Mental Health America of Greater Dallas will present the 2013 Prism Awards on Thursday, October 24, paying tribute to the following community leaders who have made a difference in the North Texas region on behalf of individuals with mental illness, as well as those who have worked to improve awareness of mental health issues. Mental Health America of Greater Dallas (MHA) was established in 1947 and has been consistently serving the people of Dallas and surrounding communities for over 60 years. The mission of Mental Health America of Greater Dallas is to lead the community in improving mental health through advocacy and education. Dennis McCuistion, host of The McCuistion Program on KERA PBS –Dallas/Ft. Worth on Channel 13 will serve as master of ceremonies for the 2013 Prism Awards.
Ruth Altshuler Award
Honorees: Sue and Larry Lightner – Mental Health Advocates and Community Philanthropists
Advocates of philanthropy, volunteerism and service, Sue and Larry Lightner have given their time, talent and resources to mental health programs.
Carmen Miller Michael Mental Health Advocate Award
Honoree: State Representative Jim Pitts – Chairman, House Appropriations Committee
For many people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders, navigating through the Texas Department of State Health Services is their only access to care. Historically, Texas has been at the bottom of all the states in per-capita funding for treatment of these disorders. Matt Roberts, President of Mental Health America of Greater Dallas asserts, “Representative Pitts is providing leadership to reverse this pattern and we are hopeful in the progress we’ve seen within the past year. Representative Pitts is a strong ally for mental health, working to improve funding and system accountability for mental health and substance abuse treatment in Texas.”
Pamela Blumenthal Memorial Award
Honoree: Ardashes “Art” Mirzatuny, MD – Medical Director, Pathways Clinic
Dr. Mirzatuny has served as a psychiatrist in Dallas, Ellis and Kaufman Counties for over two decades. He has also provided psychiatric care for ADAPT of Texas, a nonprofit grassroots disability rights group.
Lightner Sams Foundation Child Advocate Award
Honoree: Diane Boyd – Special Needs Supervisor, Dallas County Juvenile Department
Research indicates that between 65% and 70% of all juveniles in detention centers and juvenile placement facilities have a diagnosable mental disorder. A 30-year veteran of the Dallas County Juvenile Department, Diane Boyd has helped create, implement and expand the Dallas County Juvenile Department’s Special Needs Unit which serves youth that have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder.
With Diane’s guidance and dedication, over 1,300 youth and their families received the tools and support they needed to address their mental health concerns and deter progression into the criminal justice system.
Special Recognition Award
Honorees: Mike and Cynthia McLelland (posthumous)
Cynthia and Mike McLelland met as mental health professionals working at Dallas County Mental Health Mental Retardation (MHMR). Cynthia also served as a psychologist for Head Start, Corpus Christi State School and taught psychology at Del Mar Community College, culminating her career as a psychiatric nurse at Terrell State Hospital. Mike enjoyed a military career, serving in the U. S. Army for 23 years and retiring as a decorated Major. His legal career included work as a public defender for Dallas County, specializing in defending those with mental retardation and mental illness. Later he was elected as District Attorney of Kaufman County. Cynthia and Mike died tragically on March 30, 2013.
Media Award
“Erasing the Stigma of Mental Illness”
Honorees: Mayor Mike Rawlings; Keven Willey, Vice President and Editorial Page Editor, The Dallas Morning News; and Mary Anne Alhadeff, President and CEO of North Texas Public Broadcasting
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and a panel of community leaders led a public forum, sponsored by KERA and The Dallas Morning News, on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013. This free symposium generated an attendance of approximately 700 people and was later broadcast on KERA. MHA Dallas President Matt Roberts adds, “This collaboration between Mayor Rawlings, Keven Willey, and Mary Anne Alhadeff was timely and continues to push us forward as a community to erase the stigma of mental illness, providing open dialogue on possible solutions.”
MHA PRISM Awards Ceremony will be held Thursday, October 24, 2013 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cityplace 42nd floor. Admission is $75. Ticket price includes valet parking and pre-event reception.
Visit www.mhadallas.org or contact Sarah Bayley at sbayley@mhadallas.org. Tickets may also be purchased by calling 214-871-2420 ext. 106.