The Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Services Board of Logan and Champaign County recently hosted their annual dinner and presented their first Mental Health Champion award winners to three individuals.
The awards were presented to community members who have consistently gone above and beyond to ensure those in need of care are provided with opportunities to thrive.
Annette Deao, Logan County Adult Recovery Court administrator, received the Logan County Mental Health Champion Award.
Julie Wilcox, TCN Behavioral Health care coordinator, was awarded the Behavioral Health System’s Mental Health Champion Award.
Marilyn Cohn, who is retired from Caring Kitchen, received the Champaign County Mental Health Champion Award.
Nominations were identified by MHDAS staff and winners were selected by MHDAS Board Members.
In addition to the award winner, the Logan County Mental Health Champion nominations included: Chief Joe Freyhof from the Russells Point Police Department, Brandi Kinchen from RTC Supportive Employment, and Executive Director Dave Bezusko of the United Way of Logan County.
The Champaign County Mental Health Champion nominations also included: Champaign County Common Pleas Judge Nick Selvaggio, Chris Ball from Renewed Strength Recovery House and Melissa Thompson from David’s Place and a Place for Jo.
The Behavioral Health System Mental Health Champion nominations also included Shelly Harmon from Residential Administrative Inc., Director Kathy Zeller of the Recovery Zone and prevention specialist Stephanie Ketchell from TCN Behavioral Health.
The annual dinner was an opportunity to bring together community leaders and behavioral health advocates to celebrate the hard work and successes, and to continue to work together to end the stigma related to mental health and addiction.
It was also a time to share information on trauma-informed, quality services across the behavioral health continuum that are available for residents of Logan and Champaign counties.