Advancing the science and practice of justice-related health care.
What is ACCJH?
The Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (ACCJH) is a member organization with a mission to advance the science and practice of health care for individuals and populations within the criminal justice system. As the academic home for its members, ACCJH advances health research, training and care for justice-involved populations.
ACCJH members benefit from the resources of an academic community that conducts breakthrough research in correctional health care, and develops and promotes a broader and more critical view of the relationships between community and correctional health care. Membership has been tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals within this field, and it continues to evolve and adapt as practices and policies change.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR 2026!
Join us for the 19th Annual Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health Annual Meeting, Health Across the Life Course, taking place March 16–18, 2026, at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.
Registration includes access to all keynote, plenary, concurrent, and poster sessions, networking events, and conference meals as outlined in the program.
How to Register
Click this link to Register Now or scan the QR code below.
- Complete the registration form with your contact information and any requested demographic or professional details.
- Choose your payment method – credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Venmo, or PayPal (securely processed through Givebutter).
- You’ll receive a confirmation email with your digital ticket and additional event details.
Registration Categories
- Regular Admission: Full access to all conference programming and events.
- Student or Lived Experience Registration: Reduced rate for students, trainees, or individuals with lived experience in the justice system.
- Early Bird for Regular Admission: Early bird pricing runs through January 15. Register early and save!
Refund Policy
Refunds are available through March 1, 2026. To request a refund, contact the ACCJH team at erika@accjh.org. After this date, registrations may be transferred to another attendee but are non-refundable.
2026 ACCJH Conference
Conference Summary
The 2026 Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health’s Annual Meeting is an annual peer-reviewed conference that highlights emerging research and policy across the justice field and supports the ACCJH mission to improve evidence-based practices and policies to improve health of justice-involved populations. It is an interdisciplinary conference bringing together researchers, clinicians, public health experts and policymakers to meet this objective.
This year’s theme, Health Across the Life Course, brings together researchers, clinicians, advocates, and people with lived experience to explore justice and health intersections from adolescence through aging.
The 19th Annual Meeting will be hosted at Morehouse School of Medicine’s Calvin Smyre Conference Center in Atlanta, GA on March 16 – 18, 2026.
Conference Format
The Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (ACCJH) 19th Annual Conference is the nation’s leading interdisciplinary meeting dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people and communities affected by the criminal legal system.
The 2026 conference will take place March 16–18, 2026, at Morehouse School of Medicine’s Calvin S. Smyre Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s theme, Health Across the Life Course, explores health, healing, and justice from youth to older adulthood.
Day 1 — Monday, March 16, 2026
Opening Keynote, Sessions, and Scholarship Reception
The meeting opens with a keynote address by Dr. Sarah Vinson, Chair of Psychiatry at Morehouse School of Medicine and a nationally recognized leader in child, adolescent, and forensic psychiatry.
The day continues with a full schedule of concurrent sessions, networking opportunities, and interactive discussions featuring research, clinical innovation, and lived experience perspectives.
The evening concludes with the ACCJH Scholarship Reception, celebrating student, early-career, advocates, and lived-experience awardees.
Day 2 — Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Plenary on Compassionate Release and Palliative Care, Sessions, and Film Screening
Day two begins with a plenary session featuring experts and advocates addressing compassionate release, end-of-life care, and palliative approaches within correctional settings.
Throughout the day, attendees can join a range of concurrent sessions, panels, and networking events highlighting cross-sector collaboration and innovation.
In the evening, the conference will host a documentary screening open to the full Morehouse School of Medicine community, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and featured artists.
Day 3 — Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Half-Day of Sessions and Closing Lunch
The final day offers a half-day of additional sessions and roundtable discussions. The conference concludes with a networking lunch – an opportunity to connect, reflect, and identify next steps for advancing health equity and justice across disciplines.
Engage, Learn, and Connect
Over the course of three days, attendees will engage with colleagues, explore emerging research, and build lasting collaborations in a setting that values academic rigor, lived experience, and shared purpose.
Educational Objectives
Upon completion of the 19th Annual Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health Annual Meeting: Health Across the Life Course, participants will be able to:
- Describe the continuum of health and justice experiences across the life course, from youth involvement to aging and end-of-life, and identify opportunities for prevention and intervention.
- Discuss emerging research, policy developments, and practice innovations that promote equitable, person-centered care for people impacted by the criminal legal system.
- Analyze structural and systemic drivers of health inequities, including social determinants, incarceration conditions, and barriers to care during reentry.
- Apply evidence-based, trauma-informed, and interdisciplinary strategies to improve health outcomes and continuity of care for justice-involved individuals.
- Incorporate perspectives of people with lived experience to enhance ethical, inclusive, and culturally responsive approaches to health and justice reform.
- Develop professional and cross-sector collaboration.
Intended Audience
The ACCJH Annual Meeting attracts a diverse, multidisciplinary community of professionals, advocates, and scholars committed to improving the health and well-being of people and communities affected by the legal system. This conference brings together healthcare professionals, researchers and educators, correctional and public safety leaders, community and peer practitioners, students, advocates, and policymakers. United by a focus on carceral health, participants collaborate to advance equitable care, reentry support, and system transformation.
