Over the past several years, this blog post has become a go-to resource for readers looking for information about the best industry conferences to keep up to date on key issues, trends, and topics impacting human services.
It's been a while since we've planned for a full conference season, so we're excited to have so many events on the schedule this year!
Keep reading below for some details on national conferences or visit local/state-specific conference websites to learn more about each of those. We’ll continue to update this list throughout the year as new details and opportunities become available.
National Conferences
- APHSA's National Health and Human Services Summit (May 21-24)
- NASW 2023 National Conference (TBD)
- NCSEA Leadership Symposium (August 6-9)
- HSFo Annual Conference (TBD)
- APHSA's Economic Mobility and Well-Being Conference (August 27-30)
- 2023 NAPSA Conference (August 28-30)
- APHSA's ISM Conference (September 10-13)
Local/State Conferences
Conference |
Dates |
Location |
| Ohio Job and Family Services Directors' Association (OJFSDA) Annual Training Conference | May 17-18 | Columbus, OH |
| New York Public Welfare Association (NYPWA) Summer Conference | July 16-19 | TBD |
| North Carolina Association of County Directors of Social Services (NCACDSS) 2023 Social Services Institute | August 2-4 | Hickory, NC |
| Child Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) Annual Conference | October 11-14 | Anaheim, CA |
American Public Human Services Association's (APHSA) National Health and Human Services Summit
- Who? HHS agency directors, program administrators, and professionals
- What? Showcases transformation efforts underway across the nation focusing on human services program integration, innovation, workforce capacity, and other important industry topics.
- When? May 21-24
- Where? Baltimore, MD
- Why? Northwoodians who attend this summit always come back with a ton of insight on how policy changes and industry trends will affect our customers. We look forward to this conference every year—and it's been on this list since its inception!
- Related links: What's Working to Solve the Staffing Crisis in Human Services?
- Learn more: Visit APHSA's NHHS Summit page for more details as they become available
National Association of Social Workers' (NASW) 2023 National Conference
- Who? Social workers, social work thought leaders, and like-minded professionals
- What? Opportunities in professional development, continuing education, networking, and thought-provoking conversations tackling the most pressing issues facing the social work profession across the world.
- When? TBD
- Where? TBD
- Why? What a time to be a social worker. Despite the difficult circumstance you've worked through over the past few years, we hope this event will provide you with resources, inspiration, and support to stay positive. We also have several social workers on staff who are attending for their continuing education.
- Related links: A Deep Dive into Social Work Burnout (and What Your Human Services Agency Can Do About It)
- Learn more: More information will be posted on the NASW Conferences page as it becomes available
National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) Leadership Symposium
- Who? Current and future leaders in the child support community
- What? Annual conference for child support leaders to share and celebrate the application of best practices, partnerships, and innovative thinking within the day-to-day management and operations of the child support program.
- When? August 6-9
- Where? Anaheim, CA
- Why? It's been over five years since we've attended NCSEA and so much has changed! We're excited to reconnect with child support leaders and learn how Traverse can support more child support agencies.
- Related links: Modernizing Human Services: Technology's Integral Role in Addressing Key Issues
- Learn more: Visit the NCSEA Leadership Symposium website for details
National Association of State Human Services Finance Officers Organization (HSFo) Annual Conference
- Who? State and local finance professionals; federal officials and policy-makers
- What? Exchanging ideas, learning from each other's successes, and blending best practices related to changes in federal and state policies and regulations.
- When? TBD (usually mid- to late August)
- Where? Nashville, TN
- Why? We know that counties continue to have questions about leveraging the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). We hope to bring back examples and best practices to help agencies tap into any remaining funds for their technology and modernization initiatives.
- Related link: Navigating the Complex Technology Buying Process in Human Services
- Learn more: Visit HSFo's website for additional information as it becomes available
APHSA's Economic Mobility and Well-Being Conference
- Who? HHS and economic assistance leaders, policymakers, and researchers
- What? Brings together members from the American Association of SNAP Directors (AASD), the National Association for Program Information and Performance Measurement (NAPIPM), and the National Association of State TANF Administrators (NASTA) to elevate best practices and collaborate to create a modern, responsive HHS system.
- When? August 27-30
- Where? Long Beach, CA
- Why? The unwinding is here and technology will play a critical role in ensuring every client can continue to access the resources they need to maintain their well-being. This year's conference will be a great opportunity to learn more about the strategies and tools that states and agencies are putting in place to navigate these pending changes.
- Related links: Advancing Economic Mobility and Well-Being Ahead of the Unwinding
- Learn more: Visit APHSA's EMWB Conference page for more details as they become available
National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) Conference
- Who? Adult protective services (APS) executive directors, managers, supervisors, and workers, plus allied professionals in government, law enforcement, medicine, banking & finance, legal systems, nursing homes/ombudsman, and community based organizations
- What? The only national conference that focuses solely on APS and features sessions and workshops that highlight innovative practice, cutting edge research, and bold new initiatives moving the field of APS forward.
- When? August 28-30
- Where? Boston, MA
- Why? One of our goals for 2023 is to help more adult & aging workers leverage Traverse to quickly access real-time information to support clients’ overall well-being. We're excited to learn about the innovative ideas that APS programs are putting in place and how we might support them.
- Related links: Traverse for Adult & Aging: Software to Support the Continuum of Care
- Learn more: Visit the annual NAPSA Conference website for details
APHSA’s IT Solutions Management (ISM) for Human Services
- Who? Agency directors, program administrators, IT directors, technology partners, and government officials
- What? Brings together federal, state, local, and private sector thought leaders to discuss lessons learned, emerging issues, and key trends relating to HHS technology.
- When? September 10-13
- Where? Kissimmee, FL
- Why? ISM is hands down one of our favorite events to hear from partners and industry experts about the most important IT topics and innovations impacting human services. Another conference that remains on our list every year!
- Related link: Breaking Down Barriers: How Agencies Are Connecting Caseworkers, Clients, and Providers
- Learn more: Visit APHSA's ISM Conference page for more details as they become available
What other conferences are on your radar this year? Let us know!
