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2024 North Texas Mental Health Symposium

(formerly known as the Collin County Mental Health Symposium)

Thursday, November 14, 2024
Plano Event Center

2000 East Spring Creek Parkway

Plano, TX 75074

Early Bird Registration is OPEN!

Early bird registration ends 11:59PM CST on October 16, 2024. Price increases to $125 on October 17, 2024.

Sponsorship

Join us as a sponsor for the North Texas Mental Health Symposium! Showcase your brand with an exhibitor table, gain exposure through our marketing channels, and connect directly with mental health professionals, first responders, school staff, and more. Secure your sponsorship today and be part of a dynamic event that brings together professionals from across North Texas who share a passion for mental health. 

2024 Keynote Speakers

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Stop Minding Your Own Business

Terry Bentley Hill
Attorney & Mental Health Advocate

Terry Bentley Hill is a Dallas criminal defense attorney and nationally recognized mental health advocate who has become a vocal proponent for mental health rehabilitation in the criminal justice system. Additionally, Terry serves her profession as a leader in attorney wellness initiatives.
After earning a Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Terry became a television news reporter covering the criminal courts. It was then that she decided to become a participant in rather than an observer of the legal system and made law school a goal.
The road to law school was long (twenty-five years) and fraught with life-quakes and tragedies that included the suicidal deaths of her former husband (an attorney) and youngest daughter. It was those events that defined the kind of attorney and advocate Terry would become.
At the age of fifty, Terry received her J.D. from Texas A & M University School of Law. Immediately after passing the bar exam, Terry volunteered with the Texas Lawyers Assistance Program and became active in the Dallas Bar Association’s Peer Assistance Committee.
A prolific writer, speaker, and CLE presenter, Terry’s advocacy for attorney wellness was rewarded with the State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation, The Texas Bar Foundation Terry Lee Grantham Award, The Texas A&M University School of Law Dean Emeritus Award, and the Mental Health of America Greater Dallas Prism Award.
Beyond her law related activities, Terry launched her own non-profit foundation with a focus on mental health awareness and education. It is through this organization that Terry carries her message of hope and healing to audiences throughout Texas and beyond. #stopmindingyourownbusiness.com.

A Wounded Warrior and the Dog Who Saved Him

Staff Sergeant Jason Morgan
Veteran & Bestselling Author

Staff Sergeant Jason Morgan grew up in North Dallas and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1989. SSgt Morgan qualified as a member of an elite special operations unit that provided meteorological and combat support for special operations. In 1999 SSgt. Morgan volunteered to provide security during a special operation in the Andes Mountains. It was on that operation Morgan was severely injured.

Jason Morgan is now a best-selling co-author of A Dog Called Hope: The Wounded Warrior and the Dog Who Saved Him.” His book is now published in 7 countries including Russia and has won two major international awards for excellence and featured on the Today Show. Jason and his dog have spoken all over the US, England and Scotland and has made appearances on morning television in America and England.

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Beyond ABC: Needs Facing Children in North Texas

Vanessa Simpson, LCSW-S
Integrated Behavioral Health, Children's Health

Vanessa Simpson, LCSW-S earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baylor University. Vanessa started her social work career as an intern at Children’s Health and has worked for Children’s Health for over 10 years in both the Social Work department and Behavioral Health department. Vanessa currently serves as the Manager for the TCHATT Program in the Behavioral Health Department. Vanessa has been a board-approved social work supervisor since 2020. Vanessa is a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Acceleration Program and MODEL Leadership Academy. She has been specifically trained in Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Care. Vanessa believes in promoting an environment of compassion and hope to help children, teens, and families overcome their struggles and mental health challenges. Vanessa also serves as an adjunct professor for the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University.

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Cristal Retana Lule
VP Community Relations, Children's Health

Cristal Retana Lule is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to opportunities and resources for a better quality of life. As Vice President of Community Relations at Children’s Health since January 2018, she oversees community outreach and public policy initiatives. Through her work, she has been instrumental in various initiatives and coalitions to advocate for the well-being of children and families. Cristal holds a B.S. in Chemistry and Government from Texas Woman’s University and has over fourteen years of experience in public policy, having worked with various elected officials. She served as Mayor Pro Tem for Farmers Branch from 2019 to 2022, the first person of color in that role.

