The Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH) will host its annual conference at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel on Wednesday, April 9. The event will feature workshops, presentations, and opportunities for mental health clinicians to earn continuing education credits. Attendees will hear from keynote speakers AnneMoss Rogers, an expert in suicide prevention, and Keith Whyte, a national leader in addiction prevention and responsible gambling.
The conference is themed, “Revitalize Mental Health: Empower, Strengthen, Transform,” and will focus on the following topics:
Youth mental health:
Understanding how youth mental health has changed and learning about successful approaches from across the country.
Adapting to change:
How mental health professionals and other individuals can respond to the challenges caused by changes in society, technology, and the healthcare system.
Resilience in the face of change:
Strategies for building resilience to navigate personal and societal challenges, and the role of mental health care in this process.
The role of innovation:
The impact of new technologies, alternative practices, telehealth, and AI in mental health delivery.
The conference will have over 20 breakout-group learning sessions organized into three tracks: mental health in schools, certified community-based integrated health centers (CCBHC), and alternative mental health approaches. Sessions will include presentations, panel discussions, Q&A opportunities, and networking.
“We’re in a time of big changes—new approaches to mental health, rapid advances in technology, and shifting federal policies,” said DMH Commissioner Emily Hawes. “In times like these, one of the most important things we can do is come together, learn from each other, and strengthen the networks that support us all. The DMH Conference is an opportunity to do just that.”
The keynote speakers
Keynote speakers Keith Whyte (left) and AnneMoss Rogers
AnneMoss Rogers is a TEDx and trained mental health speaker and author. After losing her son to suicide, she transitioned from owning a successful digital marketing firm to keynoting and training on suicide prevention and mental health. With authenticity and lived experience, Rogers delivers relatable stories, evidence-based information, and practical strategies to spark meaningful conversations on difficult topics.
She was the first non-clinician invited to speak at the National Institute of Mental Health on Youth Suicide and served as an editor for the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention. Featured in The New York Times, Variety magazine, and interviewed by CNN’s Erin Burnett on teen mental health at the prestigious Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, AnneMoss focuses on fostering wellness and preventing suicide in universities, K-12 schools, and workplaces.
Keith Whyte has 30 years of national experience in promoting responsible gambling and preventing gambling addiction. Whyte is a highly effective advocate, public speaker, policy analyst and program designer with extensive broadcast media experience. He is founder and president of Safer Gambling Strategies, LLC. Previous experience includes the National Council on Problem Gambling and American Gaming Association. He is also pursuing a Ph.D in responsible gambling.
DMH has a critical mission to improve the conditions and well-being of all Vermonters across the state and protect those who cannot protect themselves.
For more information, visit: mentalhealth.vermont.gov.
