2026 JSMH Request for Proposals

The Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH) will host its 9th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health on November 5–6, 2026, at the Embassy Suites in San Marcos, Texas. The Summit will be offered in both live and virtual formats; however, speakers must attend in person. More than 500 in-person attendees and 1,000 online attendees are anticipated.

JCMH is now accepting applications for presentations for the 9th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health.

JCMH seeks presentations that highlight lived-experience experts, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and successful, replicable programs related to best practices. JCMH strongly encourages proposals for sessions focused on rural counties, research findings, data analysis, and evidence-based practices. Preference will be given to presentations that provide an engaging and interactive experience for the audience.

We welcome proposals on a wide range of topics relevant to mental health and the courts. The following list reflects topics that 2025 Summit attendees expressed interest in seeing at the 2026 Summit. These topics are provided as examples only and are not intended to limit or exclude other relevant proposal ideas.

1. Supporting People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in Court and Justice Settings – Many attendees asked for more sessions on how courts, judges, and attorneys can better support people with IDD, including topics such as access to services, community transitions, guardianship, and coordination with law enforcement, jails, and other justice-system partners.
2. Court Collaboration and Specialty Court Programs – Participants want to hear more from judges, attorneys, and treatment court teams about how courts can effectively collaborate with LMHAs, law enforcement, and community providers to improve outcomes and replicate successful specialty court and diversion programs.
3. Lived Experience and Family Perspectives on Court Involvement – Attendees requested additional speakers with lived experience—especially family members, defendants, and peers—to provide real-world perspectives on how mental health needs affect court involvement, legal representation, and justice-system outcomes.
4. Advanced and Specialized Mental Health Law Topics for Courts – Attendees suggested deeper sessions for judges and attorneys on civil commitment, competency restoration under Chapter 46B, insanity under Chapter 46C, co-occurring disorders, medication-related issues, substance use, and trauma-informed court practices.
5. Youth and Early Intervention in the Courts – Many respondents expressed interest in programming focused on youth and transitional-age populations, including the role of courts, attorneys, school-based supports, and early crisis-response programs such as Y-COT and MCOT in addressing behavioral health needs at an earlier stage.

The selection process is competitive. Proposals will be evaluated based on relevance to the field; ability to address multidisciplinary policy and program areas; engaging format; interactive design; clarity, style, and originality; relevance to JCMH stakeholders; cohesion with the overall Summit agenda; and the subject-matter expertise and training experience of the presenters.

• If proposing a panel format, please limit the session to three (3) panelists and one (1) moderator.
• Speakers must provide JCMH with final electronic copies of any slide decks and/or handout materials for their session(s) no later than Monday, October 19, 2026. All materials will be made available to attendees on the Summit website.
• Speakers are expected to register for the conference and arrange their own travel and lodging. Approved travel and hotel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with JCMH policies.
• Please ensure that you select “Yes” when choosing the option to receive a copy of your responses. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
• Applicants whose presentations are selected will be notified in July 2026.
• Presenters are encouraged to distribute contact information, resource materials, and website references to conference attendees.
• Presenters are encouraged to participate at the Q&A table following their presentation to answer any remaining audience questions.
• Completed presentation proposals must be submitted no later than Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

Speaker Consent
By submitting the 2026 JCMH Summit Presentation Proposal Form, and if selected as a speaker, I hereby:

• agree to submit my final slides and/or handouts to JCMH by October 19, 2026; and
• authorize Innovation Event Management, as agent for the 2026 Judicial Summit on Mental Health, to use and rebroadcast conference materials used during my presentation, including PowerPoint, audio, and video.