Psychiatrists, Senator, Two Groups Receive Distinguished Service Awards During APA Annual Meeting in Chicago

Two psychiatrists, a senator, and two organizations received Distinguished Service Awards from the American Psychiatric Association during its annual meeting last month in Chicago.

The recipients of the individual awards were Floyd E. Bloom, M.D., of La Jolla, California, Robert Coles, M.D., of Boston, and Senator Paul D. Wellstone (D.-Minn.). The award recognizes exceptional meritorious service to American psychiatry.

Dr. Bloom, editor-in-chief of Science, was cited for his pioneering work in neuroscience. He is chair of the department of neuropharmacology at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla.

Dr. Coles was recognized for his work on understanding children from a variety of backgrounds. He is a research psychiatrist at Harvard University Health Services and professor of psychiatry and medical humanities at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Senator Wellstone was honored for his efforts to reform the nation's health care system, which include his advocacy for comprehensive health care coverage and a patients' bill of rights.

The Louisiana Mental Health Reform Coalition and Suicide Awareness/Voices of Education received Organizational Distinguished Service Awards. The award honors groups that have benefited APA, psychiatry, or persons with mental illness.

The Louisiana Mental Health Reform Coalition was established in 1996 to shift the state's mental health care system from institutional to community care. The coalition serves as a vehicle for building consensus on issues related to system change by advocating, conducting advocacy training sessions, and producing educational materials.

Suicide Awareness/Voices of Education (SA/VE) was formed in 1989 to work toward suicide prevention and to speak for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. SA/VE concentrates on primary prevention by raising awareness through conferences, speakers, and publications and by emphasizing treatment of depression.

Presidential Commendations. Nine leaders in psychiatry received Special Presidential Commendations by APA President Allan Tasman, M.D. James C. Bozzuto, M.D., and Joseph T. English, M.D., were honored for their exemplary leadership and advocacy for the highest standards of clinical practice and professional ethics. Dr. Bozzuto is director of psychotherapy education in the department of psychiatry of the University of Connecticut in Farmington. Dr. English is chair of psychiatry for St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York City and professor of psychiatry and associate dean at New York Medical College.

Enoch Gordis, M.D., was recognized for his contributions to and advocacy for research and clinical practice as director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Bethesda, Maryland.

Jimmie C. Holland, M.D., was honored for her contributions to the scientific knowledge base in psychiatry and her advocacy for the highest standards of scholarship and practice. She is chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and professor and vice-chair of the department of psychiatry at Cornell University Medical College.

Carol C. Nadelson, M.D., president, chief executive officer, and editor-in-chief of American Psychiatric Press, Inc. (APPI), was commended for her leadership in making APPI an internationally recognized publisher of psychiatric books. Dr. Nadelson is clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Paul H. Ornstein, M.D., professor emeritus of psychiatry and psychoanalysis, and Anna Ornstein, M.D., professor emeritus of child psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati, were recognized for their outstanding commitment to the education of psychiatrists in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Donald J. Scherl, M.D., was honored for ensuring the highest standards of operational excellence for APA. He is president emeritus of the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn and vice-chairman emeritus of the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.

Bolivar Award.Rodrigo A. Munoz, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and medical director of the day treatment program at Mercy Hospital and Psychiatric Center, received the Simon Bolivar Award, which honors prominent Hispanic statesmen or spokespersons.

Braceland Award.Nada L. Stotland, M.D., a former chair of APA's commission on public affairs, received the Francis J. Braceland Award for Public Service for her outstanding contributions as author and spokesperson on behalf of mentally ill persons. She is professor in the departments of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology at Rush Medical College in Chicago and chair of the department of psychiatry at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

Fuller Award.Kweisi Mfume was presented with the Solomon Carter Fuller Award honoring black citizens who have been pioneers in areas that have significantly benefited the quality of life for black people. A former U.S. congressman, Mr. Mfume is president and chief executive officer of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Baltimore.

Guttmacher Award.Paul S. Appelbaum, M.D., and Thomas Grisso, Ph.D., each received the Guttmacher Award for their outstanding contributions to the literature of forensic psychiatry. Dr. Appelbaum, an APA vice-president, is A. F. Zelenick professor of psychiatry, chairman of psychiatry, and director of the law and psychiatry program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, where Dr. Grisso, a clinical psychologist, is professor of psychiatry and director of forensic training and research in the law and psychiatry program.

