2026 Program | Future of Mental Healthcare

Future of Mental Healthcare

Reimagining the Next Generation of Care

4/27/2026 - April 28, 2026

The Future of Mental Healthcare Series returns to Boston, MA this April to continue its mission of advancing the development of the next-generation care in behavioral health. Built around high-quality learning and networking opportunities, the Future of Mental Healthcare Summit will once again bring together leaders from providers, payers, tech, associations, and more, to house the defining discussions of the field. This is your chance to be part of these crucial conversations. This event explores the future of mental health care through themes of innovation, leadership, and collaborationâ€”highlighting advancements in access, quality, technology (including AI), prevention, youth mental health, integrated care, and sustainable, outcome-driven models for a rapidly evolving landscape. The Future of Mental Healthcare Summitâ€™s commitment to quality ensures that all interactions at the event can be as impactful as possible. The curated audience size and senior profile, as well as networking tools, will allow all attendees to meet with relevant peers and have meaningful discussions with key decision-makers from across the industry. Whether itâ€™s exchanging ideas, cultivating new partnerships, or understanding whatâ€™s next, attendees will leave with real actionable insights that will help move the needle in their own work. The need for an improved mental healthcare system is showing no signs of slowing down and it is therefore essential that we come together to ensure we are working in unison to accelerate new-care models and tools into the hands of patients faster than ever before.

Monday, April 27

Day 1
Day 2

7:15 AM

Registration Open

8:00 AM

Networking Breakfast

9:00 AM

Organizer's Welcome Remarks

CHARTING THE COURSEâ€”LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY & SYSTEMS TRANSFORMATION: SETTING THE VISION FOR THE NEXT ERA OF MENTAL HEALTHCAREâ€”FROM NATIONAL STRATEGY TO SYSTEMIC INNOVATION

9:05 AM

Chairperson's Welcome RemarksÂ

Debbie Witchey, President & CEO, The Association of Behavioral Health & Wellness , President & Chief Executive Officer , Association for Behavioral Health & Wellness

Panel Moderator:

9:10 AM

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Navigating the Next Era of Mental Healthcare: Adapting to a Rapidly Changing Landscape

Photo of Jennifer Cullen, President, Behavioral Services, Beth Israel Lahey Health , President, Behavioral Services , Beth Israel Lahey Health — Jennifer Cullen, President, Behavioral Services, Beth Israel Lahey Health , President, Behavioral Services , Beth Israel Lahey Health

Panelists:

Photo of Sadie Elisseou, Co-Founder, National VA Trauma-Informed Care Colloborative, VA Boston Healthcare System , CEO and Founder , Trauma-Informed Practices, LLC — Sadie Elisseou, Co-Founder, National VA Trauma-Informed Care Colloborative, VA Boston Healthcare System , CEO and Founder , Trauma-Informed Practices, LLC

Photo of Mark Friedlander, MD, CMO, Behavioral Health, UHS of Delaware, Inc. , CMO , Behavioral Health , UHS of Delaware Inc — Mark Friedlander, MD, CMO, Behavioral Health, UHS of Delaware, Inc. , CMO , Behavioral Health , UHS of Delaware Inc

Photo of Victor Pinkes, MD, Senior Medical Director, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) , MD, Senior Medical Director , Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI — Victor Pinkes, MD, Senior Medical Director, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) , MD, Senior Medical Director , Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI

Photo of Lee Robinson, MD, Associate Chief for Behavioral Health, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services , MD, Associate Chief for Behavioral Health , Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services — Lee Robinson, MD, Associate Chief for Behavioral Health, Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services , MD, Associate Chief for Behavioral Health , Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services

9:50 AM

Leading with Purpose:Â A Conversation on the Future of Mental Healthcare

Photo of Cara McNulty, CEO, Vibrant Emotional Health , President, Behavioral Health & Mental Wellbeing , Vibrant Emotional Health — Cara McNulty, CEO, Vibrant Emotional Health , President, Behavioral Health & Mental Wellbeing , Vibrant Emotional Health

