Early bird registration ends September 19, 2025, and spots are limited so register today to secure your place!
Please note: the room block at the Hilton Santa Barbara is currently full. CBHDA has reserved a backup room block at the Mar Monte hotel and will be posting information soon at https://www.cbhda.org/events. In the meantime, we encourage you to register as soon as possible and, if preferred, to book your hotel accommodations independently to ensure you secure a room right away.
We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for our upcoming CBHDA Behavioral Health Policy Forum October 22–24, 2025 in beautiful Santa Barbara, CA!
Our event will consist of a networking reception, informational workshops, breakout sessions, and stories from individuals with lived experience. Please join County Behavioral Health Directors and staff, providers, health plans, consumers, elected officials, policy staff, advocates and statewide behavioral health practitioners and policy leaders. This is an excellent opportunity to cultivate relationships in the community and keep a pulse on the rapidly evolving behavioral health policy landscape to maximize your impact in transforming behavioral health and changing lives.
Stay tuned—the full agenda and additional speaker announcements will be shared soon. In the meantime, we invite you to register today and make plans to be part of this inspiring and impactful event.
Dates: October 22–24, 2025
Location: Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort located at 633 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Theme: Transforming Behavioral Health: Changing Lives
Wednesday, October 22
4:00pm – 7:00pm: Registration
5:30pm – 7:00pm: Networking & Awards Reception
Thursday, October 23
7:00AM - 8:00AM: Continental Breakfast
8:00AM - 8:05AM: Welcome & Introduction
8:05AM - 9:05AM: Keynote Speaker: Margaret J. Wheatley - Author of Leadership & the New Science
9:15AM – 9:45AM: Keynote Speaker: Michelle Baass - DHCS Director
9:45AM-9:55AM: Break
9:55AM – 11:15AM: Breakout Session One
- Behavioral Health Services Act Implementation
- The Future of Medi-Cal
- Lanterman-Petris-Short Reforms Progress Update
- Designing Integrated Systems: Advancing Strategies for Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health
Transformation
11:15AM-11:25AM: Break
11:30AM-12:30PM: Housing & Homelessness Keynotes
- Gregg Colburn, Author of Homelessness is a Housing Problem
- Dr. Margot Kushel, Director at UCSF Benioff
12:30PM-1:30PM: Lunch
1:30PM –3:00PM: Breakout Session Two
- Leadership in Times of Change
- County Behavioral Health Financing for the Future
- Children’s Evidence Based Practices
- Housing for Individuals with Behavioral Health Needs
3:00PM-3:15PM: Break
3:15PM-4:45PM: Changing Lives Through California's Historic Investments in Behavioral Health
4:45PM-5:00PM: Closing Notes
Dinner on Your Own
Friday, October 24
7:00AM - 7:55AM: Continental Breakfast
7:55AM-8:00AM: Opening Remarks
8:00AM-9:15AM: Breakout Session Three
- LGBTQ Access to Care
- Forensic Behavioral Health
- CARE Court
- Mobile Crisis
9:15AM-9:30AM: Break
9:30AM-10:45AM: Breakout Session Four
- Medi-Cal Substance Use Disorder Services
- BH CONNECT Waiver Implementation
- Federal Funding Threats - Waiver Renewals: 1915(b) and 1115
- Artificial Intelligence
10:45AM-11:00AM: Break
11:00AM-11:45AM: Keynote Speaker - Kim Johnson, CalHHS Secretary
11:45AM - 12:00PM: Closing Notes
Agenda may be subject to change, please stay tuned for a more detailed agenda
Registration Information:
Registration required: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PolicyForum25
Registration Fee: Early bird registration is $425.00 per person before September 19, 2025. After September 19, 2025, registration is $525.00 per person.
Request a refund: CBHDA can provide a refund with a $25 processing fee. No cancellation or refunds after October 1, 2025.
Deadline to register: October 1, 2025
Hotel Booking Information:
Please note the room block at the Hilton Santa Barbara is currently full. CBHDA has reserved a backup room block at the Mar Monte hotel and will be posting information soon at https://www.cbhda.org/events. In the meantime, we encourage you to register as soon as possible and, if preferred, to book your hotel accommodations independently to ensure you secure a room right away.
Please reach out to Pegah Barrientos (pbarrientos@cbhda.org) regarding any registration questions or Caitlin Lafferty (clafferty@cbhda.org) for any additional questions or concerns.
We look forward to seeing you in Santa Barbara in October 2025!