Application Deadline: National Council Awards of Excellence

The 2018 Awards of Excellence categories honor nominees for the following categories:

• Doc of the Year: Recognizes a psychiatrist or physician who has gone above and
  beyond the call of duty, empowering patients to define their own goals and providing
  the encouragement and support to help them achieve their dreams.
• Excellence in Addictions Treatment: Recognizes an organization that has
  provided effective addictions education and prevention programs in the community
  or improved treatment outcomes for people with addictions disorders through
  innovative, science-based programs and services.
• Excellence in Advocacy (Individual or Organizational): Honors an individual or
  organization that has demonstrated exemplary efforts and results over the last 12
  months advocating for legislative or regulatory policies that increase access to
  mental health and substance use services.
• Excellence in Advocacy by an Elected Official: Honors a state or local elected
  official who has demonstrated exemplary efforts and results over the last 12 months
  promoting behavioral health policies that increase access to mental health and
  substance use services.
• Excellence in Behavioral Health Care Management: Recognizes an individual, program
  or organization that has demonstrated effective and innovative programs currently in
  use to minimize risk and liability, improve access to mental health and addiction
  treatment services, nurture workforce skills or enhance the customer experience.
• Excellence in Mental Health First Aid Community Impact: Recognizes an
  organization that has demonstrated commitment and made extensive and
  significant impact on the community through delivery of Mental Health First Aid USA
  (adult and/or youth) trainings.
• Excellence in Technology: Recognizes an organization that uses new
  technologies — including mobile, web, social media and remote/virtual care delivery
  — to achieve operational efficiencies and improve access to care, treatment, support
  and health outcomes for persons with mental illnesses and addictions.
• Excellence in Whole Person Care: Recognizes a health care organization that has
  achieved primary and behavioral health integration to address the whole health
  needs of the people it serves and/or has developed innovative ways to promote
  health and wellness.
• Peer Specialist of the Year: Recognizes a person with a lived experience of mental
  illness who works in a health care organization and uses his or her strengths to help
  peers on their road to recovery from mental illness.
• Visionary Leadership: Recognizes an individual (staff or volunteer) who has
  demonstrated outstanding leadership in the behavioral health care field, improving
  the lives of individuals with mental illnesses and addictions disorders and helping
  them live full lives in their communities.