Photo of Corbin Petro, President, Carelon Behavioral Health , President , Carelon Behavioral Health — Corbin Petro, President, Carelon Behavioral Health , President , Carelon Behavioral Health

10:15 AM

Building Clinical Ecosystems for Innovation in Mental Health

Photo of John Torous, MD, Director of Digital Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Director of Digital Psychiatry , Psychiatry , Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Ctr — John Torous, MD, Director of Digital Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , Director of Digital Psychiatry , Psychiatry , Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Ctr

Dr. John Torous, MD, MBI, Director of the Digital Psychiatry Division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Harvard Medical School), will explore how aligning patients, clinicians, regulators, and technology can drive meaningful innovation in mental healthcare. Drawing on his research in digital mental healthâ€”including the LAMP smartphone app for depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimerâ€™sâ€”he will highlight strategies for translating technology into real-world improvements in care outcomes.

10:40 AM

Coffee Break in the Exhibit Hall

SCALING IMPACT IN MENTAL HEALTH: INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, AND RESILIENT MODELS

11:40 AM

Chairperson's Remarks

Ronke Komolafe, CEO, Integrated Health Magazine and Advancing Integrated Health , Chief Executive Officer , Integrated Health Magazine and Advancing Integrated Health

11:45 AM

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION:
Scaling Access and Quality in Mental Healthcare

Photo of Taft Parsons III, MD, Chief Psychiatric Officer, CVS Health , MD, Chief Psychiatric Officer , Medical Affairs , CVS — Taft Parsons III, MD, Chief Psychiatric Officer, CVS Health , MD, Chief Psychiatric Officer , Medical Affairs , CVS

Despite progress in recent years, many Americans still face steep barriers to mental health care, including issues with affordability, stigma, provider shortages, and confusing care pathways. This discussion will explore the challenges facing mental health care today and practical strategies to address them, including ways to expand access, integrate behavioral health with primary care, and leverage technology to support better patient navigation.

Panel Moderator:

12:10 PM

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Outcome-Driven, Resilient, and Sustainable Mental Health Models

Photo of Maria Koshy, Chair of Chiefs of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, Permanente Medical Group , Chair of Chiefs of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health , Permanente Medical Group — Maria Koshy, Chair of Chiefs of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, Permanente Medical Group , Chair of Chiefs of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health , Permanente Medical Group

Panelists:

Photo of John Boyd, Vice President, Behavioral Health & Wellness, Kaiser Permanente , VP Behavioral Health & Wellness , Behavioral Health & Wellness , Kaiser Permanente — John Boyd, Vice President, Behavioral Health & Wellness, Kaiser Permanente , VP Behavioral Health & Wellness , Behavioral Health & Wellness , Kaiser Permanente

Photo of Kana Enomoto, Director of Brain Health, McKinsey and Company , Partner, Director of Brain Health , McKinsey and Company — Kana Enomoto, Director of Brain Health, McKinsey and Company , Partner, Director of Brain Health , McKinsey and Company

Photo of Stephen Gillaspy, Deputy Chief, Health Policy & Healthcare Financing, American Psychological Association , Deputy Chief, Health Policy & Healthcare Financing , American Psychological Association — Stephen Gillaspy, Deputy Chief, Health Policy & Healthcare Financing, American Psychological Association , Deputy Chief, Health Policy & Healthcare Financing , American Psychological Association

Photo of Reena Pande, MD, Partner, Oxeon , MD, Partner , Oxeon — Reena Pande, MD, Partner, Oxeon , MD, Partner , Oxeon

12:50 PM

Networking Luncheon (Sponsorship Opportunity Available)

Panel Moderator:

1:50 PM

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Whole-Person & Team-Based Mental Healthcare (Collaborative Care)

Photo of Debbie Witchey, President & CEO, The Association of Behavioral Health & Wellness , President & Chief Executive Officer , Association for Behavioral Health & Wellness — Debbie Witchey, President & CEO, The Association of Behavioral Health & Wellness , President & Chief Executive Officer , Association for Behavioral Health & Wellness

