Ceremony to recognize top behavioral
health care professionals, advocates

The Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy (CABHP) will honor behavioral health care professionals and advocates at the 5th Annual Arizona Behavioral Health Awards Gala July 23, 2009 at the Hilton Sedona Resort in Sedona.

Selected from among more than 40 nominations, award winners will be recognized for their public service and invaluable contributions to the behavioral health field in Arizona.

 “The Center is committed to a mission of improving programs and policies for people with behavioral health disabilities and their families,” said Michael S. Shafer, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy at Arizona State University. “Each of the honorees this year has made significant contributions that have benefitted the behavioral health programs not only in our state, but also across the country. The dedication of these honorees to the cause of behavioral health and the eradication of the gap in behavioral health services is an inspiration to us all.”

 This year’s honorees include:

• Legacy: Judy Johnson has devoted more than 45 years to providing clinical and administrative service to the behavioral health field. Her contributions were vital in leading Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, where Judy serves as the Deputy Director and Chief operating officer, as that agency became the Regional Behavioral Health Authority for Pima County in 1995.
  
• Leadership in Advocacy: Ann Rider is founder and CEO of Recovery Empowerment Network, which operates five community health centers and focuses its mission on providing peer-owned and operated services and providing a unified voice for behavioral health consumers in Maricopa County.
  
•  Leadership in Services: Sally Lara serves the behavioral health field in Arizona as CEO of the National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) in Arizona. NCADD conducts a of programs for women and families in Greater Phoenix, including 12-Step meetings, education, parenting classes, counseling, treatment and relapse prevention. NCADD also operates Weldon House, which provides transitional housing and habilitation services to pregnant and parenting women in recovery.
  
• Cultural Heritage Award: Arizona Senator Amanda Aguirre serves Arizona District 24 and her constituents in the Yuma area. Senator Aguirre has been involved for more than 25 years in public health education and administration with a strong emphasis on border issues, including serving as CEO/President of the Regional Center for Border Health since 2001 and CEO/President of the San Luis Walk-In Clinic since 2004.

For more information, call Vicki Staples at (602) 942-2247 ext. 116 or visit www.cabhp.asu.edu.