2008 Selections Share a Commitment to Excellence

For Immediate Release - Alexandria, VA

Donovan Kuehn
703-741-7686, ext. 125
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Passion, vision and commitment links the winners of the 2008 award winners selected by NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals. The recipients of these awards have all excelled in their fields and exemplify the qualities held in highest regard by the addiction profession and the community.

The award winners and highlights of their accomplishments are laid out below.

Mel Schulstad Professional of the Year
The Mel Schulstad Professional of the Year award was created in November 1979 and is named after the first President of NAADAC. The award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding and sustained contributions to the advancement of the addiction counseling profession.

Award winner Roman Frankel, PhD, CCS, NCAC II, CBIS, CEAP, CCGC, is a leading expert on individual, group and family counseling for individuals diagnosed with addictive disorders. For the last twelve years, he has developed treatment services for individuals presenting the multiple diagnoses of addiction, traumatic brain injury and psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Frankel is the President and Executive Director of New Start Inc., an organization that serves as a networking service for addiction treatment facilities. Dr. Frankel is also owner and President of the Healing Place, Ltd., a community based program for multiple diagnosed patients.

Dr. Frankel is a "...passionate teacher, insightful scholar and a steadfast and ardent promoter of the counseling profession," said Madeline Dupre, one of the people who nominated him for the award.

Lora Roe Memorial Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselor of the Year
This award is presented to a counselor who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession of addiction counseling.

Joseph A. Ruggieri, LMHC, LADC, CADAC, provides individual, couples and family therapy for individuals struggling with substance abuse in Massachusetts. He has had a diverse and rewarding career, which includes serving on the Board of Directors of a Samaritan branch for 16 years and developing and implementing EAP programs for local companies, such as Hewlett- Packard. Ruggieri has also worked with the Massachusetts District Attorney's Office in Implementing a Juvenile Diversion Program.

"He is dynamic, creative and thinks outside the box when working to confront his clients with the dangers of addiction," said one of his nominators, Thomas B. Hey, LMHC.

Medical Professional of the Year
Presented to a medical professional who has made an outstanding contribution to the addiction profession.

William F. Cote is an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor, clinical specialist in adult psychiatric and mental heath nursing and a master addiction counselor. Cote set up one of the first substance abuse outreach programs at a general hospital and the program was so successful that he co-authored a paper detailing his experiences called Supervisor Nurse. Active in the community, he continues to push for co-occurring treatment - coordinating mental health and chemical dependency treatment for patients.

Nominator Celeste Marie Girell, Superintendent of the Northeastern Regional Correctional Facility said, "His candor and humor helped motivate and innate changes in practice and policy on many levels. Similarly, his ability to speak the uncomfortable but necessary truth helped shape corrections policy and practice in Vermont."

NAADAC Organizational Achievement Award
Presented to organizations that have demonstrated a strong commitment to the addiction profession and particularly strong support for the individual addiction professional.

Amethyst, Inc., was founded twenty-five years ago, by nine women who met through recovery from addiction. The goal of the founding mothers was to create a place in Ohio where women could recover from addiction and abuse and create a space that was a welcoming environment for children. The center strives to reach this goal with supportive permanent housing combined with long-term addiction treatment services. On any given day, Amethyst houses up to 100 women and their dependent children in fully furnished apartments.

Amethyst was recognized in 2008 as a finalist in for the Ohio non-profit excellence awards for its innovative project "Treatment of Trauma Survivors with prolonged History of Interpersonal Abuse: Effects on Mediation Practice on Client's Mental Health Outcomes." Margo Spence, a nominator of Amethyst, said, "Amethyst is used as a 'benchmark' for many of us in the field for providing competent, comprehensive drug and alcohol services for women and children."

NAADAC's awards will be presented at the 2008 Recovery for a Lifetime conference being held in Overland Park, Kansas Aug 28-31. The award recipients will receive their awards on August 30, 2008.

More information on NAADAC's awards and previous award winners