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VHHA Hosts 2026 Virginia Behavioral Health Summit on Innovation to Build a Resilient System of Care for Patients and Providers

September 24, 2026

The Eighth Annual Virginia Behavioral Health Summit Features State Government Leaders, Hospital Officials, Clinical Practitioners, and Law Enforcement Sharing Insights and Innovative Strategies to Enhance Access and Quality for Virginians

RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) and the VHHA Foundation are hosting the 2026 Virginia Behavioral Health Summit today, Thursday, Sept. 24, at The Westin-Richmond. “Innovating with Purpose: Building a Resilient Behavioral Health System” is the theme for this annual statewide event that attracts hundreds of healthcare leaders, behavioral health providers, policymakers, patient advocates, and community partners for shared learning and collaboration on efforts to enhance care quality and access for individuals receiving mental health and substance use treatment services in Virginia.

Featured speakers at the 2026 Virginia Behavioral Health Summit include Virginia Health and Human Resources Secretary Marvin Figueroa and Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) Commissioner Daryl Washington, among others. Morning keynote remarks on the importance of building resilience in healthcare teams will be shared by Amy Dee, a nurse and motivational speaker. Afternoon keynote remarks will be offered by David Francisco, a music producer and former American Idol contestant with an inspiring story of overcoming a serious accident and paralysis. View the event website here and the Summit program brochure here.

The Summit agenda features sessions on the ethical use of artificial intelligence in behavioral healthcare, growing and sustaining well-being in healthcare teams, innovation in emergency behavioral healthcare, aggression risk prediction, workplace safety, workplace violence recovery, and addiction medicine integration across the care continuum. Additional Summit speakers include representatives from the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, Augusta Health, Bon Secours, Carilion Clinic, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, Inova, Lifepoint Health (Sovah Health), Riverside Health, the Rhode Island College School of Social Work, UVA Health, VCU Health, and the Virginia Treatment Center for Children.

The 2026 Virginia Behavioral Health Summit is occurring amidst transformation across the behavioral health system. This includes new treatment approaches, care modalities, and technology tools to support patients and providers as service demand is growing. Data shows that more than one in five U.S. adults and one in seven youths ages 6-17 experience a mental illness, while one in 20 adults experience serious mental illness.

In Virginia, the behavioral health system has made meaningful progress in enhancing service access and developing new points of entry and customized care programs to meet the unique needs of patients and families. Still, challenges persist and service demand remains strong. In 2024, Virginia had more than 63,600 behavioral health hospital admissions for inpatient care. Private hospitals accommodated nearly 92 percent of the statewide total.

With such demand, workforce needs are a significant challenge confronting the behavioral health system. The U.S. faces a shortage of behavioral health professionals across roles including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed counselors, social workers, nurses, and behavioral health technicians. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reports that as of 2025 approximately 40 percent of the U.S. population (137 million people) lives in a mental health professional shortage area. Many rural communities are among those in shortage areas. Virginia’s rural hospitals are working to meet that need. In 2025, rural hospitals had 3,207 behavioral health inpatient admissions as well as 28,669 inpatient admissions for patients with a behavioral health-related diagnosis.

“Behavioral health challenges touch individuals, families, and communities around Virginia, making collaboration across the continuum of care more important than ever,” said VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “The 2026 Virginia Behavioral Health Summit provides an opportunity for healthcare professionals, community partners, and policymakers to come together, share what is working, and identify practical strategies that can strengthen behavioral healthcare across the Commonwealth.”

VHHA and the VHHA Foundation extend appreciation to the speakers, attendees, and sponsors whose support makes the annual Virginia Behavioral Health Summit possible, including:


About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 118 hospitals and 27 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to achieve excellence in both health care and health. Its vision is through the power of collaboration to be recognized as a driving force behind making Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

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Contact:
Julian Walker
Vice President of Communications
(804) 297-3193 office
(804) 304-7402 mobile
jtwalker@vhha.com