We extend a warm invitation to passionate presenters—both seasoned and new—to share your wealth of expertise and insights with dedicated prevention professionals at the 34th Annual CPA Conference scheduled for June 12-14, 2024, in Harrisburg, PA. Our conference provides a dynamic platform for fostering collaboration, learning, and networking in support of individuals, organizations, and coalitions dedicated to addressing substance and mental health issues in their communities.
Your unique perspective and experience have the power to enrich the knowledge and skills of prevention professionals across the state. Whether you are a frequent presenter or considering this as your debut, we welcome your proposals. Your contributions play a pivotal role in the success of our event, and we eagerly anticipate the opportunity to learn from and alongside you. We invite you to submit your presentation proposal today!
The CPA Conference Audience
Our conference is a hybrid event hosting in-person, virtual, and live-streaming session. Attendees include a diverse range of participants, such as Single County Authorities (SCAs), prevention providers, various prevention coalitions (including Communities that Care, Drug-Free Coalitions, and Overdose Prevention Taskforces), alcohol and other drug (AOD) professionals from Pennsylvania colleges and universities, college students, student assistance program liaisons, school district personnel, as well as advocates from the fields of treatment, recovery, and harm reduction. In 2023, we had 350+ attendees.
Conference Features for Presenters
- Diverse Audience: The CPA conference draws a diverse range of participants, including professionals, students, and advocates from various sectors. This diversity allows speakers to reach a wide audience and engage with different perspectives.
- Focus on Prevention: The conference centers on substance and mental health prevention, addressing critical community issues. This focus demonstrates a commitment to making a positive impact on society.
- Interactive Session Types: Our conference offers a variety of session types, including Power Sessions, Deep Dives, and more. This allows speakers to choose the format that best suits your content and audience engagement style.
- Session Flexibility: The “30 + 30 Power Session” format offers a unique opportunity for speakers to present core content and then dive deeper into specific aspects of their topic. This format can be both informative and engaging.
- Community Impact: The conference contributes to strengthening communities by promoting effective prevention strategies and fostering collaboration among professionals and advocates.
- Access to Diverse Expertise: We offer attendees the chance to learn from a wide range of professionals, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience.
- New Presenters Welcome: We are particularly excited to welcome speakers who are new to presenting or have only a few presentations under your belt. Our supportive atmosphere encourages both seasoned professionals and those in the early stages of their presenting journey to share their knowledge and experiences with an engaged and receptive audience. If you’re considering this as one of your first few presentations, rest assured that your ideas and proposals are wholeheartedly welcomed.
Session Primary Topic Areas
- Prevention Initiatives, Programs, or Strategies
- Current Trends
- Youth Engagement
- Advocacy
- Leadership
- Mental Health & Wellness
- Professional Development/Training
Session Types
- Keynote (60 minutes): Keynotes set the stage for the conference, offering insightful and inspiring talks that provide a big-picture view of important topics, leaving attendees motivated and ready to explore more.
- Workshop (60-75 minutes): Workshops are interactive sessions that enable participants to engage with the material through hands-on activities and discussions, promoting active learning and skill development.
- Power Session (30 minutes): Power sessions are high-impact, concise presentations designed to deliver essential knowledge and key takeaways in a shorter timeframe, making them perfect for focused insights.
- 30 + 30 Power Session: These are dynamic sessions split into two parts, the first 30 minutes offering core concepts, and the additional 30 minutes delving deeper into a specific aspect of the topic, offering a balanced mix of overview and in-depth understanding.
- Deep Dive (2-3 hours): Deep dives are immersive, extended sessions that thoroughly explore of a topic. They offer ample time for in-depth discussion, case studies, and the development of comprehensive understanding and skills. Deep dives will only be facilitated on Wednesday, June 12 in the am.
Completing the RFP
To complete the RFP, please go to the application page.
After submitting your proposal:
- A representative of the CPA Conference Committee will be in touch within 3-4 weeks with any questions or to address the status of your proposal.
- If selected to present, we require a letter of agreement and will also request your resume/CV, speaker photo, and invite you to one of our mandatory speaker orientation calls.
Timeline
- October 20, 2023: RFP Opens
- January 15, 2024: RFP Closes
- March, 2024: Speaker Orientation Calls (A virtual call to review the conference theme and all other details to assist with your presentation)
- June 1, 2024: Speaker slides and other materials due.
- June 12 – 14, 2024: Conference
For questions, please contact Jeff Hanley, at jeff.hanley@paprevention.org.