Dr. John Gabis among CARES Award honorees
Lead Summary
By
Press Release-
The Ohio Association of County Behavior Health Authorities this week announced the recipients of the 2021 CARES Awards, including Dr. John Gabis of Adena Health System.
The CARES Awards are offered as part of OACBHA’s annual Week of Appreciation, Sept. 20-26 and are presented annually to frontline workers and leaders throughout the state who have dedicated significant time and expertise to support and serve Ohioans impacted by substance use disorders.
Cheri L. Walter, CEO of OACBHA, shared her appreciation for all of the nominees and award recipients.
“Through offering the CARES Awards, we hope to showcase the tremendous efforts made by frontline workers and local leaders to support individuals, families and communities impacted by addiction,” Walter said. “Thanks to their compassion and commitment to helping others, these Champions of Recovery have helped save countless lives and helped connect numerous people to the help they need to fight their substance use disorder and move toward recovery.
“As we continue to face a great deal of uncertainty related to the coronavirus pandemic, it is important that we continue to fight the stigma of addiction and challenge society to recognize it as a treatable disease. Treatment works, and together we must believe in recovery, promote the reality of recovery and celebrate individuals in recovery.”
The annual CARES Awards are presented to first responders, frontline workers and community leaders who have gone above and beyond in helping individuals, families and their communities deal with the adverse effects of Ohio’s opioid and addiction epidemic. As a result of their actions, lives have been saved, families have been helped and communities have benefited from their commitment to serving those in need.
The 2021 CARES Champions of Recovery Award recipients are:
• Kate Siefert, Crawford County Health Commissioner, nominated by the ADAMHS Board of Crawford and Marion Counties.
• Jennifer Cochran, Assistant Chief of Administration of Delaware County EMS, nominated by the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board.
• Chief Deputy Gery Thobe, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, nominated by the ADAMHS Board of Mercer, Van Wert and Paulding Counties.
• John Gabis, MD of Adena Health System, nominated by the Paint Valley ADAMH Board.
• Stefani Whitmire, Peer Support Specialist of Townhall II, nominated by the Mental Health & Recovery Board Portage County.
• Lt. Katherine Williams, City of Franklin Division of Fire and EMS, nominated by the Mental Health Recovery Board Serving Warren and Clinton Counties.
• LeeAnn Price, Suicide Coalition Treasurer, H.O.P.E. Facilitator and LOSS Team Member, nominated by the Washington County Behavioral Health Board.
• Patrolman Jerome Fatzinger of the City of Wooster Police Department, nominated by the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties.
The 2021 CARES Awards will be presented to the award recipients by the nominating boards.
"We are so delighted to hear Dr. John Gabis was selected for the CARES award, as he is also our 2021 Addiction Advocate of the Year,” Penny Dehner, ADAMH Executive Director, said. “We are working with Dr. Gabis to arrange a date and time for the presentation of the awards."
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The CARES Awards are offered as part of OACBHA’s annual Week of Appreciation, Sept. 20-26 and are presented annually to frontline workers and leaders throughout the state who have dedicated significant time and expertise to support and serve Ohioans impacted by substance use disorders.
Cheri L. Walter, CEO of OACBHA, shared her appreciation for all of the nominees and award recipients.
“Through offering the CARES Awards, we hope to showcase the tremendous efforts made by frontline workers and local leaders to support individuals, families and communities impacted by addiction,” Walter said. “Thanks to their compassion and commitment to helping others, these Champions of Recovery have helped save countless lives and helped connect numerous people to the help they need to fight their substance use disorder and move toward recovery.
“As we continue to face a great deal of uncertainty related to the coronavirus pandemic, it is important that we continue to fight the stigma of addiction and challenge society to recognize it as a treatable disease. Treatment works, and together we must believe in recovery, promote the reality of recovery and celebrate individuals in recovery.”
The annual CARES Awards are presented to first responders, frontline workers and community leaders who have gone above and beyond in helping individuals, families and their communities deal with the adverse effects of Ohio’s opioid and addiction epidemic. As a result of their actions, lives have been saved, families have been helped and communities have benefited from their commitment to serving those in need.
The 2021 CARES Champions of Recovery Award recipients are:
• Kate Siefert, Crawford County Health Commissioner, nominated by the ADAMHS Board of Crawford and Marion Counties.
• Jennifer Cochran, Assistant Chief of Administration of Delaware County EMS, nominated by the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board.
• Chief Deputy Gery Thobe, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, nominated by the ADAMHS Board of Mercer, Van Wert and Paulding Counties.
• John Gabis, MD of Adena Health System, nominated by the Paint Valley ADAMH Board.
• Stefani Whitmire, Peer Support Specialist of Townhall II, nominated by the Mental Health & Recovery Board Portage County.
• Lt. Katherine Williams, City of Franklin Division of Fire and EMS, nominated by the Mental Health Recovery Board Serving Warren and Clinton Counties.
• LeeAnn Price, Suicide Coalition Treasurer, H.O.P.E. Facilitator and LOSS Team Member, nominated by the Washington County Behavioral Health Board.
• Patrolman Jerome Fatzinger of the City of Wooster Police Department, nominated by the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties.
The 2021 CARES Awards will be presented to the award recipients by the nominating boards.
"We are so delighted to hear Dr. John Gabis was selected for the CARES award, as he is also our 2021 Addiction Advocate of the Year,” Penny Dehner, ADAMH Executive Director, said. “We are working with Dr. Gabis to arrange a date and time for the presentation of the awards."
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