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Selective Mutism Association Annual Conference 2024

October 5 @ 8:00 am – October 6 @ 5:00 pm EDT

In-Person Conference, Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile

Limited Recording Bundle offered

More Information and Registration

Agenda (Chicago Face to Face)

Recorded Bundle Agenda for Caregivers/Professionals

Recorded Bundle Agenda for Individuals with SM

Conference Information

The Selective Mutism Association’s annual conference will be on Saturday, October 5 (full day) and October 6, 2024 (half day) this year in Chicago, IL. We hope you can join us in person to connect with our community! It will be a wonderful time of gathering to learn the latest in evidence-based information, support one another, and connect with parents and professionals. It’s been a while since we’ve had a face-to-face conference, and we are excited to see everyone! Please note: SMA is intending to rotate in-person conferences with fully virtual conferences in the coming years. The 2024 conference will offer the following registration options:

In-Person Conference
(Please note: everyone is welcome to attend in person; however there is not specific live programming geared toward Individuals who currently have SM at the in-person conference)
  • Attend full one-and-a-half day conference of live presentations for professionals and caregivers
  • Network with other professionals and families at the Mix n’Mingle Connection time on Saturday evening
  • Explore current research on SM and interact with researchers at poster presentations
  • Earn up to 9 Continuing Education credits for approved sessions for both professional and caregiver tracks
  • Listen to live “Hear Our Voices” panel of individuals recovering from SM with Q&A
  • Bring questions to live panel of experts in the field of SM with Q&A
Limited Conference Recording Bundle for caregivers/professionals
  • A limited selection of pre-determined sessions will be recorded and offered virtually directly after the conference
  • Earn up to 5 continuing education credits. If you need continuing education, please check approvals.
  • Session titles and descriptions
  • Recordings will be released after the conference and will be available until January 31, 2025
Recording Bundle for Individuals with Selective Mutism (ages 17 and older)
  • Sessions will be recorded and offered virtually after the conference (geared toward ages 17 and older)
  • Please note that sessions for this track will NOT be offered in person at the conference.
  • Registration is free for this track. Those that choose this registration option will only have access to the Individual Track presentations.

Keynote Address: Expanding the Reach and Scope of Care for Children with Selective Mutism: Leveraging Novel Treatment Formats and Innovative Technologies, Jonathan S. Comer, Ph.D.

One of the field’s leading authorities on the nature and treatment of pediatric anxiety disorders, Dr. Comer leads a funded research program examining innovative and nontraditional strategies for expanding the reach, scope, and responsiveness of children’s mental healthcare. His work focuses on digital mental health, telehealth, intensive formats, and parenting approaches for treating anxiety-related problems such as behavioral avoidance, irritability,
family accommodation, and selective mutism. Dr. Comer is Professor of Psychology at Florida International University where he directs the NIH-funded Mental health Interventions & Novel Therapeutics (MINT) Program and the SAMHSA-funded Network for Enhancing Wellness in Disaster-Affected Youth (NEW DAY). He’s written over 250 scholarly publications, serves as Editor-in-Chief of Behavior Therapy, is past-president of the Society of Clinical Psychology (APA Division12), and chairs the semi-annual Miami International Child and Adolescent Mental Health (MICAMH) Conference. He has also coauthored several textbooks, including Psychopathology: Science and Practice and Fundamentals of Psychopathology.

Date and Location

Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
511 N. Columbus Dr.
Chicago, IL
312.836.5900

SMA’s annual conference offers tracks for professionals, caregivers, and individuals with SM (ages 17 and older, recorded format only). The face to face conference will also offer a silent auction (proceeds are put towards SMA’s mission) and selective mutism display books will be available for perusal with links for purchase. We would love to see you for our Mix n’ Mingle connection time on Saturday evening after the conference sessions. See further conference information for continuing education provided, scholarships available, and hotel booking information. We encourage you to make your hotel reservations as early as possible in order to get the lowest rates and best availability.

Please see our conference event registration page for more detailed information including pricing, details about the conference, and hotel booking information.

Special Note to all Individuals with SM:

SMA recognizes that resources for older individuals who have SM are scarce and thus, for individuals with SM (ages 17 and older), SMA will continue to offer the Individuals with SM track for FREE! Session titles and descriptions will be released in June 2024. This track will only be offered in a recording format, not a face-to-face format. Recordings will be available until January 31, 2025. Continuing education will not be offered for this track. Please note, that individuals who register for this track will not have access to the professional and caregiver-friendly tracks that are offered virtually. For those registrants who would like access to the professional/caregiver-friendly virtual option, you will need to register for that bundle as well.

Email conference inquiries to Lisa Kovac at info@selectivemutism.org.

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