2026 ADARA Conference
May 26 - 30, 2026
Please join us for the in-person 2026 ADARA Conference on May 26 to May 30, 2026, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our conference theme is Reaching New Peaks. This conference is an excellent opportunity to gain new information, share your experiences, and hone your professional skills. At the conclusion of the conference, you will be able to identify new skills and training strategies that can be applied to your professional practice.
ADARA conference participants represent professionals in the fields of vocational rehabilitation services and behavioral health, including research, independent living, education, interpreting, transition, etc. At the end of the conference, participants from each service field will be able to integrate their service specialty with at least one other related service.
ADARA also acknowledges that services for Deaf, DeafBlind, Deaf Plus, Late-Deafened, and Hard of Hearing persons are scarce; therefore networking is critical in sharing strategies and resources. When the conference is over, participants will be able to list at least three new connections made to other professionals and other agencies serving individuals who are Deaf, DeafBlind, Deaf Plus, Late-Deafened, and Hard of Hearing and describe how these relationships may be of benefit to them.
Communication access is another critical factor that affects ADARA members. At the conclusion of the conference, participants will be able to differentiate strategies for providing effective communication to consumers they work with in a variety of settings, as demonstrated in plenary and workshop sessions.
The 2026 ADARA Conference will be approved for professional continuing opportunities (CEs) by several professional disciplines:
- This program is approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886568022-4793) for 28.5 continuing education contact hours.
- The Alabama Department of Mental Health is an approved continuing education provider by the National Board of Certified Counselors (Approval ACEP no. 6824) for 28.25 continuing education contact hours.
- This program is approved by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (Approval Number: 60008003357) for 27.75 continuing education contact hours.
- Meghan Cowin is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This PS/GS/PPO program is offered for up to 2.75 CEUs at the some Content Knowledge Level.
- APA Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. APA Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists may earn up to 26 continuing education (CE) hours.
Accommodation Information:
ASL and voice interpreting will be provided for all workshops at this conference. CART/captioning and tactile interpreting services will be provided upon request. Requests must be made by April 15, 2026. Please note that this conference is in-person, not hybrid.
Assistive Listening Available – Auracast™ Broadcast Audio
To support accessibility for all attendees, this conference will provide Auracast™ broadcast audio assistive listening in session rooms. Auracast allows you to hear presentations clearly by streaming audio directly to compatible hearing aids, cochlear implants, earbuds, headphones, or receiver devices.
If your hearing aids or device are not Auracast-enabled, if you have a mini mic, please bring it along, neck loops and receiver units will be available for use at the conference.
How to use Auracast at this conference:
ADARA conference participants represent professionals in the fields of vocational rehabilitation services and behavioral health, including research, independent living, education, interpreting, transition, etc. At the end of the conference, participants from each service field will be able to integrate their service specialty with at least one other related service.
ADARA also acknowledges that services for Deaf, DeafBlind, Deaf Plus, Late-Deafened, and Hard of Hearing persons are scarce; therefore networking is critical in sharing strategies and resources. When the conference is over, participants will be able to list at least three new connections made to other professionals and other agencies serving individuals who are Deaf, DeafBlind, Deaf Plus, Late-Deafened, and Hard of Hearing and describe how these relationships may be of benefit to them.
Communication access is another critical factor that affects ADARA members. At the conclusion of the conference, participants will be able to differentiate strategies for providing effective communication to consumers they work with in a variety of settings, as demonstrated in plenary and workshop sessions.
The 2026 ADARA Conference will be approved for professional continuing opportunities (CEs) by several professional disciplines:
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
- National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
- Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)
- Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
- American Psychological Association (APA) – Designated Track
- This program is approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886568022-4793) for 28.5 continuing education contact hours.
- The Alabama Department of Mental Health is an approved continuing education provider by the National Board of Certified Counselors (Approval ACEP no. 6824) for 28.25 continuing education contact hours.
- This program is approved by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (Approval Number: 60008003357) for 27.75 continuing education contact hours.
- Meghan Cowin is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This PS/GS/PPO program is offered for up to 2.75 CEUs at the some Content Knowledge Level.