Human Rights Awards.Abraham L. Halpern, M.D., of Mamaroneck, New York, received the Human Rights Award for his work on the Medical Committee for Human Rights and the New York League to Abolish Capital Punishment and for his tireless advocacy of the rights of mentally ill people. Dr. Halpern is professor emeritus of psychiatry at New York Medical College. Lars Jacobsson, formerly head of the department of psychiatry at Umea University Hospital and head physician of Umedalen Mental Hospital in Umea, Sweden, received the Human Rights Award for his work on human rights in mental health.

Marmor Award.Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., received the Marmor Award for his contributions to advancing the biopsychosocial model of psychiatry. He is director of the department of neuroscience and professor of neuroscience, pharmacology, and psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University.

McGavin Awards.Donald J. Cohen, M.D., received the Agnes Purcell McGavin Award for Prevention for his work on the preventive aspects of emotional disorders of childhood. He is director of the Yale Child Study Center and professor of child psychiatry, pediatrics, and psychology at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. Jerry M. Wiener, M.D., was presented with the McGavin Award for Distinguished Career Achievement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Wiener is professor emeritus of psychiatry and pediatrics in the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.

Media awards. Robert T. Morse Writers Awards were presented to Janet Filips, of the Register-Guardian in Portland, Oregon, and Cindy Lange-Kubick, of the Lincoln(Neb.) Journal Star. The award honors popular writers who have made major contributions to the public understanding of psychiatry and mental illness. Robert L. Robinson Awards for radio and television productions that contribute to better public understanding of mental illness were presented to Carol Blakeslee-Collin, producer, and Susan Dentzer, correspondent for The NewsHour's health policy unit.

Menolascino Award.Ludwig S. Szymanski, M.D., of Boston, received the Frank J. Menolascino Award, in recognition of his significant contributions to psychiatric services for persons with mental retardation. He is associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Meyer Award.Daniel R. Weinberger, M.D., chief of the clinical brain disorders branch of the intramural research program at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, received the Adolf Meyer Award for his outstanding research on the neurology of schizophrenia.

Patient Advocacy Award. The Honorable George McGovern, now U.S. ambassador to the Rome-based UN Food and Agricultural agencies and a former U.S. senator, received the Award for Patient Advocacy for his contributions to improving services for people with mental disorders and substance abuse. He is the author of Terry: My Daughter's Life-and-Death Struggle With Alcoholism.

Pfister Award.Paul Ricoeur, professor emeritus at the University of Paris and the University of Chicago, received the Oskar Pfister Award for outstanding contributions in the field of psychiatry and religion. Professor Ricoeur, a philosopher, has written on a broad range of subjects, including ethics, religion, and psychoanalysis.

Ray Award.Thomas G. Gutheil, M.D., received the Isaac Ray Award for outstanding contributions to forensic psychiatry. Dr. Gutheil is codirector of the program in psychiatry and the law at Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Research awards.Dennis S. Charney, M.D., and Charles P. O'Brien, M.D., Ph.D., each received an APA Award for Research in Psychiatry, the highest award for research given by APA. Dr. Charney was recognized for his work on the neurobiology and treatment of anxiety and affective disorders. His is professor of psychiatry and deputy chair of academic and scientific affairs at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. O'Brien was honored for his work on the treatment of addiction disorders. He is chief of psychiatry at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center and professor and vice-chairman of psychiatry and director of the Center for Addiction Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Timothy J. Crow, Ph.D., received the Alexander Gralnick Award for Research in Schizophrenia for his work in brain structure and function in patients with schizophrenia. Now at the University of Oxford, Dr. Crow formerly worked in the department of psychiatry at University of Manchester and headed the division of psychiatry at the MRC Clinical Research Centre.

Daniel S. Pine, M.D., was presented with the Blanche F. Ittleson Award for Research in Child Psychiatry for his ongoing work on childhood anxiety disorders. Dr. Pine is associate professor of clinical psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University in New York City.

Jonathan D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., David A. Lewis, M.D., and Jeffrey A. Lieberman, M.D., each received Kempf Fund Awards for Research Development in Psychobiological Psychiatry, which recognizes senior researchers in schizophrenia. Dr. Cohen is professor of psychology and director of the Center for the Study of Brain, Mind, and Behavior at Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, and professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Lewis is professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh and associate director for basic research at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. Dr. Lieberman is professor of psychiatry, pharmacology, and radiology and vice-chair of psychiatric research at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

Raymond Cho, M.D., Christine E. Marx, M.D., and Joseph N. Pierri, M.D., each received Kempf Fund Awards for Research Development in Psychobiological Psychiatry, which recognizes research in schizophrenia by younger investigators. Dr. Cho is completing a psychiatric residency at Western Psychiatric Clinic and Institute at the University of Pittsburgh and pursuing doctoral studies in psychology at Princeton University. Dr. Marx is assistant professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Dr. Pierri is assistant professor of psychiatry at University of Pittsburgh.

