The Call-to-Action (CTA) Series is a year-round extension of our annual Re-Imagining Behavioral Health Conference. These virtual events highlight critical topics at the intersection of behavioral health, lived experience, and human differences — each session offering practical, actionable steps to strengthen systems of care.
The series is a cornerstone of the Behavioral Health Institute’s mission to advance more inclusive, person-centered behavioral healthcare across Washington State. Our objective is to foster a dynamic learning environment that supports knowledge expansion, builds meaningful partnerships, and helps systems respond more effectively to the diverse needs of the communities they serve.
Through the CTA series, participants engage in thoughtful dialogue on improving access to care, addressing barriers within systems, and supporting healing and recovery. It’s an opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate in shaping a more responsive and compassionate behavioral health landscape.
Announcing the Spring 2026 Call-to-Action Series Webinar
On Thursday, May 7, 10:00-11:30 AM (PDT) we will explore “Rewriting the Narrative: Behavioral Health, Reentry, and Systemic Change.”
Successful community reentry after incarceration is about so much more than a return home. It is a critical and complex transition that requires intentional, coordinated support.
Join us for a dynamic 90-minute facilitated panel exploring the intersection of behavioral health and reentry that will feature three panelists with broad and deep experience:
Gilda Sheppard, PhD, MSW is an award winning filmmaker and writer whose work centers lived experience, resilience, and social justice. As the director, executive producer, and writer of Since I Been Down, she brings an authentic, deeply personal lens to storytelling that amplifies voices often marginalized within the justice system. Sheppard’s work bridges scholarship, activism, and art, and it focuses on healing, dignity, and creating pathways for understanding and transformation.
Kimonti Carter is a contributor and storyteller whose work is rooted in lived experience and truth telling. As a contributor to Since I Been Down, Carter brings an authentic voice to the film, helping illuminate the personal and systemic realities of incarceration. Carter’s contributions to the film add depth and immediacy to the film’s exploration of responsibility, healing, resilience, and transformation.
Wil DeRouen, Jr. is a certified peer support specialist, mentor, and justice reform advocate whose lived experience informs his work at the intersections of healing, empowerment, and restorative justice. He draws on his journey of transformation to inspire accountability, perseverance, and hope for others navigating similar challenges. DeRouen’s advocacy focuses on reducing racial disparities in the justice system, advancing alternatives to incarceration, and supporting parents and families impacted by incarceration.
Facilitated by Danie Eagleton, their conversation will highlight real-world challenges and practical strategies for supporting individuals returning from incarceration to community and family.
Panel Overview
The reentry journey is often obstructed by emotional, clinical, and systemic barriers. Our panelists will discuss these challenges through the lens of lived experience, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive practices. This webinar focuses on evidence-based strategies, real-world solutions, and the critical importance of effective cross-system collaboration.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Recognize key mental health challenges during the first hours, weeks, and months after release
- Understand the impact of trauma, institutionalization, stigma, and social determinants of health
- Strengthen cross-sector collaboration across behavioral health, housing, corrections, and community services
- Identify practical strategies that promote stabilization, resilience, and long-term success
Who Should Attend
- Reentry specialists and case managers
- Behavioral health providers and peer support specialists
- Community-based organizations
- Policymakers and corrections partners
Date, Cost and Continuing Education
🗓 Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am (PDT)
📍 Location: Online (Zoom link provided upon registration)
The webinar is free to attend.
The webinar will provide certificates of participation that can be used to request continuing education credits.
Be part of a meaningful conversation about improving reentry outcomes through compassionate, trauma-informed behavioral health approaches.
The CTA series is led by the UW Medicine Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview and is funded by the Washington State Legislature. The CTA series is collaborative by design. It includes partners, thought leaders and experts in the fields of race, equity, social justice, and behavioral health throughout Washington state.
If you have questions, please email bhinstitute@uw.edu.