EmPATH Summit 2026 Highlights
Thank you to all of our speakers, attendees and sponsors who made the
2nd annual EmPATH Summitt a success!
We hope all participants found the sessions engaging, the conversations meaningful, and the overall experience valuable.
Thank you again for joining us and contributing to the conversations that made this year’s Summit so impactful. Your insights will help us continue creating experiences that foster connection, collaboration, and innovation in behavioral health crisis care.
EmPATH Summit Summary
Transform psychiatric emergency care at the 2nd Annual EmPATH Summit—a national gathering bringing together hospital leaders, clinicians, policymakers, designers, and innovators committed to advancing the EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) model.
Connect with industry leaders, gain insights into best practices, and explore how the EmPATH model is helping hospitals solve psychiatric Emergency Department boarding and improve emergency department throughput across the country.
About EmPATH Summit
The EmPATH Summit is designed for those who are leading change:
🧠 Driving behavioral health strategy across hospitals and systems
🤝 Creating spaces that support dignity, safety, and recovery
🧩 Partnering across sectors to strengthen crisis response
💡 Asking the essential question: How can we do this better?
Why you should attend:
✅ Expert Insights: Explore success stories from pioneers and creators of the EmPATH model, showcasing the achievements of leading institutions across the United States.
✅ Evidence-Based Solutions: Discover strategies to improve psychiatric care, reduce ED boarding, and enhance patient-centered outcomes.
✅ Networking Opportunities: Engage with healthcare innovators, leaders, and frontline staff to exchange ideas, share experiences, and collaborate on solutions to optimize EmPATH units.
Dr. Scott Zeller invites you to EmPATH Summit 2026
Dr. Scott Zeller is the creator of the EmPATH (Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) model and one of the world’s leading voices in psychiatric emergency care. As the lead Physician Consultant for EmPATH Consulting and Vice President of Psychiatry at Vituity, he has helped more than 200 hospitals worldwide design and implement innovative behavioral health emergency solutions. Additionally, he has authored multiple foundational textbooks and spearheaded Project BETA (Best Practices in Evaluation and Treatment of Agitation), a landmark initiative that established humane, evidence-based standards for managing agitation in emergency settings.
Through this work, he has helped shift hospitals away from coercive interventions toward compassionate, patient-centered approaches that improve safety and outcomes for both patients and staff.
2026 Summit Focus Areas:
Building Better EmPATH Units: Foundations, Operations & Innovations
Whether you're building from the ground up or refining an existing unit, this focus area explores the operational strategies and innovations that drive high-performing EmPATH units.
Supporting Special Populations in EmPATH Units
Every patient population presents unique needs and challenges, and EmPATH units are evolving to meet them. This focus area highlights approaches for pediatric, adolescent, geriatric, and patients with co-occurring substance use disorders through tailored practices and thoughtful design.
Integrating EmPATH Units Within Hospital Systems and Community Partnerships
EmPATH units thrive when connected to the broader continuum of care. This focus area explores how to align with hospital systems, EMS, law enforcement, and community partners to build seamless and sustainable crisis response networks.
Agenda at a Glance
Here's an overview of what's happening at the event!
All times listed are MDT
- 9:00 AM - 10:15 AMOpening Session & Keynote
- 10:45 AM - 12:00 PMCase Studies & Panel Discussion
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PMLunch
- 1:00 PM - 3:50 PMEmPATH Educational Tracks
- 4:00 PM - 4:45 PMClosing Day 1 Keynote & Awards
- 4:45 PM - 6:00 PMNetworking Cocktail Reception
- 7:50 AM - 8:50 AMBreakfast
- 9:00 AM - 10:15 AMGeneral Session and Keynote
- 10:45 AM - 12:00 PMCase Studies & Panel Discussion
- 12:00 PM - 1:00 PMLunch
- 1:00 PM - 2:45 PMEmPATH Educational Tracks
- 3:00 PM - 3:30PMClosing Session
What to Expect
Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City
Deepen your knowledge with:
- Keynotes & Breakout Sessions
- Case Studies & Fireside Chats
- Workshops
- Panel Discussions
EmPATH Summit 2025 Highlights
Thank you to all of our speakers, attendees and sponsors who made the inaugural EmPATH summit a success!
Here's a recap.
See you in...
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