YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Mental Health and Recovery Board issued awards in a virtual ceremony recognizing people for their efforts in the mental health world.

Two police officers were honored, Sgt. Valorie Delmont with the Austintown Police Department and Sgt. Glenn Patton with the Boardman Police Department. Patton received the award of CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) Officer of the Year and Delmont was honored on Friday with the CISM (Crisis Incident Stress Management) Award.

Officers on the crisis intervention team work to promote collaboration between law enforcement, mental health agencies, the Mahoning County business community, consumers, their family members, and others to reduce the arrest of people with mental illness and improve officers’ knowledge about mental illness.

Boardman police Chief Todd Werth said Patton “is routinely called upon by the department to handle the most sensitive matters, and has extensive contacts with area agencies that he readily uses to help people throughout our community.

Delmont has been an active member of the Mahoning County CISM team since it started, participating in interventions, going “above and beyond.”

Mercy Health’s Peer Recovery Support Program won the award for Program of the Year. A team works with patients in the emergency department, on intensive care unit floors, labor and delivery floors, in behavioral health units and in less formal instances. “This team has not only helped advocate, encourage, and link individuals to treatment, they have made a large impact on the Mercy healthcare system as a whole,” the release states.

For two years, the program has been helping reduce stigma and change the culture around recovery, according to the mental health and recovery board.

Stephanie Geer with Meridian HealthCare was recognized with the Vanguard award, for her work helping people with gambling disorders. She has worked educating professionals in Mahoning County to screen individuals presenting for substance-use disorder treatment for gambling disorders as well. This has allowed Mahoning County to increase the number of people identified as needing problem gambling treatment and supports

The Pillar Award was given to Kathy Decenso for her work in Alta Behavioral Healthcare’s bill department, for her “empathetic” support of parents and her “warrior” attitude when it comes to handling managed care companies, the release states. Shannon Hudspeth, assistant to Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert N. Rusu Jr., also received the award for her work in the Fresh Start Court Program, helping people with mental illness.

The others awarded recognition are:

• Guy Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence, Youngstown, Leadership Award;

• Lee Devita, Housing and Supportive Services, Help Network of Northeast Ohio, Advocate Award;

• Hope Hanley, NAMI Mahoning Valley, Eagle Award;

• Audrey Tillis, Mahoning County Budget Director, Eagle Award.

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