Events Calendar

EmpowerED Minds: The School Wellness Summit (formerly known as the Iowa BEST Summit) is a premier professional learning event dedicated to fostering well-being and mental health within educational communities. 

Participants will gain practical strategies, insights from cutting-edge research, and access to innovative solutions that enhance mental health outcomes.

EmpowerED Minds is where K-12 educators, school leaders, school mental health providers, and higher education campus well-being professionals from across the country come to shape the future of school wellness through collaboration, innovation, and inspiration.

Join us for 4 dynamic conference strands:
1. Empowering School Mental Health Professionals: Supporting and enhancing the skills of K-12 school mental health professionals with sessions focused on strategies for recruiting, training, and retaining the workforce.
2. Exploring Innovations in Research & Practices: Bringing together the latest research, evidence-based practices, and emerging trends in multi-tiered models of school mental health. 
3. Strengthening K-12 Education & Leadership: Focusing on practical education and skill-building for K-12 teachers, administrators, and school leaders. 
4. Advancing Campus Well-Being in Higher Education: Addressing mental health support, programs, and policies to enhance well-being in colleges and universities. 

Save the Date - Registration is coming soon!

• Tuesday, Sept. 30 - Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025
• Iowa Events Center | Des Moines, Iowa

This event is presented by the University of Iowa's Scanlan Center for School Mental Health.