Registration open for Spring 2026 USI healthcare conferences and workshops
During the second quarter of 2026, the University of Southern Indiana Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning will offer the following conferences and workshops designed to provide essential continuing education and professional development opportunities for health professionals across disciplines.
Nursing Leadership Conference – April 1
The University is pleased to welcome back Elizabeth Rudolph, JD, MSN, RN, PLNC, of Memphis, Tennessee, as the opening keynote presenter at the 23rd annual Nursing Leadership Conference. She is an attorney and nurse who founded JurexNurse.com, a company that trains nurses to be certified as Professional Legal Nurse Consultants. Rudolph earned her nursing and law degrees from Vanderbilt University. She has been a nursing faculty member and has practiced law in Memphis for many years, in addition to being a prolific speaker and author on legal issues in nursing.
Stephanie Staples, CSP, will close the conference in the afternoon. She is an international motivational speaker, author and wellness expert known for her work with busy professionals, especially in the healthcare industry.
This conference is jointly provided with the Indiana Organization for Nursing Leadership (IONL).
The deadline for reduced registration is Thursday, March 19. For more information, visit USI.edu/leadership-conference.
Empowering Medical Forensic Practice: Trauma, Teamwork and Transformation – April 29-30
The Indiana SANE Training Project, a program of the Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center, is hosting a two-day conference in Indianapolis to support and advance medical forensic practice for nurses and multidisciplinary teams. Through presentations by national experts, this event will explore critical topics impacting patient care and professional collaboration.
Additionally, attendees will receive the latest practice updates relevant to Indiana medical forensic nurses and their teams.
Three of the speakers during the two-day event will be:
Tracy Matheson, President/Founder of Project Beloved: The Molly Jane Mission. Her daughter’s preventable 2017 rape and murder launched her on a path to bring light from the darkness.
Rebecca Campbell, PhD, University Distinguished Professor and William J. Beal Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University. In her research career, she has studied sexual assault survivors’ disclosure and help-seeking experiences with the legal and medical systems.
Amy Dee, a nurse/comedian who will close the first day with an upbeat and inspiring message.
The rest of the speaker lineup will be posted at USI.edu/sane-conference.
Conference Location: Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel- Keystone Crossing, 8787 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, Indiana
Registered nurses living outside of the Indianapolis area can request funding assistance for hotel and mileage expenses at the time of registration.
Who should attend?
The target audience includes nurses, law enforcement, advocates and other professionals involved in the medical forensic care of survivors.
The deadline to register is Friday, April 17.
Institute for Alcohol and Drug Studies – May 20-21
The 43rd annual Institute for Alcohol and Drug Studies (IADS) will focus on current substance use disorders and alcohol and drug trends and provide practical tools related to successful intervention, rehabilitation and treatment.
Keynote speakers on Wednesday, May 20:
William R. Miller, PhD, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. He is the Co-Founder of the clinical method of Motivational Interviewing (MI).
Kevin Sabet, PhD, President and CEO of the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) and SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana). He has studied, researched, written about and implemented drug policy for over 30 years.
Gianna Yunker, CIP, CAI, CFRS, CRS, a Certified Intervention Professional and Family Systems Specialist. She has over a decade of experience supporting families navigating addiction, complex mental health conditions and high-conflict dynamics.
Keynote speakers on Thursday, May 21:
Linda Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Professor of Epidemiology at the College of Public Health and Health Professions and the College of Medicine at the University of Florida. She has conducted research on culturally reliable and valid measures for identifying substance use, abuse and dependence, along with psychiatric disorders and their risk factors; innovative methods for conducting national surveys of high-risk behaviors, and community based, peer-delivered interventions to change high risk behaviors and substance abuse.
Lisa Hutcheson, MEd, Director of the Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking. She is Vice President of Prevention and Advocacy for Mental Health America of Indiana (MHAI) and supervises the Indiana Collegiate Action Network (ICAN).
Christopher R. McCurdy, PhD, FAAPS, a broadly trained medicinal chemist, behavioral pharmacologist and pharmacist whose research focuses on the design, synthesis and development of drugs to treat pain and drug abuse. He is an internationally recognized expert on Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa).
Lisa Seif, LCSW, LCAC, CSAMS, a private psychotherapist at Integrity Psychological & Counseling Associates and a consultant for the Vanderburgh County Treatment Courts and Deaconess Cross Pointe. She has been in the prevention, intervention and treatment field for over 40 years.
To accommodate busy schedules, this conference is being offered both live and virtually. New for 2026 is an on-demand series (for eight additional CE hours) offered at a reduced rate through this conference.
Who should attend?
The target audience includes counselors, case managers, therapists, educators, personnel directors, correction personnel, nurses, social workers and other healthcare professionals interested in problems of alcohol and drug use disorders and all addictions.
In 2026, live registration is discounted with generous support from Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC).
Prices will increase after Tuesday, May 5. For more information, visit USI.edu/IADS.
Respiratory Excellence: A Conference for the Whole Team – June 17-18
This conference is designed to address critical topics that influence patient care and clinical decision-making such as advanced vent modes, pulmonary rehab, brain death criteria and ethical considerations. This event will equip respiratory therapists, nurses and other healthcare professionals with the latest knowledge and skills to navigate the evolving respiratory care landscape and enhance interdisciplinary collaboration. Both days will feature hands-on learning in USI’s Clinical Simulation Center.
Who should attend?
The target audience includes respiratory therapists, nurses and other health professionals interested in respiratory issues.
Prices will increase after Friday, June 5. For more information, visit USI.edu/rt/conference.
For information, call toll-free 1-877-USI-HLTH (874-4584) or 812-461-5217, or email usi1nhpcert@usi.edu. The entire list of 2026 conferences and workshops is on the Center’s website.
About the USI Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning
The USI Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning is committed to providing quality and excellence in interprofessional continuing education. In addition to in-person events, the USI Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning also offers a variety of online programs for those looking to expand their knowledge in a specific disease state or care niche.
Continuing Education
Continuing Education (CE) hours are available for nurses, physicians, pharmacists, social workers and health facility administrators. CE hours will also be available for Indiana licensed marriage and family therapists, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, mental health counselors and dental professionals.
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, the University of Southern Indiana Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
State of Indiana
The University of Southern Indiana has been approved by the Indiana State Board of Health Facility Administrators as a sponsor of continuing education programs for health facility administrators. License number: 98000033A
The University of Southern Indiana is an approved provider of continuing education for several professionals licensed in the state of Indiana, including social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, mental health counselors and dental professionals.