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The best part of NatCon isn’t the big ideas, inspiring keynotes or packed sessions — it’s the people. Thousands of them, in fact.
Here’s a quick, informal look at who you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with in Denver this year, based on insights from more than 2,100 survey participants.
All Types of Organizations at One Table
NatCon brings together organizations from every corner of behavioral health care — small, large, clinical, community-based and everything in between:
- Nonprofits: 21%
- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics: 17%
- Mental health and substance use treatment organizations: 13%
- Schools, public health, justice, housing and hybrid organizations: 12%
- Mental health care provider organizations: 9%
- County, state and federal agencies: 7%
NatCon is where community organizations, public agencies, health systems, educators and innovators all sit at the same table.
Roles Across the Ecosystem
One of NatCon’s biggest strengths is the range of perspectives in the room. You’ll meet people who shape policy, deliver care, build programs, run organizations, support communities and train the workforce. Here’s a breakdown:
- Mental health clinicians: 43%
- Administrative, policy, training and leadership professionals: 21%
- Public health and health care workers: 13%
- Educators: 8%
- Substance use treatment providers: 6%
- Peer recovery specialists: 5%
Whether your role is clinical, operational, policy-focused or somewhere in between, you’ll find your people at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s annual conference.
A Wide Range of Services and Populations
NatCon attendees work across nearly every service area you can think of, truly reflecting the work happening on the ground every day. Here’s a snapshot:
- Mental health services: 72%
- Adults: 69%
- Children, youth and families: 57%
- Community outreach: 53%
- Trauma-informed care: 52%
- Crisis services: 41%
- Substance use treatment: 41%
- Peer recovery support: 40%
Plus, there’s strong representation in school-based care, mobile services, secondary prevention, veterans programs, rural health, housing supports and more.
A Workforce That Spans Generations
NatCon brings together professionals at every stage of their career, from longtime leaders to those just entering the field. Based on our survey:
- 20% joined the field since 2020
- 31% joined between 2009-2019
- 26% joined between 1998-2008
- 20% joined before 1997
NatCon brings together the people who’ve shaped behavioral health care for decades and the ones who are pushing it forward with new ideas and energy.
Leadership and Frontline Professionals Together
NatCon blends leadership with frontline voices — from CEOs and policymakers to the practitioners and social workers who deliver care every day. Here’s a look:
- CEOs, executive directors and vice presidents: 20%
- Clinicians, counselors, therapists and social workers: 15%-20%
- Directors and managers: 19%
- Clinical directors and supervisors: 10%
It’s rare to find an event where leadership and frontline professionals connect so naturally, and that’s part of what makes NatCon special.
Who Will You Meet? Pretty Much Everyone
NatCon is a rare gathering where:
- Clinicians talk with policymakers.
- Executives learn from peers with lived experience.
- Educators meet treatment providers.
- Community organizations connect with health systems.
- Newcomers learn from seasoned veterans.
It’s the one place where the entire field comes together to learn, recharge and shape what’s next. Register for NatCon and join us April 27-29 in Denver and experience it for yourself!
