Dr. Stephen Stahl to Headline Psych Congress 2025 Keynote Panel on Decriminalizing Mental Illness
The keynote will explore how neuroscience, policy, and ethics intersect in a system where individuals with serious mental illness are frequently funneled into jails instead of care.
Nation’s largest independent mental health gathering set to bring 3,500 to San Diego for five days of evidence-based education and clinical innovation.
It’s an opportunity to examine how neuroscience and ethics can inform better models of care for vulnerable individuals who often fall through the cracks of our justice and health systems.”
— Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon.)
MALVERN, PA, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Internationally recognized educator Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon) will headline a keynote panel at Psych Congress 2025, examining how mental health and criminal justice policies are impacting outcomes for people living with psychotic disorders and how neuroethics and science can help shape improvement in these outcomes. The session, “Ending the Revolving Door: Decriminalizing Mental Health, Justice Reform, and the Ethics of Intervention,” will take place Wednesday, September 17 at 6:30 PM.
Psych Congress 2025—the nation’s leading meeting on practical psychopharmacology—will be held September 17–21 at the San Diego Convention Center, bringing together more than 3,500 psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants/physician associates, and other mental health professionals for education, collaboration, and clinical exchange.
Keynote Overview: Criminal Justice, Neuroethics, and a Path Forward
The keynote will explore how neuroscience, policy, and ethics intersect in a system where individuals with serious mental illness are frequently funneled into jails instead of care. Panelists will challenge outdated paradigms and present real-world frameworks for early, ethical, and effective psychiatric intervention.
“This panel brings together diverse perspectives on one of the most pressing challenges in psychiatry today,” said Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon.), Distinguished Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine and Founder of the Neuroscience Education Institute (NEI). “It’s an opportunity to examine how neuroscience and ethics can inform better models of care for vulnerable individuals who often fall through the cracks of our justice and health systems.”
This panel will explore:
· Contemporary science related to the neurobiology and psychopharmacology of psychotic disorders
· Outcomes for this population of people related to criminalization and homelessness
· California’s CARE Court, global models from Italy, and other policy innovations
· A new vision for early, ethical, and effective psychiatric care
Featured panelists include:
· Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD, DSc (Hon.), DMedSci (Hon, Cambridge) – Distinguished Health Sciences Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside; Founder, Neuroscience Education Institute
· Katherine Warburton, DO – Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, Davis
· Alberto Carrara, LC – Dean, Faculty of Philosophy, Neurobioethics Research Group, UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights, Ateno Pontifico Regina Apostolorum, Rome, Italy; Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Vatican City
Why This Keynote Matters
Each year, more than 2 million individuals with serious mental illness are booked into U.S. jails. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):
• 44% of people in jail and 37% of people in prison have a history of mental illness
• Many face solitary confinement, abuse, or lack of adequate treatment, deepening trauma and increasing the risk of recidivism
• County jails, not hospitals or clinics, are often the primary providers of psychiatric care
This keynote will bring these realities to the forefront, asking attendees to reimagine how the mental health system responds to crisis, and who it leaves behind.
What Is Psych Congress?
Psych Congress is a major mental health conference focused on practical psychopharmacology and evidence-based care. It is the largest independent event of its kind, designed to support the entire mental health team including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants/physician associates, psychologists, primary care physicians, and other professionals.
Known for its case-based, peer-driven education, Psych Congress offers a collaborative environment where clinicians gain tools to improve patient care and explore the evolving science of psychiatry.
Educational Program Overview
Beyond the keynote, Psych Congress 2025 will present a comprehensive agenda of more than 100 sessions led by 50+ internationally renowned faculty, tailored to frontline clinicians. Topics span diagnosis, treatment, and patient engagement across:
• Practical psychopharmacology
• Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder
• Anxiety disorders and PTSD
• Psychotic disorders
• Psychedelic therapies and emerging treatments
Attendees will gain insight into clinical trends, prescribing strategies, and collaborative care models grounded in the latest science.
Event Details
• Event Name: Psych Congress 2025
• Dates: September 17–21, 2025
• Location: San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California
• Expected Attendance: 3,500+ psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician associates, and other mental health professionals
• Event Website
• Registration
About HMP Global
HMP Global is the omnichannel market leader in healthcare events, education, and insight — with a mission to improve patient care. For 40 years, the company has built trusted brands including Psych Congress, the premier source for mental health education, and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. HMP Global partners with leading experts around the world to deliver more than 450 annual events, medical strategy, and marketing for pharmaceutical and medical device customers through HMP Collective, and pharmaceutical market insight, engaging a global community of healthcare stakeholders that includes nearly 2 million clinicians across 600 medical specialties as well as managed care, behavioral health, senior living, emergency medical, and pharmaceutical commercialization professionals. For more information, follow HMP Global on LinkedIn or visit hmpglobal.com.
Sandi Beason, APR
HMP Global
pr@hmpglobal.com
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