Sen. Elgie Sims, Reps. Greg Harris, Deb Conroy to be honored for behavioral health leadership

One of Illinois’ top behavioral health advocacy groups will honor three leading Illinois lawmakers for their “steadfast support” and multiple state behavioral health industry leaders with leadership awards next week.

The Community Behavioral Health Association of Illinois (CBHA) will bestow its prestigious “2022 Legislator of the Year” award on Senator Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) and House Majority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) and its “Behavioral Health Champion” award on State Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Villa Park) at the group’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Winter Conference at the Drake Hotel in Chicago on December 5.

“Senator Sims, Leader Harris, and Rep. Conroy’s steadfast support for children, youth, and adults living with mental health or substance use disorders, and their leadership in the General Assembly on behalf of safety-net, behavioral healthcare providers, easily earned the lawmakers our ‘Legislator of the Year’ and ‘Behavioral Health Champion’ awards,” said Community Behavioral Health Association CEO Blanca Campos. “We are proud to recognize them.”

In addition to the lawmakers, CBHA will also recognize other leaders in the Illinois behavioral health sector.

The Ellen T. Quinn Memorial Award will be given to Bruce Sewick and Gloria Martin.

Sewick has recently retired on July 29, 2022, from his position as the CEO of Leyden Family Service and the SHARE Program after 26 years of dedication to the individuals and communities that agency serves. Martin began her employment with Sinnissippi Centers on September 4th, 1972. Other than a brief hiatus during which she was a stay-at-home mom, Gloria has been employed with Sinnissippi for over 48 years.

The Frank Anselmo Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to George Hovanec.

Hovanec has served four Illinois Governor’s in the areas of state finance and health care policy, starting with Governor James Thompson. He served as Deputy Director of the Bureau of the Budget, twice as the state Medicaid Director, and as the Acting Director of the then-Department of Public Aid. He has consulted with CBHA for over 20 years and the Anne and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital.

The new Marvin Lindsey Behavioral Health Innovator Award will be given to its namesake, Marvin Lindsey.

Lindsey retired on July 1, 2022, after over thirty years of dedicated service to the field of behavioral health, which included the last six years as CEO of CBHA. Lindsey also served on multiple state government task forces and advisory committees, such as the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center Task Force, Illinois Medicaid Advisory Committee, Illinois Substance Use Disorder Advisory Council, the Department of Human Services Social Advisory Committee, and Community Advisory Council on Homelessness.

The legislators and other honorees will receive their awards in-person at the Community Behavioral Health Association’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Winter Conference at the Drake Hotel on December 5th. The awards portion of the program begins at 12:00 p.m.