THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE RELEASE
Event is September 18-19, 2025
ABOVE: Dr. Jonathon Wade serves coffee and mental health advice at the Connection Café coffee cart.
DANVILLE – Danville Area Community College will host the Second Annual Community Mental Health Conference on Thursday, September 18, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, September 19, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Bremer Conference Theater. The two-day event is designed for healthcare providers, educators, nonprofit professionals, and others who wish to expand their understanding of mental health and wellness—for themselves and for the people they serve. The $30 registration fee includes continental breakfast and lunch both days.
This year’s theme, “Caring for Yourself So You Can Care for Others,” underscores the conference’s dual focus on personal resilience and professional effectiveness. Sessions will address a broad spectrum of mental health topics, from the neurobiology of trauma to the role of nutrition in emotional well-being.
Featured presentations include:
⦁ Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences: Building Self-Healing Communities – Cassie Wade
⦁ Leading with Purpose: The Power of People-Centered and Community-Driven Leadership – Erik Cisney
⦁ Strong Foundations: Men’s Mental Health, Fatherhood, and Family – Erik Cisney
⦁ The Science of Wellbeing: How Hormones Participate in Our Mental Health – Sasha Powell
⦁ An Organizational and Interpersonal Approach to Combating Burnout and Compassion Fatigue – Dr. Jonathon Wade
⦁ How Nutrition Fuels Mood, Mental Clarity, and Hormonal Balance – Jen Slavik
⦁ Service to Self and Others: The Essence of Well-being, the Foundation of Happiness – Dr. Jonathon Wade
A closing panel discussion will bring all presenters together for an interactive conversation with attendees.
The conference is sponsored by DACC’s Community Education Department and the DACC Foundation. “Our goal is to provide participants with insights and strategies they can take back to their workplaces, homes, and communities,” said Dr. Jonathon Wade, conference organizer and Professor of Behavioral Science at DACC. “These sessions are designed to be both practical and thought-provoking.”
Doors open at 7:30 a.m. each day for the Connection Café, offering coffee, lattes, or refreshers. Lunch will be catered by DACC’s Culinary Arts program. Seating is limited, and early registration is encouraged.
To register or view the full conference schedule, visit https://dacccommunityed.coursestorm.com or contact DACC Community Education at 217-554-1667.
Danville Area Community College is a comprehensive community college serving Illinois District 507, which consists of Vermilion County and parts of Champaign, Iroquois, Edgar, and Ford counties. DACC’s main campus is located at 2000 East Main Street, Danville. The College has a higher-learning center in Hoopeston at 847 E. Orange. To apply to DACC, call 217-443-3222 or visit the Web site at www.DACC.EDU.
This is the official news head for Danville Area Community College. College news items received by media that are not on this news head should not be used. To connect media representatives with the person who can best answer questions about college issues, all inquiries should begin in the Marketing and College Relations office, 217-443-8768.
Accredited – Higher Learning Commission
www.hlcommission.org Phone: 1-800-621-7440 or 312-263-0456
