State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) leads the list of four Arlingtonians selected to receive NAMI-Arlington 2015 Recognition Awards for their efforts to improve services to those living with mental illness. Favola, a former member of the Arlington County Board, was saluted for her legislation which, if enacted, sets new training criteria and restrictions on the use of seclusion and restraint by schools throughout Virginia.
Also honored are Nadine Asef-Sargent, Michelle Best and Robin Joseph, all for their work in the mental illness field, as follows:
Asef-Joseph, chair of the Arlington Special Education Advisory Committee, which advocates for school children with special needs, including mental illness, for her work with school administrators and policy makers on special needs issues.
Best, for establishing a support group for parents of school children with mental illness and for providing parents with tools for the challenges they face.
Joseph, manager of Arlington’s Young Adult program, for developing Arlington’s EDGE program (Empowerment through Determination, Growth and Experience) which introduces Arlingtonians aged 18 to 26 to social outlets while teaching living skills.
The awards will be presented Wednesday, June 17, at Clarendon House at an annual dinner.
NAMI-Arlington is part of NAMI-Northern Virginia and educates and informs about mental illness, advocates for better mental health services and offers support groups for those with mental illness and for family members of individuals with mental illness.