Victor I. Howery Memorial Award

The “Victor I. Howery Memorial Award” is given for significant contributions to the field of rural mental health. 

 

Going to Bat Awards

The “Going to Bat Award” is given to an individual for advocacy in the area of rural mental health above and beyond the call of duty. It is given to an individual who has consistently advocated (supported, promoted, stood up for, championed, defended, made room for, protected, etc.) for rural mental health beyond what are their normal job responsibilities. This year NARMH is giving two Going to Bat Awards.

 

Carol Kane is receiving the Going to Bat Award for going beyond conventional advocacy to help establish Oxford House recovery housing in New Mexico. By helping open the first five peer-supported homes and laying the groundwork for statewide expansion, she created lasting recovery opportunities for people with substance use disorders, including those in rural and frontier communities.

 

Steve Miccio is receiving the Going to Bat Award for more than two decades of advocacy and systems leadership that placed peer support and lived experience at the center of crisis care. Through peer-operated respite, crisis stabilization, and diversion programs, he has created more humane, recovery-focused alternatives to hospitalization and incarceration.

 

Peter G. Beeson Rural Arts Award

The National Association for Rural Mental Health established the Rural Arts Award in 2007 to honor the life-long contributions of Peter G. (Pete) Beeson to both rural mental health and the rural arts. Pete is recognized within the association for his masterful writing about rural life and his beautiful photography both of which have graced the pages of many NARMH publications.

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Ricardo Caté is receiving the Peter G. Beeson Rural Arts Award for using humor and visual storytelling to elevate Native perspectives and strengthen community well-being. Through his comic strip Without Reservations and his work as a teacher and mentor, he opens difficult conversations, affirms cultural identity, and fosters understanding and resilience.

 

Ann Schumacher Rural Clinic Practice Award

The Ann Schumacher Award is presented annually to an experienced practitioner who has demonstrated excellence, innovation, professional development and who has worked with domestic violence.

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This year’s award winner is Dr. Rupi Legha. Dr. Rupi Legha is receiving the Ann Schumacher Rural Clinical Practice Award for excellence and innovation in antiracist, trauma-informed, and equity-centered psychiatric care. By integrating direct care with clinician training, scholarship, and advocacy, she is helping transform mental health practice toward models that reduce systemic harm, protect dignity, and promote healing.