BLOOMINGTON — Community leaders, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officials, and advocates will gather in Bloomington late this summer for the 2026 Monroe County Recovery Summit, hosted by the Monroe County Substance Use Disorder Awareness Commission (SUDAC).
The two-day conference will take place Tuesday, September 1, and Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at the Bloomington Convention Center at 302 South College Avenue. Centered around the theme “Drug Trends in the Community & Building Resilience,” the summit aims to educate stakeholders, examine innovative recovery strategies, and foster cross-sector collaboration to address substance use disorders across South Central Indiana.
Keynote Speakers and Highlights
The event will feature a headlining presentation by nationally recognized speaker Jermaine Galloway, known professionally as the “Tall Cop.” Galloway will lead an extensive session exploring emerging drug trends, changing substance use behaviors, and actionable, community-based prevention strategies.
Opening remarks will be delivered by Indiana State Senator Shelli Yoder, a founding member of the Monroe County Opioid Commission (the precursor to SUDAC).
Summit Topics and Learning Tracks
Across the two-day schedule, educational sessions and panel discussions will cover a broad spectrum of clinical, legal, and community perspectives:
- Emerging Substance Use Trends: Identifying new drugs and evolving patterns of misuse in local communities.
- Community & Systemic Impact: Understanding how addiction affects local healthcare, foster care, and criminal justice systems.
- Building Recovery-Oriented Communities: Strategies for establishing resilient, supportive networks for long-term recovery.
- Evidence-Based Trauma & Recovery: Examining cutting-edge therapeutic approaches, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and ketamine-assisted therapy.
- Criminal Justice & Reentry: Best practices for supporting justice-involved individuals during reentry and recovery.
- The HOPE Framework: Implementing Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) to foster resilience and prevent substance use disorders early in life.
Schedule, Registration, and Contact Information
- Location: Bloomington Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave., Bloomington, IN 47403
- Tuesday, Sept. 1: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Sept. 2: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Target Audience: Concerned citizens, employers, healthcare workers, mental health providers, educators, law enforcement, addiction specialists, and individuals in recovery. Continuing Legal Education (CLE) and Continuing Education Units (CEU) are pending approval.
Online registration is available through Eventbrite. Event organizers emphasize that cost should not be a barrier to attendance; scholarship opportunities are available by contacting paragoneventmgmt@gmail.com.
