• Distinctive Contributions Award – Virginia Mastrine, OMHSAS (retired), Former Conference Committee Member
• Distinctive Leadership Award – Lucas D. Malishchak, DBA, Deputy Secretary of Reentry, PA Department of Corrections
• The Forensic Conference Champion Award – Donna McNelis, PhD

More information about the 2025 program is available in the conference brochure.

Details for the 2026 conference will be shared in the fall 2026. 

All questions and inquiries can be sent to Yolanda Ramirez at yr23@drexel.edu.

Annual RCPA Conference

Thank you to all who joined BHE at the 2025 Rehabilitation & Community Providers Association (RCPA) Conference, September 9-12, 2025, at Hershey Lodge and Conference Center!

BHE has worked collaboratively with RCPA for more than 20 years in many roles, including as the continuing education provider for the annual RCPA Conference. This event is one of the most well-attended weeklong behavioral healthcare events in the Commonwealth. Attendees, sponsors and exhibitors look forward to this event every year. 

Visit the RCPA Conference website.

Questions About Our Conferences?

If you have questions about any of our events, please call our registrar at 215.991.8870.