Panelists:

Photo of Caroline Carney, President & CMO, Magellan Health , President & Chief Medical Officer , Magellan Health — Caroline Carney, President & CMO, Magellan Health , President & Chief Medical Officer , Magellan Health

Photo of Carlos Lindo, General Counsel, Lucet , General Counsel , Lucet — Carlos Lindo, General Counsel, Lucet , General Counsel , Lucet

Photo of Stephen Lupe, PhD, Section Head Behavioral Health, Gastroenterology Hepatology & Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic Foundation , Psy. D., Section Head Behavioral Health , Gastroenterology Hepatology & Nutrition , Cleveland Clinic Foundation — Stephen Lupe, PhD, Section Head Behavioral Health, Gastroenterology Hepatology & Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic Foundation , Psy. D., Section Head Behavioral Health , Gastroenterology Hepatology & Nutrition , Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Photo of Ryan Soave, LMHC, Chief Clinical Officer, Guardian Recovery , LMHC, Clinical Advisor , Guardian — Ryan Soave, LMHC, Chief Clinical Officer, Guardian Recovery , LMHC, Clinical Advisor , Guardian

2:30 PM

Refreshment Break in the Exhibit Hall

THE FUTURE OF YOUTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: INTEGRATED, DIGITAL, AND PREVENTIVE CARE

3:25 PM

Re-Imagining College-Student Mental Healthcare across Multiple Continuums

Photo of Joshua Li, Vice President, Product, Uwill Mental Health and Wellness , Vice President, Product Management , Product , Uwill Mental Health and Wellness — Joshua Li, Vice President, Product, Uwill Mental Health and Wellness , Vice President, Product Management , Product , Uwill Mental Health and Wellness

Photo of Lindsey Mortenson, MD, Chief Mental Health Officer & Executive Director & Assistant Professor, Medicine, University of Michigan , Chief Mental Health Officer, Executive Director, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry , Medicine , University of Michigan — Lindsey Mortenson, MD, Chief Mental Health Officer & Executive Director & Assistant Professor, Medicine, University of Michigan , Chief Mental Health Officer, Executive Director, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry , Medicine , University of Michigan

Within US higher education, there are significant challenges to delivering a comprehensive and accessible continuum of mental health care. Through their engaged and collaborative client-customer relationship, the University of Michigan and Uwill are partnering to optimize data sharing, reduce care fragmentation, and improve population insights. This presentation will highlight the novel and real-time insights that are emerging across several continuums (prevention to recovery, in-person to online, retrospective to predictive, physical to mental, basic to advanced needs).

Panel Moderator:

3:50 PM

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Youth & Emerging-Adult Mental Health in a Digital Age

Photo of Marlon Morgan, Founder & CEO, Wellness Together , Founder & CEO , Wellness Together Inc , Wellness Together — Marlon Morgan, Founder & CEO, Wellness Together , Founder & CEO , Wellness Together Inc , Wellness Together

Panelists:

Photo of Merve Lapus, Vice President, Education Outreach and Engagment, Common Sense Media , Vice President, Education Outreach and Engagment , Common Sense Media — Merve Lapus, Vice President, Education Outreach and Engagment, Common Sense Media , Vice President, Education Outreach and Engagment , Common Sense Media

Photo of John MacPhee, CEO, JED Foundation , Chief Executive Officer , The Jed Foundation — John MacPhee, CEO, JED Foundation , Chief Executive Officer , The Jed Foundation

Photo of Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD,MPH, FAPA, Director, Child, Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training, Mass General Hospital , Director, Child, Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training - MD,MPH , Mass General Hospital — Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD,MPH, FAPA, Director, Child, Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training, Mass General Hospital , Director, Child, Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training - MD,MPH , Mass General Hospital

4:30 PM

CASE STUDY:Â Transforming Care across Borders: Lessons from Canadaâ€™s Mental-Health System and a Comparative Look at Integrated-Care Innovation and System-Level Outcomes

