Events

Pharmacotherapy Series: Long Acting Injectable (LAI) Use in the Inpatient Psychiatric Setting

Nov 17, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

The BH WELL team and Eastern State Hospital (ESH) will host the final event in their 4-part Pharmacotherapy Lunch and Learn series. This session, titled "Long Acting Injectable (LAI) Use in the Inpatient Psychiatric Setting", will be led by Elizabeth Baltenberger, PharmD. The event will be hosted at Eastern State Hospital (conference room 1A11/1A05) and streamed via Zoom. 1 hour of free CE will be provided for the following disciplines: medicine, nursing, social work, pharmacy, and occupational therapy.

APNA 40th Annual Conference

Oct 28–31, 2026

The APNA 40th Annual Conference will be held October 28-31, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. This year's theme is "Building on Strengths: A Resiliency Journey to Improve Wellness & Advance Care". BH WELL Executive Director, Dr. Zim Okoli, will receive the APNA Award for Psychiatric Nurse of the Year. View the press release about the award here.

Medication Assisted Treatment: Pharmacotherapy for Alcohol

Aug 18, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

The BH WELL team and Eastern State Hospital (ESH) are hosting a third event in their 4-part Pharmacotherapy Lunch and Learn series titled "Medication Assisted Treatment: Pharmacotherapy for Alcohol". The session will be led by Madison Perkins, PharmD. The event will be hosted at Eastern State Hospital (conference room 1A17) and streamed via Zoom.1 hour of free CE will be provided for the following disciplines: medicine, nursing, social work, pharmacy, and occupational therapy.

Sigma CONGRESS 26

Jul 16–18, 2026

The Behavioral Health Wellness Environments for Living and Learning (BH WELL) research team will be presenting at the 37th International Nursing Research Congress in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 16-18 July 2026, a Sigma event. The conference will include nurse researchers, students, and clinicians pursuing evidence-based research. BH WELL team members Pooja Bhattarai and Dr. Zim Okoli will present the following podium presentations:

New Vista Illuminate Conference

Jun 9–10, 2026

The New Vista Illuminate Behavioral Health Conference is intended for learning and development for professionals in mental health, substance use, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. BH WELL team members will attend the conference and host a vendor table for attendees to learn more about the importance of tobacco policy and tobacco treatment within mental and behavioral health organizations. Conference Information and Registration

Medication Assisted Treatment: Pharmacotherapy for Opiates

May 26, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

The BH WELL team and Eastern State Hospital (ESH) hosted this second event in their 4-part Pharmacotherapy Lunch and Learn series titled "Medication Assisted Treatment: Pharmacotherapy for Opiates". The session was led by Elizabeth Baltenberger, PharmD. The event was hosted at Eastern State Hospital and streamed via Zoom. 1 hour of free CE was provided for the following disciplines: medicine, nursing, social work, pharmacy, and occupational therapy. Lunch is not provided; participants are encouraged to bring a meal to eat during the presentation.

2026 KYSTARS Consumer Conference

May 22, 2026

The Kentucky Consumer Conference is an annual gathering of over 250 individuals living with mental illness from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Understanding the Role of Occupational Therapy as Part of a Multidisciplinary Team in Mental and Behavioral Health Settings

May 13, 2026, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

BH WELL, along with our partner, Eastern State Hospital, hosted a lunch and learn workshop entitled: Understanding the Role of Occupational Therapy as part of a Multidisciplinary Team in Mental and Behavioral Health Settings. The session was presented by Dr. Claudia Rose, OTD R/L with nurse and social work consult provided by Amanda Lykins, PhD, RN and Lella Still, DSW, LCSW.

2026 KY Tobacco Control Conference Reclaiming the Future of Tobacco Control and Charting a New Path Forward

Apr 16, 2026, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

The 2026 KY Tobacco Control Conference is hosted by the UK College of Nursing Kentucky Center for Smoke-free Policy (KCSP) and the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program.

American Society of Preventative Oncology 50th Meeting

Apr 12–14, 2026

The 2026 American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) Conference took place April 12-14, 2026 at the Hilton Denver City Center in Denver, Colorado. The conference theme was “50 Years of Impact: Empowering Communities Through Cancer Prevention Research.” Dr. Bassema AbuFarsakh's poster was recognized as one of the top submissions at the conference, earning her a competitive travel award for the significance and innovation of her work.