2023 Distinguished Service Awards

The Pennsylvania Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (PAPRS) is pleased to announce the individuals and Psychiatric Rehabilitation agencies or programs which have distinguished themselves in their commitment to the principles of Psychiatric Rehabilitation in 2023. Awards are given in the four categories listed below. Award winners will be honored at the PAPRS Annual conference on April 21, 2023, during the Closing Ceremony of the Virtual Conference from 3:00pm to 4:30 pm.

Distinguished Career Award

This award is to honor an individual who, throughout their career, has effectively promoted the development and implementation of psychiatric rehabilitation services in Pennsylvania.  Nominations are open to members of PAPRS/PRA who are credentialed in Psychiatric Rehabilitation and have no less than 10 years’ experience in psychiatric rehabilitation.

2023 DISTINGUISHED CAREER AWARD

Kimberly Orner Rauch       

 For An Outstanding Contribution to Psychiatric Rehabilitation 

Distinguished Advocate Award

This award is to honor an individual who has advocated for the inclusion of psychiatric rehabilitation services in their organization, county, region, and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Nomination for this award is open to mental health staff, persons in recovery, family members and public administrators. 

2023 DISTINGUISHED ADVOCATE AWARD

Tracy McElhone      

 For An Outstanding Contribution to Psychiatric Rehabilitation 

Distinguished Practitioner Award

This award is to honor an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to the principles and ethics of psychiatric rehabilitation in their work with persons in recovery.  Nominations are open to mental health direct care and/or supervisory staff who are either an individual member or work for an organizational member of PAPRS/PRA.

2023 DISTINGUISHED PRACTITIONER AWARD

Liz Guerin         

For An Outstanding Contribution to Psychiatric Rehabilitation 

Outstanding Program Award

This award is to honor an agency or program within an agency, which operates psychiatric rehabilitation that effectively meet the needs of persons in recovery.  Nominations for this award are open to Psychiatric Rehabilitation agencies or programs that have been in operation for no less than 3 years and are organizational members of PAPRS/PRA.

2023 OUTSTANDING PROGRAM AWARD

The Challenge Center Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program   

 For An Outstanding Contribution to Psychiatric Rehabilitation 

The Challenge Center is a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service (PRS) that serves adults 18 years and older, who have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness and voluntarily wishes to receive the services.

We are committed to the concepts of recovery and resiliency.  We focus on the five key recovery concepts as founded by Mary Ellen Copeland: Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-advocacy, and Support.

The Challenge Center offers a variety of classes teaching you skills and connecting individuals to resources that focus on the areas of living, learning, working, and socializing, to assist individuals in living a more fulfilled and satisfying life. This service is about staff members walking beside program participants, as they work at their own pace in their recovery journey.   Persons in recovery are in the driver seat and staff members are the pit crew helping individuals along the way. As individuals grow in their recovery, Challenge Center staff encourage them to find their own voice in making choices, as well as, taking responsibility for their recovery.

The Challenge Center inspires hope and empowerment to take back  life, in spite of the mental health diagnosis and encourages individuals to continue choosing their path and writing their own story.