FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 28, 2005 San Mateo County Health Department Contact: Beverly Thames, (650) 573-3935 SAN MATEO COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD TO PRESENT TONY HOFFMAN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE AWARDS San Mateo, CA--In observance of 2005 May is Mental Health Month, the San Mateo County Mental Health Board will recognize and honor individuals, professionals, businesses, and the media that have made an extraordinary contribution to improving the lives of people with mental illness at the annual Tony Hoffman Community Mental Health Service Awards. The awards will presented on Wednesday, May 4, at 4 p.m. during the Mental Health Board meeting in Room 100 of the San Mateo County Health Department Building located at 225 37th Avenue in San Mateo. The following individuals and organizations will be honored: Domenic (Mickey) Russo of Redwood City for providing respectful and excellent pharmacy services to mental health clients Suzanne Moore, a nurse practitioner at the Mike Nevin Health Center in Daly City, for services as a health provider-educating and supporting mental health consumers Menlo Park Presbyterian Church for conducting programs to help those coping with mental illness Greg Wild of San Bruno for his tireless work assisting clients in improving their self-sufficiency and self-esteem Ruan Frenette of Hayward for her work as editor of the NAMI San Mateo County newsletter and keeping the public current on mental health issues James Shum of San Bruno for his advocacy and support to mental health consumers with their housing needs Mike and Kevin Kelly of Redwood City for their awareness and support in assisting mentally ill consumers to live independently Officer Bob Bates of the Redwood City Police Department for his respect and skill when dealing with young adults involved in the criminal justice system Detective William Pickens of the Sheriff's Department for his understanding of the mentally ill and leadership in promoting the education of law enforcement personnel about mental illness The community service awards are in memory of Tony Hoffman. He and his wife Fran were known throughout California and the nation as leading advocates in the successful organizing of families to demand compassionate and appropriate services for their family members with serious mental illness. In the early 1970s, the Hoffman's founded Parents of Adult Schizophrenics, an organization which spread across California and the nation to become the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI). For over 20 years, Tony Hoffman served on the San Mateo County Mental Health Board. Controversial, tough, persistent, Hoffman pushed the mental health system to make needed changes. Today our mental health system is a reflection of the influence and leadership of Tony and Fran Hoffman and the advocates that they "trained" and inspired. ###