The Tennessee Department of Education’s Special Education & Student Supports Division invites you to submit a proposal to present at the 2027 Project RAISE Mental Health Conference (MHC), taking place May 6–7, 2027, at the Chattanooga Marriott Downtown in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Project RAISE Mental Health Conference brings together school-based mental health professionals from across Tennessee and surrounding areas for a powerful event centered on learning, connection, and inspiration.
The conference provides two days of impactful sessions led by experts in the field, equipping school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, district administrators, and other school-based mental health providers with strategies and resources to better support the mental health needs of students. With a focus on both professional growth and peer connection, the event fosters collaboration, fresh perspectives, and practical tools that attendees can take back to their schools and communities.
For 2027, we are accepting proposals for 75-minute breakout sessions. Accepted presenters will have the opportunity to share their expertise, connect with colleagues from across Tennessee, and contribute to a meaningful professional learning experience for conference attendees.
We recommend downloading and completing the 2027 Project RAISE Mental Health Conference Request for Proposals Guided Worksheet before beginning your proposal submission as responses entered directly into the submission site cannot be saved for completion at a later time.
Proposal Types
75-Minute Breakout Sessions
These sessions should provide conference participants with practical, evidence-informed knowledge, strategies, resources, or tools they can apply in their professional settings.
Who Should Submit?
For breakout sessions:
- School-based mental health professionals
- Educators and administrators
- District leaders
- Higher education faculty
- Community providers
- Researchers
- Other subject-matter experts
Focus Areas
The Project RAISE Mental Health Conference is seeking session proposals in the following focus areas:
- Legal topics and issues
- Interventions and strategies used in school-based mental health
- Section 504 and IEP
- FBA and BIP
- Impacts of social media on student mental health
- Suicide prevention and intervention
- Substance abuse, tobacco use, vaping
- Parent and family engagement strategies and supports
- Autism and Neurodiversity
- Threat Assessment
How to Submit a Proposal
We recommend downloading and completing the 2027 Project RAISE Mental Health Conference Request for Proposals Guided Worksheet before beginning your proposal submission.
The 2027 Project RAISE Mental Health Conference Request for Proposals Guided Worksheet includes all of the questions and prompts included in the proposal submission form and allows you to prepare and save your responses before submitting your proposal. Responses entered directly into the submission site cannot be saved for completion at a later time.
Once you have completed the worksheet and gathered the necessary information, you can use your responses to complete the online proposal submission form.
Important Dates
Proposal System Opens - September 22, 2026 (9:00am CT)
Proposal System Closes - November 9, 2026 (11:59pm CT)
Acceptance Notifications - January 2027
Invited Presenter Confirmation Deadline - early January 2027
Final Session Materials Due - February 15, 2027 (11:59pm CT)
Project RAISE Mental Health Conference - May 6-7, 2027