Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is proud to host its inaugural Mental Health Equity Convening. This gathering will bring together senior-level staff and volunteer leaders from mental health organizations working to support historically marginalized communities. This year’s theme is Radical Hope, Sustainable Collaboration.
Mental Health Equity Convening
November 13–14, 2025
Thursday, Nov 13 | 6:00–9:00 PM: Welcome Dinner
Friday, Nov 14 | 8:00 AM–3:00 PM: Roundtable Sessions & More
Impact House
200 W. Madison St, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL
Event Objectives
- Bring together staff, volunteers, and leaders from smaller, national mental health organizations focused on providing access, support, and resources to historically marginalized communities.
- Identify opportunities to share resources and collaborate to better support the mental health needs of those we collectively serve.
- Explore ways to create ongoing and future convenings as a united group.
Agenda
Day 1: Thursday, November 13th: Welcome Dinner – 6:00pm to 9:00pm (Location TBD)
Day 2: Friday, November 14th: Interactive Roundtable Sessions @ Impact House, 2nd Floor – 8:00am to 3:00pm
Registration
Please register by Friday, October 17, 2025.
Lodging
Attendees are responsible for arranging their own lodging. For your convenience, DBSA has provided a short list of recommended hotels below. (Meals will be provided by DBSA)
- Hyatt Place Chicago / Downtown – Loop
28 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60606, USA
Book your stay - The Allegro Royal Sonesta
171 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601
Book your stay
Keynote Speaker
Altha Stewart, MD
Altha J. Stewart, MD, Senior Associate Dean for Community Health Engagement at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in community and public mental health, trauma-informed care, and health equity. She is the founding director of the Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-Being and director of Public and Community Psychiatry at UTHSC, where she leads efforts to expand the behavioral health workforce, increase access to family and peer support, and build systems of care for children’s mental health. Over her nearly 40-year career, Dr. Stewart has led major public mental health systems in New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, and in 2017 became the first African American president of the American Psychiatric Association. She continues to shape the field through leadership roles, groundbreaking initiatives addressing trauma and health disparities, and service on numerous national and local boards, earning widespread recognition and prestigious awards for her impact.
Sponsors
