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Call for Proposals (CFP)

IACP Annual Conference 2026
Meeting the Moment

You are invited to submit a proposal to present at the IACP Annual Conference 2026, centered on the theme Meeting the Moment.

This year’s theme reflects the urgency—and opportunity—facing Iowa’s community-based providers. Across disability, behavioral health, and mental health services, leaders are navigating system redesign, workforce pressures, regulatory complexity, and rising expectations, all while staying rooted in person-centered values. Meeting the Moment is about stepping forward with clarity, courage, and practical solutions.

We are seeking forward-thinking leaders, practitioners, and partners who can inspire, educate, and equip attendees with tools they can use immediately to strengthen their organizations, teams, and communities. 

About the Conference

  • Dates: October 27 through October 29, 2026
  • Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville, IA
  • Theme: Meeting the Moment

Ready to submit a proposal? Click here. Please note, this is not a submission point for keynote speakers. 2026 keynote speakers have already been chosen.

Click to preview proposal questions (Not a point for submission).

Keep reading to learn more about the event, proposal requirements and deadlines. 

Important Dates 

  • Submission deadline: Wednesday July 1, 2026 at 1pm CST
  • Notification of acceptance: Tuesday August 11, 2026
  • Presenter confirmation deadline: Monday August 24, 2026
  • Slides/materials due: Monday September 21, 2026

Questions

If you have questions after reviewing the information below, please contact Susan Seehase. 

More About Speaking at the IACP Annual Conference 2026
Meeting the Moment

Who Should Submit

IACP welcomes proposals from professionals and partners who support strong organizations and strong outcomes in community-based services, including (but not limited to):

  • Executive Directors, CEOs/COOs, and other C-suite leaders (CFO, CHRO, CIO/CTO)
  • Therapists/clinicians, clinical supervisors, and care coordinators
  • HR/People Ops leaders and training/workforce development teams
  • Finance leaders (CFO/controller), billing/revenue cycle, and contracting teams
  • Marketing, communications, brand, and community relations professionals
  • Compliance leaders, policy writers/analysts, and quality (QA/QI) leaders
  • Direct support professionals (DSPs), peer support specialists (PSSs), frontline supervisors, and program staff
  • IT leaders, developers/engineers, data/analytics, and cybersecurity/privacy staff
  • Fundraisers/development leaders, grant writers, and board members
  • Partners: payers, state agencies, vendors, and community collaborators

Session Formats 

Standard breakout length: 60 minute sessions. IACP may offer multiple formats; please indicate your preferred format in your submission:

  • Breakout presentation (lecture + Q&A)
  • Panel discussion (moderated, multi-perspective)
  • Workshop (hands-on, tools/templates, skill-building)
  • Roundtable (facilitated peer exchange)
  • Case study (what you did, what changed, what you learned)

Proposal Categories

Select the best-fit primary category for your proposal and (optional) up to two secondary categories. Categories help reviewers balance the program and help attendees find sessions aligned to their roles and interests. 

Call For Proposals Category

Primary audience roles

Representative topics (examples)

1) Executive Strategy, Governance & Change Leadership

Executive Directors; CEO/COO; C‑suite (CFO, CHRO, CIO/CTO); board members; senior leaders driving strategy

Strategic planning; leading organizational transformation; governance and accountability; enterprise risk management; decision-making under pressure; building resilient organizations

2) Workforce Development: DSPs, Clinical, and Operations Staffing

HR/People Ops; COOs/operations leaders; program directors; clinical directors/supervisors; DSP supervisors; training/learning teams

Recruitment pipelines; retention and career pathways; credentialing/apprenticeships; onboarding and supervision models; burnout reduction; scheduling and workload redesign

3) HR Compliance, Labor Law & Workplace Culture

HR leaders; compliance leaders; executive directors; managers/supervisors; training leads; legal/employee relations (as applicable)

Wage & hour; classification; overtime; pay transparency; harassment prevention; ADA accommodations; policy updates and training strategies

4) Finance, Reimbursement & Sustainability (Medicaid/HCBS and Beyond)

CFOs/finance leaders; controllers; revenue cycle/billing; executive directors; managed care contracting; program finance managers

Rate setting and cost reporting; funding strategy; scenario planning and financial modeling; cost containment without harming mission; value-based payment readiness; ROI and business cases

5) Policy, Programs & Systems Transformation

Policy writers/analysts; program administrators; government relations; compliance; executive directors; advocacy leaders; payer/state partners

Federal/state policy trends; waiver renewal strategy; preparing for demographic shifts and rising demand; innovations in long-term services and supports; implementing new guidance

6) Compliance, Audit Readiness & Documentation

Compliance leaders/officers; QA/QI leaders; program directors; operations; documentation specialists; policy/procedure owners; auditors (internal)

HCBS Settings Rule implementation; documentation requirements; incident management; audit readiness; risk mitigation; contract monitoring/audit clauses (where applicable)

7) Quality, Outcomes & Continuous Improvement (QA/QI)

Quality leaders; clinical leaders/therapists; program directors; compliance; data/analytics staff; executive directors; frontline supervisors

