Staying ahead in the behavioral health and addiction medicine sectors requires more than just clinical expertise; it demands a pulse on policy changes, digital health innovations, and the latest evidence-based treatments.
The 2026 conference circuit is shaping up to be particularly robust, with major associations converging in key hubs like San Francisco, Chicago, and San Diego. Whether you are a psychiatrist looking to earn CME credits, an executive seeking value-based care strategies, or a peer specialist building community, next year’s calendar offers pivotal opportunities for connection.
Here are the top behavioral health and addiction medicine conferences to attend in 2026, curated by date and specialization.
January
January 7, 2026
Evive Summit 2026 | East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Evive Summit 2026 is a premier industry conference dedicated to drug rehabilitation and addiction treatment. It is designed as a high-impact networking and business development gathering for ownership-level leaders and decision-makers within the recovery sector.
Target Audience: C-level executives, owners, and key decision-makers in the drug rehab and addiction treatment industry.
Primary Goal: To connect facility owners with solution providers, expand market reach, and discuss the future of the addiction recovery landscape.
January 15-16, 2026
Behavioral Health Management Conference | Las Vegas, Nevada
The 2026 Behavioral Health Management Conference is an upcoming industry event focused on integrating behavioral health into the broader healthcare continuum. It serves as a forum for healthcare executives to discuss strategies for improving patient outcomes, reducing costs, and implementing value-based care models.
Target Audience: Senior-level executives and decision-makers from across the healthcare ecosystem.
Primary Goal: The conference will address the increasing pressure on providers and health plans to manage behavioral health effectively.
January 29-30, 2026
Annual Gulf Coast Social Work Conference | Biloxi, Mississippi / Virtual
The Annual Gulf Coast Social Work Conference is a continuing education event designed for social workers and mental health professionals. It offers a hybrid format, allowing attendees to participate either in person or virtually.
Target Audience: Social Workers (ASWB ACE), Psychologists (APA), MFTs, LPCs, and Addiction Professionals.
Accreditation: Jointly accredited by ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC. Attendees can earn 13 CE Hours.
January 27-February 1, 2026
2026 APsA National Meeting | San Francisco, California
The 2026 APsA National Meeting is an upcoming conference organized by the American Psychoanalytic Association. There are specialized program tracks for Candidates and Psychotherapists. With Presentations by Donnel Stern, Ph.D. (Jan 30): Presenting on “What Does ‘Unconscious’ Mean? Unformulated Experience and the Interpersonal Field.” and Ken Corbett, Ph.D. (Jan 31): Presenting on “Who’s Your Daddy? The Primal Father, Kinship, and the Ethics of Care.”
Target Audience: Social Workers (ASWB ACE), Psychologists (APA), MFTs, LPCs, and Addiction Professionals.
Primary Goal: The event is designed for mental health professionals, including psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, candidates (students/trainees in psychoanalysis), and researchers interested in psychoanalytic theory and practice.
Accreditation: Continuing Education (CME/CE) credits, including specific sessions on Risk Management and Cultural Competency.
March
March 4-6, 2026
BHB Value Conference | Orlando, Florida
The BHB VALUE Conference is a leading industry event focused on the future of value-based care in the behavioral health sector. The conference is dedicated to value-based care in behavioral health. It serves as a forum for industry executives to discuss payment models, regulatory shifts, and strategies for moving away from fee-for-service toward value-driven, patient-centered care.
Target Audience: Behavioral health care providers, Payers, insurers and health systems, Investors and capital providers, Technology providers
March 9-10, 2026
International Conference on Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder | Miami, Florida
The conference claims to bring together academic scientists, researchers, and scholars to exchange experiences and research results. The stated scope covers all aspects of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder.
Target Audience: Academic researchers Psychologists and Psychiatrists Students and Educators in behavioral health.
Primary Goal: The conference will address the increasing pressure on providers and health plans to manage behavioral health effectively.
March 19-22, 2026
2026 Psychotherapy Networker Symposium | Washington, D.C.
A celebrated gathering for psychotherapists to connect, learn, and rejuvenate. It focuses on practical clinical workshops, creativity, and the latest advances in the field. Deep-dive sessions on topics like Trauma, Anxiety, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Couples Therapy, and Ethics.
Target Audience: Opportunities to connect with over 5,000 colleagues and industry experts
Accreditation: Attendees can earn up to a year’s worth of CE credits.
April
April 9-11, 2026
Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA) Annual Conference | Chicago, Ilinois
The ADAA Annual Conference 2026 is organized by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. It brings together over 1,000 professionals to discuss advancements in the treatment and research of anxiety, depression, and related disorders.
Target Audience: Clinicians, researchers, and students in the fields of mental health, counseling, social work, and psychology
April 9-11, 2026
American Counseling Association (ACA) Conference & Expo | Columbus, Ohio
The 2026 ACA Conference & Expo is the premier professional development and networking event for counselors, organized by the American Counseling Association. The conference focuses on energizing and inspiring counselors through thought-provoking presentations and advocacy opportunities.
Target Audience: Professional counselors, students, and mental health experts.
Primary Goal: To provide education, facilitate networking with peers and experts, and advocate for the counseling community and clients.
