2026 Montana Behavioral Health Conference

Building a better behavioral health system for Montana, together. Presented by NAMI Montana and DPHHS.
Wednesday, October 21st

🕑: 05:00 PM
Conference Registration
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Lincoln Art Show and Reception Sponsored by Frontier Psychiatry
🕑: 08:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Let's Play Bingo!!
Thursday, October 22nd

🕑: 08:00 AM
Conference Registration
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:15 AM
Members of NAMI Montana and NAMI Bozeman welcome everyone
Welcome Through Song: Thomas Camel LCPC
Host: Tom Camel

Info: Thomas Camel LCPC offers welcome singing and drumming. Thomas is a member of the
Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes,
Vietnam veteran, former counselor, cultural
consultant, and volunteer for Missoula
Veterans Court.

🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM
General Session: Family Peer Support in Montana
Host: Beth Ayers

Info: Family Peer Support Specialists in Montana.
One Mother’s Journey

🕑: 10:45 AM - 11:45 AM
General Session: Strengthening NAMI Today While Building for the Future
Host: Mike Wood

Info: Mike discusses his personal journey to NAMI and the organization's work across the United States.

🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:50 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
General Session: Understanding Dementia
Host: Dr. Charles DeCarli MD

Info: Understanding dementia and how it integrates or doesn't with behavioral health and the behavioral health system.

🕑: 02:15 PM - 03:15 PM
General Session: Montana Behavioral Health Advisory Council
Host: Montana Behavioral Health Advisory Council

Info: A statewide effort to improve Montana's behavioral health
system.

🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Breakout Sessions
Host: Mike Wood and Maggie Woznicki - Strengthening NAMI
🕑: 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM
Banquet

Info: NAMI Montana Hero Award, Lincoln Art Show Results, and Presentation of NAMI Montana's "Understanding Mental Health: Mental Health for Health Class" video by the Director Peter Tolton

Friday, October 23rd

🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
General Session: AWARE Inc. - Caring for Montanans
Host: Matt Bugni

Info: Providing Mental Health and Developmental Disability Care across Montana. Working for today. Building for tomorrow.

🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
General Session: Facilitated Discussion About Care System
Host: Dr. Jen Preble DSW, LCSW

Info: Facilitated discussion on Montana's Behavioral Health System, helping understand where we are and where we want to go.

🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Breakout Sessions
Host: Dr. Adriann Buckles PhD, MPH -Native Mental Health
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch
🕑: 01:15 PM
Door Prizes Drawings, Must Be Present to Win