Bismarck is gearing up to host the 5th annual Behavioral Health & Children & Family Services Conference from October 20–23, 2025, at the Bismarck Event Center, with virtual attendance options as well.

The conference brings together behavioral health specialists, child welfare staff, educators, service providers, foster/adoptive caregivers, and community leaders from across North Dakota for workshops, keynote panels, networking—and a spotlight on local challenges and solutions.

This is a major statewide event hosted right here in Bismarck, raising the city’s profile as a center for public health discourse.

The conference bridges behavioral health and child & family services—areas especially pressing in both rural and urban communities statewide.

Local agencies, nonprofits, and health systems will have a front-row seat to new research, best practices, and policy trends—and the chance to shape them.

For Bismarck-area professionals and stakeholders, it’s a rare opportunity to access top-tier continuing education and networking without leaving home.

Main sessions run daily from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (with a post-conference on Oct. 23). Topics include trauma-informed care, youth suicide prevention, substance use prevention, family resilience in rural areas, and integrating behavioral health in schools. (Speaker list includes Lara Love Hardin, David Ambroz, Jessica Lahey)

Bismarck-based agencies can register booths or attend to connect with statewide partners.

Health, school, and social service staff in central North Dakota should consider attending (or sending delegates) to bring back insights for local programs.

As Bismarck hosts North Dakota’s flagship behavioral health & family services summit, the city becomes more than a venue—it becomes a catalyst. This conference is poised to strengthen local partnerships, inform new programs, and ensure central North Dakota’s needs and voices are front and center.