New Association Award Celebrates Lifetime Achievement in Promoting Cultural Diversity and Competence

The PRA Multicultural Committee (MDC) is thrilled to announce that PRA will introduce a new, national Multicultural Award of Distinction at the 2013 PRA Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia June 9-12, 2013. In support of the PRA principles and practice domains, the MDC feels strongly about recognizing the commitment and dedication of individuals within the field of psychiatric rehabilitation who promote and advance cultural diversity, inclusion, and human rights. The award recognizes an individual who exemplifies and promotes not just inclusion, but total, cultural integration and who also supports PRA’s commitment to promoting diversity.

The Multicultural Diversity Award reflects and upholds the practice domains for the CPRP identified by the Certification Commission - citing diversity as critical for psychiatric rehabilitation practitioners. Thus, this award will acknowledge members of the UPSRA community whose work and commitment to promoting diversity has been instrumental in empowering individuals with lived experience to be the drivers of their own recovery and to make and achieve goals that are based on their worldviews and personal experiences. The award also commemorates work that has been responsible for mitigating the effects of prejudice, discrimination, and stigma, and minimizing barriers by advocating for access to opportunities and resources. With the introduction of this new award, PRA continues to voice a loud, clear, and concise message that diversity is not something to be used for separation, but rather to better integrate and understand the diverse experiences of individuals with lived experience, service providers, and other stakeholders.

Additional information, specific nomination procedures, and the criteria that will be used to select the recipient of the 2013 Multicultural Award of Distinction will be forthcoming in the announcement opening the annual PRA Award nominations process.