Her accolades include the DFW Hispanic 100 Emerging Latina Leader Award, La Cima Young Professional of the Year Award (2022), and the Blake Anderson Community Service Award (2019). Cristal has held leadership roles in numerous organizations, including the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas and the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce. In her free time, she enjoys running, mentoring, and spending time with her husband Eric, her son Mateo, and her family who still reside in the DFW area.

AGENDA

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  • 7:30 AM - Registration & Check In Opens

  • 8:15 AM - Opening Remarks

  • 9:00 AM - Morning Plenary #1

    • Stop Minding Your Own Business - Terry Bentley Hill, Attorney & Mental Health Advocate

  • 10:15 AM - Morning Plenary #2

    • A Wounded Warrior and the Dog That Saved Him - Staff Sergeant Jason Morgan, Veteran & Bestselling Author

  • 11:30 AM - Lunch Begins

  • 12:00 PM - Luncheon Keynote

    • Beyond ABC: Needs Facing Children in North Texas - Cristal Retana Lule, Vice President, Community Relations, Children's Health & Vanessa Simpson, LCSW-S, Manager, Integrated Behavioral Health, Children's Health

  • 1:30 - 2:20 PM - Break Out Sessions #1

    • Bibliotherapy in the Therapy Play Room: Using Books to Help Children Process Trauma, Grief, and Abuse - Kelly Pullen M.A., LPC-S, RPT, Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County & Karen Ewing M.S., LPC, RPT, Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County

    • DBT Interventions Targeting Aggression and Staff Burnout in Juvenile Justice Settings - Dr. Sheree L. Tarver Sylva-Senette, Clinical Coordinator, Dallas County Juvenile Department Letot Campus

    • Inclusivity in Care: Overcoming Barriers and Creating Collaborative Systems for IDD and Mental Illness - Andrew Ahles, LMFT-S Clinical Training Manager, Metrocare Services & Allison Turner, LPC, NCC, Licensed Professional Counselor DDP, Metrocare Services

    • Verbal Communications: Disconnecting to Connect -  Sergeant Joey Guerra, Plano Police Department

  • 2:30 - 3:20 PM - Break Out Sessions #2

    • Trendy to Be Depressed: The Hidden Reasons Our Teens Aren’t Getting Better and How to Help - Leanne Foell, LCSW, Adolescent Speaker & Therapist

    • State Strategies to Streamline Competency Restoration in Texas - Dr. Jennie Simpson, Associate Commissioner and State Forensic Director, Texas Health and Human Services Commission

    • We Didn't Create this Closet: Advocating for LGBTQ+ Clients - Brian Kennedy, M.S., LPC, Room for Change

    • The Grey Areas of an APOWW - Summer Land, Allen Police Department & Terry Qualls, McKinney Police Department

  • 3:30 - 4:20 PM - Break Out Sessions #3

    • Problematic and Illegal Sexual Behavior in Youth and Adolescence - Nicholas La Mere, LPC, Dallas County Children's Advocacy Center

    • Pre-Trial Intervention for Mentally Ill Defendants and Solutions for the Competency Waitlist - Lee Pierson, Chief, Mental Health Division, Dallas County District Attorney's Office & Kendall McKimmey, Deputy Chief, Mental Health Division, Dallas County District Attorney's Office

    • Overdose Response Panel - Misty Harris, LCDC, NCAC, SAP, Collin County Substance Abuse Program Coordinator & Becky Tinney, LMSW, LCDC, CPS, Director of Special Projects, Recovery Council & Siddharth Rangan, Lifepath Systems

    • Threat Team Building Capabilities - Courtney Runnels, Grand Prairie Police Department & Special Agent Jimmy Beachum, FBI

  • 4:30 PM - Event Concludes

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