2008 Woodruff Prizes

Background:

The Woodruff Foundation was established in 1986 to enhance, through financial support, the development and delivery of mental health services.  In addition to their traditional grantmaking, the Trustees of the Woodruff Foundation has sought to recognize and honor those organizations and individuals doing superior work in the mental health and/or chemical dependency fields.

From this objective, the Woodruff Prize Awards were established in 1989.  Each year one nonprofit organization in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and one individual, either a professional or a volunteer, are awarded the Woodruff Prizes, each with a prize of $10,000.  In 2008, the organization winner will be honored by a Woodruff-commissioned video production featuring the agency which will be shown at the Woodruff Forum and may be used thereafter for the organization's own publicity, marketing, or other purporses.  The winner for individual achievement designates a nonprofit, tax-exempt mental health or substance abuse organization in Cuyahoga County to receive the cash award.

In 2008, Foundation Trustees decided to encourage exceptional work at earlier career stages.  Two new categories of winners will be recognized at the 2008 Woodruff Forum, Emerging Practitioner Leader, and Emerging Volunteer.  No monetary awards are associated with these prizes.

Criteria:

An advisory committee comprised of Foundation trustees, community leaders and experts in the fields of mental health and substance abuse will choose the winners from among those nominated.

Woodruff Prize Award (Individual and Organization) winners will be characterized by:

• Consistent and superior work in the treatment of mental health and/or chemical dependency
• Innovation and/or high achievement
• Significant impact on the community
• Collaboration or partnership with others in the community to advance program goals and objectives

Emerging Practitioner Leader and Emerging Volunteer winners should have been in the field for fewer than 5 years, and display:

• Commitment to the field
• Demonstrated or potential leadership at the agency and/or community level
• Creative approaches to problems or constraints

Prizes

• Woodruff Prize to an individual - $10,000 award, which will be designated to the mental health or substance abuse nonprofit of the winner's choosing.
• Emerging Practitioner Leader - Recognition at the Woodruff Forum and associated publicity.
• Woodruff Prize to an organization - $10,000 grant, and being featured in a video production commissioned by the Woodruff Foundation.
• Emerging Volunteer Leader - Recognition at the Woodruff Forum and associated publicity

Nomination Requirements:

Nominations can be made by an individual or an organization.

ALL SUBMISSIONS WILL REQUIRE:

1. A completed nomination form (see below)
2. A statement of no more than 1,000 words about the nominee, including the accomplishments of the nominee and an explanation of how the criteria above are met
3. A copy of the organization's IRS letter designating its nonprofit status.

Submission Process:

The nomination form may be completed by hand or on your computer.  Please either e-mail the form and the required attachments to cstarkey@fmscleveland.com or print the materials and send on standard 8 1/2 by 11 paper, printed on one side only, to:

Woodruff Prize Awards, 1422 Euclid Avenue, Suite 627, Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Ruth A. Addison
Chief Executive Officer

Murtis Taylor Multi-Service Center

Maureen Dee
Assistant Executive Director

Cleveland Catholic Charities Chemical Dependency Services

Frank Fecser
Executive Director

Positive Education Program (Woodruff Foundation Trustee)

Howard Maier
Executive Director

NOACA

Myrtle Muntz
Consultant

(Woodruff Foundation Trustee)

Kathy Pender, MA, LPCC, CCDCIII

Judith Z. Peters
President and CEO

West Side Ecumenical Ministry

Deborah Plummer, PhD
Director, Office of Diversity

Cleveland Clinic (Woodruff Foundation Trustee)

 

Robert J. Ronis, M.D., M.P.H.
L. Douglas Lenkoski Professor of Psychiatry Interim Chairman, Dept. of Psychiatry

UHC/CWRU (Woodruff Foundation Trustee)

Individuals

2007	Frank A. Fecser, Ph.D., Chief Executive Director, Positive Education Program
2006	Dr. Robert Ronis, Chairman, Dept. of Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Medical School
2005	Helen (Kelly) Dylag, Executive Director, Far West Center
2004	Helen K. Jones, President, Recovery Resources
2003	William A. Wortzman, Board Member: Hopewell, Bellefaire, JFSA and Psychobiology Clinic
2002	Miriam S. Plax, Executive Director NAMI-Metro Cleveland
2001	Mario Tonti, Executive Director, Beech Brook
2000	Dr. L. Douglas Lenkoski
1999	Judith Z. Peters, Executive Director, Hill House
1998	Dr. Mark Warren, Medical Director, Laurelwood Hospital and Counseling Centers
1997	Judy Fant, Director of Foster Care Program, Bellefaire Jewish Children's Bureau
1996	Joyce DeCluette, Director, AIRS Program, Recovery Resources
1995	Ralph Fee, Director, West Side Community Mental Health Center
1994	Dr. Walter P. Knake, Jr.
1993	Jim Stutz, Free Clinic Volunteer (deceased)
1992	Eugene R. Brudno, Mental Health Volunteer
1991	Maureen Dee, Program Director, Catholic Counseling Center
1990	Richard I. Pountney, Executive Director, Stella Maris (deceased)