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The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced the opening of nominations for the inaugural SAMHSA Trailblazers in Advancing Recovery (STAR) Awards. These awards aim to recognize individuals, including youth and family members, with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use conditions for their contributions. Additionally, the awards will honor organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to promoting equitable access to wellness and recovery supports. Nominations can be submitted through the official nomination page. This initiative marks a significant step in acknowledging leaders and organizations dedicated to advancing mental health and substance use recovery efforts.
Nominate a Direct Support Professional to enter them into a raffle for a $100 Amazon gift card!
Each September, our community comes together to celebrate the Direct Support Professionals (DSP) who make such an important impact in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The work of a DSP is complex and highly specialized, as they support every aspect of an individual’s daily life on a unique, person-by-person basis. These unsung heroes act as a lifeline for people with disabilities under normal circumstances.
In celebration of this year’s DSP Recognition Week, eVero will select 10 DSPs at random to win $100 Amazon gift cards. Please visit below to access the nomination form and let us know a little bit about your favorite DSP!
Visit Here for the DSP Nominee Form
The Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission (JCJC), the PA Council of Chief Juvenile Probation Officers, and the JCJC Awards Committee are pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the 2023 Professional and Youth Award Programs. Award nomination forms can be found on the JCJC website. The awards will be presented at the 2023 James E. Anderson Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice November 1–2, 2023, at the Hilton Harrisburg.
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
Residential Program of the Year — Any public or private sector program serving alleged and/or adjudicated delinquent youth in a residential setting. This includes foster homes, group homes, residential treatment programs, general childcare facilities, shelter care facilities, detention centers, independent living programs, and other programs providing out-of-home, overnight care to children. Award Winners prior to 2018 are eligible for nomination.
Community-Based Program of the Year Award — Any public or private sector program, not operated by the court, which provides community-based, non-residential services to alleged and/or adjudicated delinquent youth including, but not limited to, day treatment programs, in-home services, Boys and Girls Clubs, Education Services, and out-patient services.
Meritorious Service Award — A person committed to furthering the development of at-risk, alleged and/or delinquent youth, or advancing the mission of the juvenile justice system (examples of volunteer work may include, but is not limited to, youth aid panels, youth commissions, anti-violence programs, school-based programs, diversionary programs, mentoring programs, faith-based programs, community centers, or similar programming).
Formal professional award nomination materials must be submitted via email by Monday, August 14, 2023.
YOUTH AWARDS
Outstanding Achievement Award — The Outstanding Achievement Award submission consists of a narrative description of a youth’s outstanding qualities of community service, victim reparation, academic accomplishments, school attendance, citizenship, attitude, extra-curricular activities, peer relationships, significant life experience, and positive changes in behavior.
Creative Expression Contest — Using the theme “Believe In My Steps For Tomorrow,” youth are to submit an original creative expression project in one of the following three categories: Poster; Written (essay, poem, story, etc.); or Mixed Media (Dance, song, audio, video, or photography). This contest has a fifteen (15) and under category and a sixteen (16) and over category.
Youth Award Winners and their chaperones will be honored guests at the 2023 Youth Awards Program and Dinner. Individuals submitting nominations will be responsible for ensuring that winners attend the Youth Awards Program. Winners will have the opportunity to say a few words upon receiving their award. All youth award nominations must be postmarked by Monday, August 14, 2023.
Thank you for your interest and support of the 2023 JCJC Awards Program. Please contact Angel Stewart at 717-783-7835 or via email contact Keysla Rodriguez at 717-783-6263 or via email for questions or further assistance.
The Dennis Marion Impact Award recognizes local and state government employees whose initiatives, processes, and projects have led to significant improvements in Pennsylvania’s behavioral health service delivery system.
Background:
The Dennis Marion Impact Award was established in 2017 in honor of Dennis Marion’s commitment to public service throughout his distinguished career, which spanned over three decades. Dennis served as Deputy Secretary for Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services’ Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services from 2013 to 2017. Prior to his state employment, Dennis served Cumberland County, Pennsylvania for 31 years in various positions, such as County Administrator, Director of the Drug and Alcohol Commission, and Director of the Office of Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities.
Just like Dennis Marion, whose strong leadership, passion for public service, and commitment to the people he served did not stop at the boundaries of his work in any single county or agency, the Dennis Marion Impact Award recognizes strong performers who bridge disparate missions and drive towards a single goal of excellence in public service.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Dennis Marion Impact Award is to recognize outstanding and meritorious achievement in working for state or local government, encourage the highest standards of performance in Pennsylvania’s public sector, attract outstanding individuals to a career in public service, and highlight public awareness of the value of public service and its impact on the behavioral health and quality of life of individuals and communities.
Eligibility Criteria:
Any current state and/or local government employee in Pennsylvania that has made an outstanding contribution in the area of behavioral health (mental health and/or substance use disorders) in Pennsylvania is eligible for nomination for the Dennis Marion Impact Award. Individuals that have built effective, collaborative partnerships across different organizations, agencies, and/or other stakeholders to define and solve problems, or reach agreements on a course of action, will be given priority consideration for this award. Nominees’ contributions may be on a sustained basis or through a single, exceptional accomplishment. Nominations will be judged on three measurements: innovation, implementation, and outcomes.
Instructions:
The completed nomination form must be submitted electronically to Lindsay Graves via email by 5:00 pm EST on March 24, 2023. The nomination period is open from February 17, 2023, to March 24, 2023.. Nominations will not be accepted before or after the nomination period. Note that individuals may not self-nominate.
The award will be announced during Pennsylvania’s May 2023 Mental Health Awareness Month events. Questions regarding this award may be directed to Lindsay Graves via email.
Sponsoring Organizations:
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services — Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Association of County MH/DS Administrators
Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association
Pennsylvania Association of County Drug and Alcohol Administrators
Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers’ Association