N.J. Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma 2010 Ambassador Awards

The New Jersey Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma is happy to announce that we are now accepting submissions for our 2010 Ambassador Awards. The Ambassador Award embodies the Council's philosophy of Respect. Understanding. Change. The award recognizes individuals and organizations in New Jersey that have made outstanding contributions to the effort to raise mental health awareness and combat mental health stigma.  The Council seeks to award those who champion our mission to raise mental health awareness and combat stigma, educate the public about mental illness, and engage our communities in the process of embracing mental health.  This year, the Council is adding an award category for individuals and organizations within the New Jersey mental health community – the Mental Health Service Award.

Ambassador Award Nominee Guidelines

All nominees and those submitting nominees should either live or work in the State of New Jersey.

Program - Nominees must be a New Jersey mental health service program, organization, provider, or association,

Individual – Nominees must be a staff person or volunteer of a New Jersey mental health service organization, association, provider and/or other mental health service entities.

Criteria for the Mental Health Service Award - An individual, organization, association, or provider that has been serving the New Jersey mental health community adhering to a standard of excellence in keeping with the Council’s mission. The nominee will have been steadfastly committed in this service to the issue of mental health stigma and mental health awareness, going above and beyond the call to promote respect and support for those living with mental illness.

“A Community Effort” Ambassador Awards:  Nominees in this category must be engaged in efforts outside the scope of New Jersey mental health services.   Each category listed below has a corresponding award, i.e. Ambassador Award for the category of Employment, Ambassador Award for the category of Law Enforcement.  Please see the “A Community Effort” list below to choose the category for which the nominee is most qualified:

A Community Effort:

Individuals and Families
Culture and Religion
Education
Employment
Health Care and Insurance
Housing
Law Enforcement
Legislation and Advocacy
Media and the Entertainment Industry
Military and Veterans Affairs

Criteria - Nominees must meet at least one of the following criteria to be eligible for an “A Community Effort” Ambassador Award:

• An individual or organization that has created a unique and innovative initiative to successfully combating stigma and supporting mental health awareness in keeping with the Council’s mission
• An individual or organization that has, through their efforts, specifically advocated for and/or impacted an individual and/or family living with mental illness
• An individual or organization - in reference to the aforementioned categories - that has taken action to enact change within their own field of endeavor and amongst their peers in keeping with the Council’s mission
• An individual or organization that you feel has been steadfastly committed to the issue of mental health stigma and mental health awareness, going above and beyond the call to promote respect and support for those living with mental illness in keeping with the Council’s mission

Ambassador Award winners will be notified by April 14, 2010.  The Ambassador Awards will be presented on May 18, 2010, 10AM – 2PM, at the New Jersey Forensic Science Technology Center in Hamilton, New Jersey.  If you think you know an individual or organization that has been stellar in their efforts to combat mental health stigma and raise mental health awareness, please let us know by filling out our nomination form and mailing or faxing it to:

The N.J. Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma
Ambassador Award Submissions
State of New Jersey Department of Human Services
Division of Mental Health Services
Capital Center; PO Box 727
Trenton, NJ  08625-0727
Fax: (609) 777-0662

Submissions must be through use of our submission form, following submission rules, and must be postmarked by March 1, 2010.

Click here to go to the 2008 Ambassador Awards Release