Photo of Nazanin Alav, MD, FRPC, Co-Program Medical Director, Mental Health & Addiction Care, Kingston Health Sciences Centre , MD, FRPC, Co-Program Medical Director, Mental Health & Addiction Care , Kingston Health Sciences Centre — Nazanin Alav, MD, FRPC, Co-Program Medical Director, Mental Health & Addiction Care, Kingston Health Sciences Centre , MD, FRPC, Co-Program Medical Director, Mental Health & Addiction Care , Kingston Health Sciences Centre

Tristan Glatard, Scientific Director, Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH); Inaugural Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Mental Health, BMO , Scientific Director, Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) , Centre for Addiction & Mental Health CAMH

This case study explores how Canadaâ€™s mental health system is advancing integrated care, technology-enabled innovation, and cross-sector collaboration to improve outcomes at scale. Through real-world examples from clinical care, health-system design, and neuroinformatics, the session highlights approaches that bridge data, service delivery, and patient needs across regions and care settings. The discussion offers transferable strategies and lessons that can inform more coordinated, effective, and future-ready models of mental healthcare.

4:55 PM

Close of Day

Tuesday, April 28

Day 1
Day 2

7:30 AM

Registration Open

7:30 AM

Future of Mental Healthcare Fun Run!

Lace up and join Eileen Murphy, the Future of Mental Healthcare Coordinator, for the Fun Run on Tuesday, April 28th! Sprint, jog, walk, or talk-your-way-throughâ€”ALL abilities are welcome. This informal event is all about getting moving together. Full details to comeâ€¦just donâ€™t forget your sneakers!

8:00 AM

Networking Breakfast

INVESTING IN THE FUTUREâ€”AI, TECHNOLOGY, CAPITAL & COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP

9:00 AM

Chairperson's Remarks

Justin Chen, Vice Chair of Ambulatory Services and Vice Chair of Health Justice, Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian , Vice Chair of Ambulatory Services & Vice Chair of Health Justice , Psychiatry , Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian

Panel Moderator:

9:05 AM

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Responsible AI & Technology in Mental Healthcare

Photo of Maeghan Gilmore, Vice President, Government Affaris, The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) , Vice President, Government Affairs , The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) — Maeghan Gilmore, Vice President, Government Affaris, The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW) , Vice President, Government Affairs , The Association for Behavioral Health and Wellness (ABHW)

Panelists:

Photo of Jim Laughman, President, PerformCare , President , PerformCare — Jim Laughman, President, PerformCare , President , PerformCare

Photo of Hugh Ryan, Senior Medical Director, Digital Health Transformation Strategy, Centene , Senior Medical Director, Digital Health Transformation Strategy , Medical Affairs , Centene — Hugh Ryan, Senior Medical Director, Digital Health Transformation Strategy, Centene , Senior Medical Director, Digital Health Transformation Strategy , Medical Affairs , Centene

Photo of Manish M. Sapra, Executive Director, Behavioral Health, Northwell Health , Executive Director, Behavioral Health , Northwell Health — Manish M. Sapra, Executive Director, Behavioral Health, Northwell Health , Executive Director, Behavioral Health , Northwell Health

Photo of Sheetal Shah, General Manager, Enterprise, SimplePractice , GM , SimplePractice — Sheetal Shah, General Manager, Enterprise, SimplePractice , GM , SimplePractice

9:45 AM

FIRESIDE CHAT:
Smart Systems, Compassionate Care

Photo of Gregory Harris, Senior Medical Director, Mental Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts , Senior Medical Director, Mental Health , Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts — Gregory Harris, Senior Medical Director, Mental Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts , Senior Medical Director, Mental Health , Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts

This fireside chat examines how integrated, data-savvy systems can support deeply compassionate mental healthcareâ€”drawing on decades of experience in public health, primary care psychiatry, and insurance-based care delivery. The discussion highlights innovations in care coordination, coverage design, and value-based mental health models that expand access and improve outcomes. Attendees will come away with practical ideas for bridging payer, provider, and public health perspectives to make mental healthcare both smarter and more human.

10:10 AM