Healing our Communities, Healing our Planet

As profit-driven companies take over essential services, public health and healthcare professionals must decide: where do we set boundaries? The answer lies in science, our communities, and in our collective understanding that we have a duty to respond. 

Healing starts with connection. By caring for one another and the world around us, we have the power to build stronger, healthier communities. Burnout, loneliness, polarization, disinformation, and inequities create a false narrative that health is an individual's responsibility or that our systems are beyond change. But we know a different truth: Collective care has power. Collective care can save lives. Collective care can heal.

Advocacy grounded in genuine collective care and scientific integrity can safeguard communities and grow public trust and accountability. We know that health is shaped by the systems we share: housing and food to transportation, healthcare, clean air and water, and climate. This interactive conference brings together health professionals from across disciplines and community organizations to explore practical, systems-based solutions that strengthen communities, empower professionals' voices, and advance health for everyone. 

Example topics for this conference will include: 

• Comedy and common ground: Lessons from Wisconsin neighbors who have successfully defended their communities from the health harms of data centers
• Indigenous ways of knowing that strengthen collective care
• Community Organizing Training: How to coach through uncertainty and empower change
• How replacing stoves can replace inhalers and hospitalizations
• And much more

Through collaborative case studies and small-group activities, you will leave with hands-on strategies to apply and opportunities to put these skills into practice with your colleagues. Bring your ideas and join fellow health professionals, community leaders, and advocates as we learn from one another and work towards a healthier future for us all. 

Call for Posters

Submit your abstract here by October 31, 2026!

We invite poster submissions that explore innovative and impactful approaches to planetary health or climate resiliency; example topics include:

• Nutritious food systems and food access
• Affordable and safe housing
• Transportation systems and active transit (e.g., walking, biking)
• Community-based climate adaptation strategies
• And more!

We also welcome submissions that address broader themes related to:

• Social determinants of health (e.g., education, income, neighborhood conditions)
• Environmental health (e.g., air and water quality, exposure to toxins, green infrastructure)
• Equity and justice in climate and health policy
• Community decision-making and community engagement topics

Posters may present research findings, community initiatives, policy proposals, or interdisciplinary collaborations. We encourage contributions from students, professionals, and community members alike.

Registration Pricing

Scholarship Opportunities

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to participate. 

If registration fees, travel, or accommodation are influencing your decision to attend, at all, please fill out this quick form for discounts and/or full scholarships. 

Statement of Need

Wisconsin is home to health professionals and community organizations who are deeply committed to the health and well-being of all people who live here. Across the state, every day, people are working towards improvements in care for people and the environment with greater collaboration and innovation. Training and specialized education are critical to equip leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to make positive change. We know that when we advocate for health, the effects reach far greater than we could have imagined. 

Right now, Wisconsinites face interconnected health, environmental, and social challenges that shape the health of our communities and patients every day. Housing, transportation, food systems, clean air, safe water, access to healthcare, and our changing climate all influence health outcomes and disparities. As health professionals, we see these connections in our work, and it reminds us that improving health takes more than clinical care alone. 

We are already experiencing the health harms of a changing climate in Wisconsin. Rising temperatures, smoke-filled skies, and flooding are affecting communities across the state and are straining an already stressed public health and healthcare system. Any person or community can be harmed, but older adults, children, people with chronic illnesses, low-income communities, and Tribal Nations face greater harm (WICCI, 2021; Wisconsin DHS, 2026). 

These local challenges are a microcosm of what is taking place across the world. The 2024 Lancet Countdown identifies climate change as one of the greatest threats to human health, affecting nearly every area of medicine and public health. An urgent call to action affirms the essential role of health professionals in prevention, advocacy, and protecting public health. You can explore profession-specific calls to action on this issue and perspectives here: nursing, occupational therapy, physiatry, physical therapy, social work, pharmacy, psychology, psychiatry, pediatricians, family medicine, and public health practitioners. 

As some of the most trusted voices in our communities, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to meet this moment we are in with care. This conference is designed to help meet that need. Our participants will explore the latest evidence on climate and health and strengthen their communication and advocacy skills. Together, we can bring a practice of collective care into our work and explore solutions to these pressing challenges.