ORANGE BEACH — The white sand beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast will serve as a backdrop for the 12th Annual National Peer Program Conference at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach in March 2023.

Organizers say the overwhelming growth of the conference prompted them to plan two full sessions and add a youth mental health training day for 2023.

This year's keynote speaker is Emily Elrod, an author and corporate culture consultant known for developing the WISE (Well, Intelligent, Safe, and Empowered) framework which helps people live healthy, happy, and purposeful lives.

The conference will also include dynamic break-out sessions offering a chance for participants to collaborate with peers and industry leaders from throughout the nation.

ThriveWay and the Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation are co-hosts of the event and are expecting more than 700 educators, counselors, Peer Helper Coordinators, school administrators and youth mental health professionals at the event.

The Peer Helper PLUS program is a comprehensive, prevention and support program that works with schools around the country to promote the mental health of our youth and teaches them to advocate for one another.

Peer Helper PLUS has been proven to help students improve grades, cope with tragedy, decide against suicide and better connect with classmates oftentimes for the first time. Administrators have said the program is helpful in recognizing unsafe situations in students' home lives as well.

To register as a participant visit https://jennifermoorefoundation.com/collections/conference-registration

To register as a sponsor or exhibitor contact megan@jennifermoorefoundation.com.