2025

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Truman VA Suicide Prevention

Truman VA Hospital

he Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital is a Veterans Administration (VA) hospital located in Columbia, Missouri. Located adjacent to the University of Missouri campus, the hospital has a coverage area of 43 counties in Missouri and Illinois and serves more than 38,000 veterans inpatient and 314,000 veterans outpatient.[1][2] Affiliated with the University of Missouri School of Medicine, it provides primary care, surgical, mental health, medical, geriatric, transitional, rehabilitative, and hospice services.[3] The medical center has achieved some of the best scores in the state of Missouri for JCAHO Quality Reporting.

 

website: WWW.VA.GOV

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Keeton, Zhanna, MBA, MA, LPC, CCTS, BA

Zhanna Keeton, a Doctoral Candidate in Counseling & Care with a specialization in Trauma (Ed.D), is an accomplished executive and clinical professional with extensive experience in trauma-informed care and mental health. She holds an MBA from Webster University and an MA in Counseling from Missouri Baptist University. As the Executive Director of Center for Life Solutions, Zhanna oversees $6M+ in contracts, having significantly increased revenue and operational efficiency while leading the agency to ASAM certification and CARF accreditation. Her previous roles include founding and leading Phoenix Behavioral Health and serving as Chief Operations Officer at Jimmy Keys Fitness & Wellness, where she developed strategies for business growth and program development. In her clinical roles, Zhanna has provided trauma-informed therapy to diverse populations, including victims of human trafficking and individuals with severe mental illness. She is an active member of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence and has presented on trauma and mental health at various conferences. A published author and Licensed Professional Counselor, Zhanna is also certified as a Clinical Trauma Professional and Trauma and Addiction Specialist.

Presentation(s):

Balancing Person-Centered Treatment and Effective Addiction Treatment Interventions 

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Schlotzhauer, Le’Anne, BS

Le’Anne Schlotzhauer has worked over 30 years in the IDD field. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Missouri. She has supported staff through her leadership and mentorship. She has worked with leaders to enhance their interpersonal relationships with their employees. Le’Anne is a leader in professional development at Emmaus Homes.

Presentation(s):

Supporting Employees

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EPC – Early Psychosis Care

Missouri’s Early Psychosis Care initiative is bringing to the forefront the importance of identification and intervention as critical steps in reducing the impact of psychosis on affected individuals, their families, and our community.  Through educational opportunities and outreach, EPC will raise awareness state-wide about best practices, current trends in research, offer learning collaboratives, and implement new strategies, research, and trends into practice.

Current priorities are:

1.  Provide training, consultation, and implementation support to early intervention programs that specifically address early psychosis care in Missouri.

2.  Through community outreach, provide education and support to individuals seeking information and resources on early psychosis.

3.  Promote evidenced-based care and advance research on early psychosis, as it relates to promoting implementation science and clinical outcomes.

EPCMissouriConference.com

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Cooper, Caroline, MS, CPS

Caroline S. Cooper is a certified peer specialist (CPS) in mental health. She is also a writer, speaker, and host of a YouTube show and podcast called Mental Health and Faith: A Closer Look. Caroline is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in psychology and counseling from B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary. She also has a Master’s in Bible & Theology. As an experienced speaker, Caroline has given presentations at conferences such as DMH-SI, Mental Health KC, and Real Voices, Real Choices. She is also a RESPECT Speaker sponsored by the Missouri Mental Health Foundation. As a freelance writer, Caroline has been published by Bible Advocate, Focus on the Family, Guideposts, and other publishers. She is also a self-published author with several mental health related books available on Amazon. Through her ministry, Mental Health Connect, Caroline desires to help people find their way in this complicated world by encouraging them to choose hope, experience transformation, and recognize victory. Caroline’s website is www.carolinescooper.com. She can be reached at caroline@carolinescooper.com.

Presentation(s): 

Support Group Success: It All Begins with Hope 

 


 

 

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Cooley-Bennett, Terri, BSW, MSW, LCSW, LSCSW, CCDP-D, TTS

Ms. Terri Cooley-Bennett is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (MO), a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (KS), a Co-occurring Disorders professional diplomate, and a Tobacco Treatment Specialist. She is in the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program at Tulane University School of Social Work (TSSW) and a participant in the Teaching Fellowship program. Ms. Cooley-Bennett has worked with vulnerable populations and with individuals experiencing homelessness, mental illness, substance use, sexual exploitation, trauma, poverty, and other vulnerabilities. She works for Swope Health in the Behavioral Health Department and has a variety of duties such as providing psychiatric evaluations for clients, and is a member of the Cultural Employee Resource Group (ERG) and the Licensure and Supervision Committee.
Ms. Cooley-Bennett has over 20 years of experience as a presenter, workshop leader, and educator and is on the ethics committee of the Missouri Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and trained with the National NASW Office of Ethics and Professional Review. She provides ethics training for organizations such as the Missouri Coalition for Behavioral Healthcare, the Missouri National Association of Social Workers, the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare Continuing Education Program, and the Missouri Credentialing Board. She presented for the Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) National Conference and the National HealthCare for the Homeless Conference. She provides field instruction for social work students and clinical supervision for professionals seeking licensure. She has also held adjunct professor positions for the City Vision University Addictions Counseling Program and the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare.

Presentation(s): 

When Client becomes Colleague: The Peer Movement and Ethical Considerations 


 

 

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Carpenter, John, MSW, LCSW

After obtaining a BA in Psychology from DePauw University in Indiana and a MSW from Washington University in St. Louis, John has served southwest Missouri for 45 years as a Psychiatric Therapist working with individuals, couples, families, and groups for all types of disorders and behavior problems.
He learned that using experiential approaches, metaphors, and visual props often revealed many hidden dynamics and reactions that just talking would never have produced. This made therapy more clearly understood, experienced, and productive.
 

Presentation(s): 

Experiential Approaches to Reveal Nine Types of Couples 

 

 

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Vincenz, Felix, PhD

Dr. Felix Vincenz served as the Chief Executive Office at the St. Louis Forensic Treatment Center before his retirement from the Department of Metal Health on January 1, 2025. The Forensic Treatment Center is, a state-operated, inpatient forensic hospital formed in December 2020 from the merger of the former St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center on Arsenal St., and the Metropolitan St. Louis Psychiatric Center on Delmar Blvd. Dr. Vincenz has worked in the Department of Mental Health for 40 years, serving in various capacities, including Chief Executive of the State’s only High Security Hospital, the Department’s Director of Facility Operations, and as the Chief Operating Officer of the Division of Behavioral Health. In the latter two roles, he oversaw all the state operated psychiatric hospitals and habilitation centers, and was responsible for working with the department’s contracted providers for community mental health services. He is a clinical psychologist by training and has also served as the Associate Director of Missouri Institute of Mental Health.

Presentation(s): 

Leadership in Times of Crisis 

History of Missouri Asylums