Robert A. Rosenheck, M.D., received the Health Services Research Senior Scholar Award for his cost-effectiveness studies of behavioral health interventions. He is director of the Veterans Affairs Northeast Program Evaluation Center in West Haven, Connecticut, and professor of psychiatry and public health and director of the division of mental health services and outcomes research at Yale University.

Benjamin G. Druss, M.D., M.P.H., of New Haven, Connecticut, and Alexander S. Young, M.D., M.S.H.S., of Los Angeles each received Health Services Research Early Career Awards. Dr. Druss, assistant professor of psychiatry and public health at Yale University, was recognized for research on barriers faced by persons with mental illness in receiving care. Dr. Young, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles, Neuropsychiatric Institute, was recognized for his work on improving the quality of publicly financed care.

Five psychiatric residents received APA/Lilly Resident Research Awards for excellence in research undertaken during their residency training. Recipients were Gerard G. Gagne, Jr., M.D., of Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island; Wei "Jan" Jiang, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina; H. Florence Seung Kim, M.D., of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston; Stanislav I. Pavlovsky, M.D., Ph.D., of Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago; and Eyal Shemesh, M.D., of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

Lilly Psychiatric Research Fellowships, which support the career development of postgraduate medical trainees who show promise in psychiatric research, were awarded to Anna Lembke, M.D., of Stanford, California, and Carla Mendez-Buso, M.D., of Philadelphia.

Sarah H. "Holly" Hollingsworth Lisanby, M.D., of New York City, E. Christopher Muly, M.D., Ph.D., of Atlanta, and Jair C. Soares, M.D., of Pittsburgh received APA/SmithKline Beecham Junior Faculty Fellowships for Research Development in Biological Psychiatry. Wyeth-Ayerst M.D./Ph.D. Psychiatric Research Fellowships were presented to Joshua Berman, M.D., Ph.D., of New York City, Idil Cavus, M.D., Ph.D., of New Haven, Connecticut, and Steven Siegel, M.D., Ph.D., of Philadelphia.

Rush Award.Ronald L. Numbers, Ph.D., was presented with the Benjamin Rush Award for his contributions to the history of psychiatry. He is Hilldale and William Coleman professor of the history of science and medicine and chair of the department of history of medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Soo Award.Eng-Kung Yeh, M.D., received the Pun-Po Soo Award recognizing significant contributions toward understanding the impact of Asian heritage in areas relevant to psychiatry. He is professor emeritus of psychiatry at Taipei Medical College and clinical professor of psychiatry at National Taiwan University.

Spurlock Award. The first Jeanne M. Spurlock Minority Fellowship Achievement Award was presented to the family of Jeanne M. Spurlock, M.D., in honor of her outstanding contributions to psychiatry and the American Psychiatric Association Minority Fellowships. The award was established this year to recognize the outstanding achievements of former fellows of the minority fellowships. Dr. Spurlock, who died November 25, 1999, retired in 1991 as deputy medical director and director of the office of minority-national affairs of APA.

Symonds Award.Nada L. Stotland, M.D., was presented with the Alexandra Symonds Award honoring women psychiatrists' outstanding contributions and leadership in promoting women's health and the advancement of women. Dr. Stotland is professor in the departments of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology at Rush Medical College in Chicago and chair of the department of psychiatry at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

Tarjan Awards.Jambur V. Ananth, M.D., received the George Tarjan Award for significant contributions to the enhancement of the integration of international medical graduates in the American psychiatry. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles, and director of the psychopharmacology unit and clinical director of adult psychiatric services at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California.

The George Tarjan Award was also awarded posthumously to Jeanne Spurlock, M.D.

Vestermark Award.Leah J. Dickstein, M.D., was presented with the APA/NIMH Vestermark Psychiatry Educator Award for outstanding contributions to education and career development in psychiatry. She is professor, associate chair for academic affairs, and director of the division of attitudinal and behavioral medicine and arts in medicine program in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.

Weinberg Award.Gary W. Small, M.D., received the Jack Weinberg Memorial Award for Geriatric Psychiatry, which honors a psychiatrist who has demonstrated special leadership or done outstanding work in geriatric psychiatry. Dr. Small is the Parlow-Solomon professor on aging, professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences, and director of the Center on Aging at the University of California, Los Angeles.