Aligning with quality frameworks; outcomes measurement; dashboards and performance improvement; learning from incidents/near misses; person-centered quality measurement

8) Clinical & Service Delivery Innovations (Therapy/Behavioral Health)

Therapists/clinicians; clinical supervisors; medical/clinical directors; care coordinators; peer support leaders; program leads

Evidence-informed community-based care; trauma-informed practice; integrated care; supporting co-occurring needs; engagement and continuity strategies; crisis planning and early intervention

9) Crisis Services, Safety Planning & Community Partnerships

Clinical leaders; crisis team leads; operations; community partners; law enforcement/EMS partners (as applicable); executive directors; risk/compliance

Crisis response models; stabilization partnerships; cross-system coordination (health, housing, justice, schools); safety/risk balancing; community-based diversion strategies

10) Person-Centered Practices, Self-Direction & Equity

DSPs/frontline staff; program staff; self-direction program staff; advocates; equity/inclusion leads; quality leaders; executive directors

Meaningful person-centered planning; autonomy/self-direction; participant as employer; employer vs. budget authority; reducing disparities; language access and culturally responsive services; rural access

11) Technology, Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity

CIO/IT; developers/engineers; data/analytics; cybersecurity/privacy; compliance; operations; executive sponsors; EHR admins

Digital roadmaps; data interoperability; cybersecurity basics; incident response; vendor/third-party data risk; privacy requirements; AI readiness and governance; tools that reduce administrative burden

12) Marketing, Communications, Brand & Reputation

Marketing & communications leaders; brand/reputation managers; community relations; executives; HR (employer brand); development (storytelling); program spokespeople

Multi-channel storytelling; brand trust; crisis communications; audience engagement; marketing ROI measurement; ethical use of AI in content/personalization

13) Fundraising & Revenue Development

Fundraisers/development leaders; grant writers; executive directors; board members; marketing/comms; finance (budgeting/forecasting); program leaders (case for support)

Donor retention and stewardship; digital fundraising; major gifts; grants and government funding; blending public/private funding; donor analytics and dashboards

14) Risk Transfer, Insurance & Organizational Resilience

CFOs/finance; risk managers; compliance; HR (benefits); IT/security (cyber); operations/facilities; executive directors; brokers/consultants (as applicable)

Cyber liability and breach response planning; workers’ compensation trends; benefits cost containment; self-funding trends (self-insured and level-funded plans, stop-loss markets, captives); liability coverage basics; business interruption and climate-related risk planning

 

Submission Requirements

  • Session title
  • Session Category
  • Session abstract (recommended: 150–250 words)
  • 3 learning objectives (behavior-based, measurable)
  • Target audience (roles) and level (Foundational / Intermediate / Advanced)
  • Format and length preference
  • Speaker details: names, titles, organizations, short bios (recommended: 100 words each)
  • Co-presenters (if any) and moderator/panelist roles (if applicable)
  • Disclosures: (financial relationships / conflicts of interest)
  • Accessibility: please note any planned accommodations (captioning needs, ASL, materials in advance)

 

Our Audience Needs
Our attendees are looking for practical sessions that provide actionable knowledge and tools to bring back to their teams and communities. Specifically, they seek:

  • Innovative, forward-thinking strategies to deliver the highest quality of services and support for individuals of ALL abilities.
  • Proven approaches for navigating the challenges of complex regulations, limited funding, and difficulties in workforce recruitment and retention, and changes in customer needs.

Successful Presenters Will Inspire Attendees To

  • Create meaningful, lasting change in collective advocacy efforts.
  • Motivate, nurture, and effectively lead their teams.
  • Build innovative partnerships for creative problem-solving.
  • Strengthen community networks and resources to improve the support and services they provide.

IACP’s Favorite Presenters

  • Facilitate sessions that spark thought-provoking discussions.
  • Challenge assumptions and stimulate new ways of thinking.
  • Share replicable strategies attendees can implement within their own organizations and communities.
  • Provide practical tools and resources for immediate use.
  • Use data, personal stories, and other evidence to demonstrate real-world success and impact.

How to Submit

Submit your proposal using the online CFP form. If you have questions, contact: Susan Seehase – [email protected]

Review Process

Proposals will be peer-reviewed by an IACP review committee. Reviewers will consider alignment to the conference theme, relevance to attendee roles, clarity of learning objectives, and practical value. IACP reserves the right to suggest modifications (format, track placement, or presenters) to strengthen program balance.

Selection Criteria

  • Relevance: Addresses current challenges and priorities for IACP professionals.
  • Practical value: Includes actionable strategies, tools, or takeaways participants can apply.
  • Clarity: Clear description, learning objectives, and intended audience.
  • Credibility: Presenter expertise and/or evidence, data, or demonstrated results.
  • Engagement: Interactive design when appropriate (discussion, exercises, case examples).
  • Balance: Helps create a diverse program across roles, settings, and geographies.

Policies

  •  Program changes: IACP reserves the right to edit session titles/descriptions for clarity and to modify the schedule as needed.
  • Presenter commitments: Accepted presenters are expected to deliver the session as described (subject to final confirmation requirements).
  • Use of materials: Slides and handouts will be made available to conference attendees.