- APA Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. APA Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists may earn up to 26 continuing education (CE) hours.
Accommodation Information:
ASL and voice interpreting will be provided for all workshops at this conference. CART/captioning and tactile interpreting services will be provided upon request. Requests must be made by April 15, 2026. Please note that this conference is in-person, not hybrid.
Assistive Listening Available – Auracast™ Broadcast Audio
To support accessibility for all attendees, this conference will provide Auracast™ broadcast audio assistive listening in session rooms. Auracast allows you to hear presentations clearly by streaming audio directly to compatible hearing aids, cochlear implants, earbuds, headphones, or receiver devices.
If your hearing aids or device are not Auracast-enabled, if you have a mini mic, please bring it along, neck loops and receiver units will be available for use at the conference.
How to use Auracast at this conference:
- Look for the Assistive Listening / Auracast symbol at session rooms
- Use your compatible hearing device to connect to the Auracast broadcast
- Visit the Thunder Hearing & Sound table to borrow a receiver or neck loop if needed
- Thunder Hearing & Sound staff will be available to help with setup
Conference Information:
Other Conference Information:
- Hotel Reservations
- Transportation Information
- Conference Registration Fee Schedule
- Conference Registration
- Multichannel Eye Movement Integration (MEMI) Training
- 2026 ADARA Conference Agenda - Schedule-At-A-Glance (Updated 5/2/2026)
- 2026 ADARA Conference Full Program Book (Updated 5/2/2026)
- RID CEU Verification Form
- CRCC Continuing Education Categories
- NASW, NBCC, CRCC, & RID Continuing Education Tracking Form
- APA Continuing Education Tracking Form
- Whova Web-Based App Link
Other Conference Information:
For feature details, visit Whova
LocationSalt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek
75 South West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT, 84101 (801) 531-0800 Book a stay at our downtown Salt Lake City hotel, conveniently located near Temple Square, Salt Palace Convention Center and other popular attractions. Step into style as you enter our modern lobby featuring high ceilings and plush seating. After a day out in Utah, take time to visit Destinations Lounge, the ideal place to meet friends and unwind with a cocktail or craft beer. Indulge in delicious dining at The Salt Stone, our hotel's on-site restaurant offering all-day dining and in-room service. Work up a sweat in the state-of-the-art gym, complete with cardio and weight training options. Kick back in one of our comfortable hotel rooms with crisp linens, free Wi-Fi and Salt Lake City views. Elevate your stay by booking a room on the Concierge Level with complimentary food and beverages. Whether your stay in Utah is for business, pleasure or to host an event in one of our hotel meeting spaces, let us be your home away from home in Salt Lake City. Click here for information on parking, driving directions, and public transportation to the hotel. |
Our Conference Sponsors
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Kings Peak (Platinum) Sponsorship Level
Tokewanna Peak (Diamond) Sponsorship Level
Mount Ellen Peak (Gold) Sponsorship Level
Deseret Peak (Silver) Sponsorship Level
Mount Ogden (Friend) Sponsorship Level
Tokewanna Peak (Diamond) Sponsorship Level
- RIT/National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Mount Ellen Peak (Gold) Sponsorship Level
- 5 Star Interpreting
- Office of Deaf Services - Georgia Dept of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
- Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youth and Adults
- Utah Division of Services of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Sanderson Community Center
Deseret Peak (Silver) Sponsorship Level
- ACCESS Deaf Mental Health, St. Joseph’s Health
- Convo Relay
- Deaf Connections at Little Creek Behavioral Health, Acadia Healthcare – Children’s Behavioral Health Solutions
- DeafLEAD
- DeafYes! – Center for Deaf Empowerment and Recovery
- Gallaudet University
- Partners Interpreting
- Sorenson Communications
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Substance Use and Mental Health
Mount Ogden (Friend) Sponsorship Level
- Caption Companion by Premier Visual Voice
- Hamilton CapTel
- Sego Lily
- Thunder Hearing & Sound, LLC
- Utah Association of the Deaf
- Vancro Integrated Interpreting Services