What's Building for 2026: An Update on the South Florida Mental Wellness Summit & Expo

Planning for the 2026 South Florida Mental Wellness Summit & Expo is well underway, and we have a lot to share. This year's event is shaping up to be a meaningful step forward from our inaugural 2025 Summit — bigger in scope, deeper in programming, and more connected to the Broward County community we serve.

Here is where things stand and what you can expect when October 22 arrives.

The Venue: Charles F. Dodge City Center

We are returning to the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines. The space worked well for the 2025 Summit, and we are using it more fully this year. The layout allows for both the main programming and an active expo floor, which means attendees can move between sessions and the community resource area throughout the day without feeling like they are missing one or the other.

For those who attended in 2025, you will notice the space used more intentionally. For first-time attendees, it is a genuinely welcoming venue — easy to navigate, comfortable, and well-suited to the kind of event we are building.

Expanded Programming

The 2025 Summit confirmed what we already believed: people want real conversations, not curated presentations. Our 2026 programming is being built around that feedback. We are bringing in speakers and panelists who have something specific and useful to say — not just names attached to a credential, but people who are actively doing work in mental wellness, first responder support, education, and community health across South Florida.

Panel sessions will cover topics relevant to the full range of attendees, from mental health professionals looking for peer connection to community members navigating their own access to support. We are also deepening the first responder focus, which was one of the most meaningful parts of the 2025 event.

A Stronger Expo Floor

The community resource expo is one of the defining features of the Summit. It is where local organizations, nonprofits, service providers, and community partners show up and make themselves accessible to the people who need them. In 2025, the expo drew real traffic and real conversations. In 2026, we are expanding it.

We are working to ensure that the full spectrum of mental wellness support available in Broward County and greater South Florida is represented on the expo floor — from clinical providers to peer support programs to community health organizations. If your organization works in this space and wants to be there, reach out to us.

Our 2026 Sponsors

We are proud to be heading into 2026 with strong sponsor support already in place. Baptist Health and The Dylan Schopp Sunshine Foundation are returning as Diamond Sponsors, First Alarm Foundation as our Gold Sponsor, and Advantage PA as our Silver Sponsor. Their commitment to this event reflects exactly the kind of organizational values the Summit is built around.

Sponsorship spots for 2026 are still available. If your organization is looking for a meaningful way to be part of this work, we would love to talk. The program ad deadline is September 1, 2026. You can explore all sponsorship options on the sponsorship page.

What Has Not Changed

The things that made the 2025 Summit worth attending are still at the center of what we are building. This is a community event, not a conference. It is designed to feel accessible, not intimidating. It brings people together across professional and personal lines in a way that just does not happen in many other spaces.

Bloom Connect Project exists because of this work, and the Summit is the clearest expression of what we are here to do. Everything we are building for 2026 is in service of that.

Stay Connected

The best way to stay current on speakers, programming, and event details is to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or get in touch directly. We will be sharing updates here on the blog as the event takes shape.

If you attended in 2025, thank you. Your presence made it real. We hope to see you back in October.