2025 JED Policy Summit
Meeting the Moment: Sustaining Progress in Youth Mental Health
JED’s third annual Policy Summit, “Meeting the Moment: Sustaining Progress in Youth Mental Health,” will take place Wednesday, October 15 in Washington, D.C. As we continue our work to champion programs and legislation that protect the emotional well-being of our nation’s teens and young adults, we are at a pivotal moment to forge ahead with meaningful and lasting progress.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Time: 8:30am – 4:00pm
Reception: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Address:
500 Eighth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Event Description
Building on the momentum from previous summits, this year’s gathering will bring together mental health experts, policymakers, advocates, educators, and young people to drive forward sustainable solutions that meet the evolving mental health needs of teens and young adults across the country.
The Summit will challenge participants to consider the growing influence of technology, including AI, in shaping mental health policy and practice. It will examine effective policy levers at the local, state, and federal levels to secure much-needed investments and resources for students. The gathering is designed to deepen coordination across sectors, foster collaboration, and support integrated approaches to advancing mental health in education, health care, and the digital realm.
JED is looking forward to discussing key partnerships and initiatives that align with our mission to protect the emotional well-being and prevent suicide among teens and young adults, while celebrating the progress made and the opportunities ahead.
Since the year 2000, JED has remained steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of young people, reshaping the discourse surrounding mental health, and mobilizing communities into meaningful action. As of today, JED has made a profound impact in the lives of over 6.7 million youth across the nation through purposeful partnerships with academic institutions and systems.
Diverging from the conventional conference format, we are adopting an innovative approach by creating a space dedicated to constructive discussion, open dialogue, strategic contemplation, and thoughtful reflection. Reserve your spot today.
Register for the 2025 JED Policy Summit Today!
Agenda
Check-In & Networking Breakfast
Start your day with coffee, connection, and light breakfast as we open the space for dialogue and collaboration. Attendees will have a chance to meet JED staff and connect with peers across sectors.
Welcome from JED: Framing the Moment
Dr. Zainab Okolo offers an inspiring kickoff, reflecting on the national policy landscape, JED’s mission, and what it means to sustain progress.
Funder Greetings: Why We Show Up
Philanthropic leaders reflect on their investments in youth mental health and the importance of cross-sector collaboration. Attendees will gain insight into how philanthropy is catalyzing impact in state and national policy.
Youth Mental Health and the Role of AI: What the Research Is Telling Us
Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz will share insights from the Child Mind Institute’s research on emerging trends in youth well-being, clinical practice, and digital engagement.
Moderated by Rafael Campos, formerly of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the conversation will weave together insights from leading clinical and research experts. Drawing on his federal research leadership experience, Campos will frame how emerging evidence can guide national priorities and inform responsible policy responses to the risks and opportunities of AI for young people.
Panel 1: Guardrails for the Future — AI, Mental Health, and Responsible Innovation
This session explores AI’s impact on mental health practice, privacy, access, and equity. Panelists will examine ethical, legal, and clinical considerations, and offer real-time examples of both promise and risk. Attendees will walk away with frameworks for evaluating and advocating for ethical tech use in education and mental health policy.
Table Activity #1
Participants will reflect in table teams on how surveillance technologies and AI-driven tools are showing up in their work. Using structured prompts, teams will explore risks, innovations, and identify guardrails they believe should be in place. Shared insights will inform later discussion.
Panel 2: Blueprints that Work — State Systems in Action
What are states doing well? How are states leaning into scaling behavioral health models and prioritizing them within strategic planning and budgeting? Learn about scalable practices from state leaders implementing cross-sector models to address youth mental health. Attendees will walk away with policy templates, implementation strategies, and collaborative frameworks to consider in their own states.
Lunch: Connection & Networking
Panel 3: Measuring Progress Where It Counts — National Evidence and Community Frameworks
Explore how research and data can guide decision-making and accountability in youth mental health. This panel will highlight national data sets, equity indicators, and community-based research frameworks, with an emphasis on the lessons learned from JED’s on-the-ground partnerships with schools, campuses, and communities.
Discussion Activity #2: Measures That Matter
In table teams, participants will reflect on how they define success in their own work. Using prompts from the Healthy Minds Study and HOPE framework, groups will surface indicators that are both meaningful and measurable. The activity will also explore how these measures intersect with Medicaid policy and implementation, anticipated changes under HR1, and the work that TIECP leads in advancing integrated, equity-driven approaches. The goal is to deepen clarity around shared impact metrics while situating them within real-world policy and funding contexts.
Panel 4: Through Our Eyes — Youth Voices and Policy Gaps
JED YAC members reflect on lived experience, priorities, and policy blind spots. This panel will surface the disconnects between youth needs and adult-led policy agendas. Attendees will hear directly from young leaders and walk away with actionable recommendations to better center youth in their own policy work.
Workforce Conversation: Centering Mental Health in Times of Change
A values-driven keynote exploring corporate, societal, and community responsibilities in youth mental health. Attendees will learn how the private sector is responding to mental health challenges and aligning resources for impact.
Workshop: State of the States
This data-rich session will feature national trends in youth mental health across state systems. Attendees will engage in a guided analysis of where gaps exist, which policies are gaining traction, and where new investment opportunities lie.
Closing Keynote: Policy, Politics, and the Path Ahead
Explore what’s on the federal horizon, what we should watch, and how we stay coordinated. Panelists will offer a big-picture look at upcoming federal action and how states can prepare and advocate in advance.
Final Reflection: Where Do We Go From Here?
Closing remarks from Dr. Okolo to reflect on what was learned, highlight emerging themes, and charge the group with the next phase of collective action.
Reception & Toast
Celebrate a day of progress and purpose with light fare and great company. Use this final hour to solidify relationships and toast to the momentum ahead.
This invitation provides you the opportunity to attend all speaker presentations, panel discussions, and reception. The event was organized to comply with the widely attended event exception of the Congressional Gift Rules.
Thanks to our generous sponsors:
