NAMI Recognizes Outstanding Psychiatrists

Posted on May 16, 2000

Chicago, IL - The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill today honored 52 psychiatrists with its 2000 NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrists Award during the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in Chicago. Selected by NAMI's grassroots membership, these physicians are being recognized for making substantial contributions in clinical care, in public education, or in advocacy efforts.

"These special medical professionals have gone the extra mile on behalf of people with severe mental illnesses and their families," said NAMI Executive Director Laurie Flynn. "NAMI's Exemplary Psychiatrist Award recognizes the invaluable contributions made by these caring professionals, and allows NAMI members to show their gratitude for lives reclaimed.

"NAMI is pleased to honor these outstanding individuals, not only for what they've done to bring about real recovery for people with severe mental illnesses, but also for their contributions to greater public understanding of these disorders and for their dedication to eliminating the stigma that far too often shadows mental illness," said Flynn.

Among this year's honorees are:

• Peter J. Weiden, M.D., nationally recognized expert on new schizophrenia treatments and co-author of Breakthroughs in Antipsychotic Medications
• Frederick K. Goodwin, M.D., host of the weekly, award-winning national public radio series, "The Infinite Mind" and former director of the National Institute of Mental Health
• Elizabeth Baxter, M.D., a consumer psychiatrist who is actively involved in providing assertive community treatment programs to individuals with severe mental illness in Nashville, TN

Since 1991, NAMI's Exemplary Psychiatrist Award has been presented to more than 750 psychiatrists serving people with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and severe anxiety disorders. This year's honorees include psychiatrists from Canada, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

To qualify for the NAMI Exemplary Psychiatrist Award, an individual must have set an example for his or her professional colleagues and have shown outstanding leadership and perseverance in at least one of the following areas:

• Fighting Discriminatory Policies. Has been a leader in fighting injustices and discrimination against people with brain disorders by taking a public stand against discriminatory policies in public or private systems of care, housing or employment.
• Increasing Public Understanding of Brain Disorders. Has routinely worked to educate the public about brain disorders and the people who have them, through public speaking, participation in public education programs, or similar events.
• Fighting Stigma. Has routinely worked to fight stigmatizing and stereotyping portrayals of people with brain disorders through speaking out, letter writing or similar activities.
• NAMI Campaign. Has personally supported and actively participated in NAMI's Campaign to End Discrimination, a campaign dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with brain disorders, ensuring dignity, raising public awareness, and increasing access to services and treatments.

List of honorees:

Alabama

F. Cleveland Kinney, Ph.D., M.D., Birmingham

Arizona

Clint W. Anthony, M.D., Prescott

Jerry L. Dennis, M.D., Phoenix

William James, M.D., Phoenix

Jeffrey L. Schwimmer, M.D., M.P.H., Phoenix

Paul B. Tilyou, M.D., Prescott

California

Stephen Marder, M.D., Los Angeles

Steven G. Potkin, M.D., Irvine

William T. Prey, M.D., San Francisco

Charles Torrey, M.D., Santa Cruz

Colorado

Ann Olincy, M.D., Denver

District of Columbia

Frederick K. Goodwin, M.D.

Kenneth Gorelick, M.D.

Paramjit T. Joshi, M.D.

Eliot Sorel, M.D.

Florida

Carlos E. Berry, M.D., F.A.P.A., Largo

Omar Rieche, M.D., Fort Myers

Abbey Strauss, M.D., Boca Raton

Thomas Thieman, M.D., New Port Richey

Illinois

Robert M. Rose, M.D., Chicago

Chandragupta Vedak, M.D., Crystal Lake

Indiana

Jay D. Fawver, M.D., Ft. Wayne

Massachusetts

Frances R. Frankenburg, M.D., Bedford

David N. Osser, M.D., Cambridge

Maryland

Roger Peele, M.D., Gaithersburg

Trey Sunderland, M.D., Bethesda

Missouri

Gordon Robinson, M.D., St. Louis

North Carolina

Eric Peterson, M.D., Asheville

Nebraska

Subhash C. Bhatia, M.D., Omaha

Susan J. Boust, M.D., Omaha

New Hampshire

Robert Drake, M.D., Lebanon

New Mexico

John Lauriello, M.D., Albuquerque

New York

Delbert Robinson, M.D., Glen Oaks

Peter J. Weiden, M.D., Brooklyn

Ohio

Robert L. Kuykendal, M.D., Cincinnati

Roknedin Safavi, M.D., Beachwood

Michael Alan Schwartz, M.D., Gates Mills

Oklahoma

Stephen L. Greer, M.D., Tulsa

Oregon

Alan J. Cohn, M.D., Eugene

Rhode Island

James Bonnar, M.D., Warwick

Patricia Recupero, J.D., M.D., Providence

South Dakota

Mujeeb Khan, M.D., Yankton

Tennessee

Elizabeth Baxter, M.D., Nashville

Texas

Gary L. Etter, M.D., Fort Worth

Marshall B. Lucas, M.D., Houston

James M. Martinez, M.D., Galveston

Virginia

Edwin E. Gatewood, M.D., Norfolk

Ingrid Schmedtje, D.O., Chesapeake

John P.D. Shemo, M.D., Charlottesville

Canada

Brian Greenfield, M.D., Montreal, Quebec

Cuba

Eduardo Bernabe Ordaz Ducunge, M.D.,

Boyeros, Havana

Puerto Rico

Jose Fumero-Vidal, M.D., San Juan