Call for Proposals

Potential Session Topics

SJCCC 2024 will offer a variety of sessions constructed to assist mental health providers in college counseling centers as they support neurodiverse students and university counseling center (UCC) staff. 

Session topics may include:

• Defining and understanding neurodiversity/neurodivergence among college students and how this impacts their experience and success within the university and in counseling
• Collaborating with broader university programs that support neurodiverse students in various ways
• Creating neuro-affirming spaces for students at varying levels (within the UCC, within counseling groups, in collaboration with other university entities)
• Learning about medication practices within university health centers for managing common symptoms experienced by neurodivergent students and how to collaborate care
• Helping students to combat stigma and advocate for their needs (around accommodations, adjusting to new diagnoses among high achieving students, etc.) 
• Supporting neurodiverse students with various intersecting identities - navigating experiences within the university and within their families
• Forming supportive and neuro-affirming spaces for neurodivergent UCC staff
• Exploring social media misinformation and over-diagnosing

All presentations should be based in current research literature and cite references accordingly. Presentations addressing ethical concerns and issues related to the conference theme are also encouraged to enable offering ethics Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits, as in the past. To qualify, ethical considerations should be weaved throughout the session, incorporating specific examples and noting relevance to the various professional ethical codes (APA, ACA, NASW) commonly employed at college counseling centers.

Session Types/Lengths/Formats

Presentation and workshop proposals are encouraged to incorporate various participation opportunities for attendees, such as Q&A portions, breakout groups and case studies. Proposals need not be limited to specific presentation lengths and formats. Creativity is encouraged.  For example, submissions may include but are not limited to the following structures: 

• 1.5 hour presentations designed to foster knowledge building, didactic information, and/or skill building.
• 3 hour workshops focused on skill building that may be experiential and/or interactive.
• Panels in a Q&A and/or symposium style.
• Roundtable discussions incorporating guided critical conversations or smaller breakout groups.

Formats engaging attendees through skill building, knowledge building, and/or critical conversations are encouraged. Skill building introduces attendees to a skill or set of skills that they can apply immediately to their work. Knowledge building shares information about a meaningful topic, empowering attendees with practical, next-step applications for their own work. Critical conversations spark relevant, inspiring, thought-provoking discussions, skillfully facilitated among attendees. 

Submissions that emphasize practical applications will be prioritized.

Program Submission Form

Required elements include a summary of your program, including a brief abstract; your program topic, length and type/format; learning objectives; and rationale for your program (including 5 references with at least 3 from the past 5-10 years). The SJCCC program committee will review submissions for acceptance. 

For CEU purposes, you will also need to complete and submit the following for each presenter:

• Vested Interest Form
• Biographical Data Form
• CVs/Resumes

All submissions are due by Monday, February 26, 2024 (11:59 p.m.). 

SJCCC prioritizes accessibility for all participants and presenters. 

For any general questions or questions related to program submissions, or accessibility or to request an accommodation to participate fully in this event (e.g., communication access, alternate formats), please contact Bethany Smith, M.A., LPC-S, NCC (SJCCC Chair), at b-smith@tamu.edu.