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UNC School of Medicine | Department of Psychiatry

Annual Conference

We are excited to be hosting the annual ACT/IPS Conference on April 9th and 10th in Winston-Salem. This conference was born out of the commitment and support of the North Carolina ACT Coalition. Formed in 2006 by a small group of behavioral health agency leaders, the Coalition emerged from a shared belief that ACT in North Carolina should be implemented with integrity, collaboration, and fidelity to the model. By 2011, 88 teams across 56 agencies identified as ACT, yet only 25 teams from 17 agencies were part of the Coalition. Today, the NC ACT Coalition represents 31 agencies administering 84 teams, carrying forward its long‑standing mission to strengthen high‑fidelity ACT across the state.

From the beginning, Coalition members have come together to share information, mentor one another, elevate policy and funding issues, and bring in topic‑specific speakers to deepen collective knowledge. As this collaboration grew, so did the desire for a dedicated gathering—first as a single conference day, and eventually as the broader annual event we know today. IPS SE teams stand in lockstep with ACT in their mission to help people rebuild their lives, where getting and keeping a job can be a critical part of the recovery journey. The alignment between ACT and IPS has strengthened our statewide commitment to person‑centered, evidence‑based support, making this joint conference a natural extension of the work. The pandemic brought ACT and IPS providers together in a shared virtual space, and in 2023 we reunited in person for our first joint live ACT/IPS Conference. In addition to the continuing support of the NC ACT Coalition, NC DHHS, and UNC Department of Psychiatry, we are back once again to commune, mentor, educate, and inspire.

The priority audience is North Carolina ACT and IPS-SE providers, and other relevant stakeholders. We also extend an invitation to our neighboring states of Virginia and South Carolina.

Other interested parties are welcome to reach out to see if there is room to bring in more out-of-state guests. Contact admin@institutebestpractices.org.

We are bringing back a few favorite presenters from last year and introducing you to some new ones! We also shortened the plenary and keynotes talks, and lengthened many talks that are intended to be more practical workshops. All can be checked out in our brochure below:

2026 Conference Brochure

2026 Conference Speakers

    • Justin Volpe is kicking things off sharing his own personal story of recovery and co-facilitating a discussion about peers’ intersection and working with the justice system. Justin has been highlighted in several documentaries, including:
    • Jenny Kemper and Anna Payton are leading a workshop focused on substances of use and abuse – what they are, intoxication and withdrawal symptoms, and some treatment pearls.
    • Jordan Gully will bring her expertise on how to help people get and keep homes
    • Natalie Sprague will be discussing safety for all.
    • Marissa Holsten will be teaching practical strategies on using DBT

 

 
  • Antoine Bailliard we be teaching us how to move beyond “I don’t know” responses to dig deeper to understand their interests.
  • Candice Cartner will be teaching us how to draw upon CBT to address a variety of “stuck” moments.

 
  • Steve Smith is returning to talk about how teams can reasonably support what they may view as “risks” in an effort to help people change and grow.
  • Karon Johnson is back to talk about creating  a sense of community and spiritual practice
  • Bodi Bodenhamer will be sharing their peer perspective as it relates to understanding suicide and psychosis.
Professional head-shot of a woman with blurred outdoor background.

 
  • Lorna Moser will leading a workshop on making that ACT daily team meeting work for you.

 
  • Hillary Faulk Vaughan is sharing wisdom about building a culture within the team and agency that prioritizes helping people get and keep employment as a core part of recovery.

 
  • Our very own Stacy Smith will close the conference sharing 40ish lessons from working in the human service field for 40ish years.

2026 Conference Panels

 
  • Jacob Schonberg is facilitating a panel on avoiding Peer Specialist Drift;
  • Erin Galloway is facilitating a panel on Team Leadership; and

 
  • Penny Liles is facilitating a panel on Job Development and Job Search Tips

2025 Conference Feedback

 

“I really enjoyed meeting other employment specialist and learning from and with them. This conference was a blast!”

“The ACT Conference was wonderful, it was a great way to network and learn more about ACT from in a wide range of ways.”

“This was the best conference that I have attended since I started 4 years ago. The location was amazing, the information presented was relevant to both ACT and IPS, and the timing of everything was perfect.”