April 9-11, 2026
Addiction Medicine Conference | Asheville, North Carolina
The 2026 Addiction Medicine Conference (also referred to as the Spring Conference) is a premier event for healthcare professionals focused on substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and addiction medicine.
Target Audience: Physicians Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) Nurses, Pharmacists, Social Workers, and Counselors Other healthcare providers in the addiction medicine field
Primary Goal: To provide clinically relevant knowledge and skills regarding substance use disorders for professionals working across various healthcare settings.
April 23-26, 2026
ASAM 57th Annual Conference | San Diego, California
The ASAM 57th Annual Conference is the flagship annual meeting of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. The conference showcases best practices, the latest science, and innovations in addiction treatment. It serves as a primary hub for networking and education in the field and a large exhibit hall featuring treatment centers, pharmaceutical companies, and technology vendors.
Target Audience: This is the nation’s defining conference for addiction medicine specialists, including physicians, clinicians, researchers, and academicians.
Accreditations: Attendees can earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits.
April 30-May 2, 2026
Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction | Kansas City, MO
The 14th Annual Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction Conference (CPA2026) is heading to Kansas City, Missouri! From April 30 to May 2, 2026, we will convene at the Westin Kansas City at Crown Center to explore the theme: “Addiction in Context: Addressing Social Determinants and Structural Drivers Through Interdisciplinary Science.” We invite experts from diverse fields to submit proposals and help advance this critical dialogue.
Target Audience: Researchers, Practitioners and Healthcare Systems
Accreditations: CE credits will be available for symposia (facilitated via CE GO) for an additional fee.
May
May 1-2, 2026
Mental Illness Conferences in Honolulu | Honolulu, Hawaii
This conference series in Honolulu aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers, and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of mental health and wellness. It provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of mental health and wellness.
Target Audience: Clinicians, researchers, and students in the fields of mental health, counseling, social work, and psychology
May 3-7, 2026
Mental Health America of Oregon Peerpocalypse! 2026 | Seaside, Oregon
Peerpocalypse 2026 is the upcoming annual conference hosted by the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO). It is a premier gathering for leaders, innovators, and individuals in the peer support community, focusing on mental health, addiction, and recovery. The conference is dedicated to the philosophy that peers—individuals with lived experience in mental illness and/or addiction—bring unique expertise to the field. Its primary goals are to share knowledge, build community and celebrate recovery.
Target Audience: Certified Peer Support Specialists (peer workers) People with lived experience of mental health or substance use challenges Allies, clinicians, and agency leaders Advocates for behavioral health policy
Accreditations: Attendees can typically earn CEUs for workshops and keynotes.
May 4-6, 2026
NAATP National 2026 – 47th Annual National Addiction Leadership Conference | Amelia Island, FL
The National Addiction Leadership Conference (NAATP National) is the premier annual gathering for executives and decision-makers in the addiction treatment field. Organized by the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), the event focuses on operational excellence, evidence-based practices, and industry ethics.
Target Audience: CEOs, COOs, and Executive Directors of treatment centers Clinical Directors and Medical Directors Marketing and Business Development Executives Industry vendors and service providers
Primary Goal: Featured keynotes from Marvin Ventrell (NAATP CEO), Dr. Claudia Black (Trauma & Addiction), and Miles Adcox (Rebel Leadership). Sessions covered outcomes tracking (FoRSE), workforce talent acquisition, and public policy advocacy.
May 16-20, 2026
American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting | San Francisco, California
Centered on the theme “Empowering The Psychiatric Workforce: Taking Control of Our Practices One Step at a Time,” the event will offer a hybrid format with both in-person sessions at the Moscone Center and virtual attendance options. The meeting features a robust agenda of over 400 educational sessions, new research poster presentations, and clinical trial updates designed to help professionals navigate the evolving landscape of mental health care. Registration is currently open, and the deadline for new research poster submissions is January 8, 2026.
Target Audience: Medical professionals and researchers in the field of psychiatry, but it also attracts a broad range of mental health stakeholders.
May 26-30, 2026
ACHA 2026 Annual Meeting | Denver, Colorado
This is the premier gathering for college health and wellness professionals. It attracts nearly 2,000 attendees, including administrators, clinicians, and wellness advocates from higher education institutions. Features over 150 sessions focused on state-of-the-art programs, research updates, and compliance guidelines for student health.
Target Audience: Administrators, Clinicians, Wellness Advocates, Researchers, Practitioners and Healthcare Systems
Accreditations: Attendees can earn Continuing Education (CE) credits.
May 28-30, 2026
West Coast Symposium | Palm Springs, California
Now in its 17th year, the West Coast Symposium is a premier gathering for addiction treatment and behavioral health professionals. The 2026 event focuses on “Empowering Change, Encouraging Connection, Embracing Recovery.” It is designed to provide cutting-edge education, innovative strategies, and networking opportunities to strengthen the collective fight against addiction.
Target Audience: Counselors and Therapists Social Workers Interventionists Treatment Center Executives Business Development Representatives
Accreditations: The event features 3 days of sessions led by national experts, offering CME/CE credits.