Conference Format
The 19th Annual ACCJH Annual Meeting offers a dynamic mix of session formats designed to promote interaction, reflection, and exchange across disciplines.
Participants will experience:
· 60-minute sessions that provide space for in-depth discussion, panel presentations, or skill-building workshops.
· 20-minute sessions focused on innovative programs, emerging research, or practice-based insights.
· 8-minute lightning rounds offering quick, engaging presentations of new ideas, pilot studies, and lessons from the field.
· Poster sessions highlighting research findings, implementation projects, and community-driven initiatives with opportunities for direct dialogue between presenters and attendees.
· A keynote address and plenary session that bring together national leaders and community voices to explore this year’s theme, Health Across the Life Course.
Together, these formats create a fast-paced and collaborative learning environment – blending rigorous academic content with real-world experience and cross-sector dialogue.
Host City: Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is a city known for its rich history, cultural vibrancy, and deep influence on movements for health, equity, and justice. As home to many of the nation’s most prominent historically Black colleges and universities, Atlanta offers a powerful backdrop for the 19th Annual ACCJH Conference.
From the Morehouse School of Medicine campus, visitors are only minutes away from downtown attractions including Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the World of Coca-Cola. Nearby neighborhoods like Midtown, the Old Fourth Ward, and the BeltLine showcase Atlanta’s thriving arts scene, diverse food culture, and community energy.
Atlanta is also a hub for innovation in health, education, and policy. Hosting the conference at Morehouse School of Medicine highlights the city’s commitment to advancing health equity and preparing the next generation of leaders who bridge medicine, community, and justice.
Whether you’re connecting with colleagues, exploring local history, or enjoying southern hospitality, Atlanta offers the perfect setting to learn, reflect, and collaborate.
Travel and Transportation
Atlanta is served by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), one of the busiest and most accessible airports in the world. The airport is located approximately ten miles south of downtown Atlanta and about fifteen minutes from Morehouse School of Medicine by car, depending on traffic.
Visitors can reach the conference venue and nearby hotels by rideshare, taxi, or public transit. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) provides train service from the airport to downtown and Midtown, with multiple connections to areas near Morehouse School of Medicine.
For those staying in downtown or Midtown hotels, rideshare and taxi options are the most direct way to reach the conference each morning. Because parking at Morehouse School of Medicine is limited, attendees who plan to drive should park at Morehouse College’s main campus and take the conference shuttle to the School of Medicine. Shuttle details and schedules will be shared closer to the event.
Atlanta’s compact layout makes it easy to explore nearby attractions, restaurants, and neighborhoods whether you’re walking, taking MARTA, or catching a quick ride.
Sponsor Information
ACCJH invites partners, organizations, and institutions to support the 19th Annual Meeting, Health Across the Life Course, taking place March 16–18, 2026, at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sponsorship of the ACCJH Annual Meeting is an opportunity to align with national leaders in health, medicine, and justice reform. Your support helps ensure that we can continue to bring together clinicians, researchers, policymakers, students, and people with lived experience to share knowledge, build networks, and drive meaningful change.
Sponsors gain visibility among a diverse and engaged audience through event materials, signage, and online recognition. In addition, sponsors demonstrate their commitment to advancing equitable, person-centered care and improving health outcomes for justice-involved populations.
A range of sponsorship opportunities are available, from supporting student scholarships and community participation to sponsoring plenary sessions, networking events, and conference materials.
To learn more about sponsorship levels or customized partnership options, please contact the ACCJH conference team at erika@accjh.org.
Call for Abstracts & Scholarship Applications Now Open
This year’s meeting will center on health across the life course. From the earliest stages of life to advanced age, exposure to the criminal legal system shapes health in profound & lasting ways.
Our keynote & plenary sessions will examine this life course spectrum, highlighting how the legal system’s reach intersects with health across time, place, & community.
Together, we will explore the diverse ways that carceral involvement influences well-being, underscoring the urgent need for research, practice, & policy that address these impacts across generations.
Join us in shaping the conversation—submit your abstract or apply for a scholarship today! Both the call for abstracts and the scholarship application are due no later than November 15, 2025 11:59pm ET.
Change starts with bringing the right people together – this scholarship makes that possible.
Scholarships are available to reduce barriers to participation and ensure diverse voices are represented. Awardees will receive support covering travel, conference registration, and hotel stay, making it possible to fully engage in this important gathering of people bringing expertise from research, practice, advocacy, and lived experience.
Take this opportunity to join a community committed to transforming systems, advancing equity, and shaping the future of carceral health.
Support ACCJH: Advancing Health and Justice
Help Us Advance Health and Justice
The Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (ACCJH) is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of justice-involved populations through research, education, and advocacy. Every year, we bring together health professionals, researchers, policymakers, and people with lived experience to share knowledge and drive solutions that make a real difference.
Your donation helps us:
Support our national conference, where ideas turn into action.
Provide scholarships for students, early-career professionals, and individuals with lived experience.
Sustain year-round programming that advances health equity and justice reform.
Together, we can transform systems and improve outcomes for some of the most marginalized members of our communities.
Make a gift today and join us in building a healthier, more just future.