The NAMI Indiana Advocates for Mental Health Justice Awards honor exceptional leadership, collaboration, and dedication to advancing mental health justice. If you know an all-star who deserves recognition, we invite you to nominate them for one of the following awards: 

Executive Advocate for Mental Health Justice

This award recognizes a person in an executive role in the mental health and/or criminal justice field whose work has influenced system-wide and state-wide progress and change. Executive professions include but are not limited to:

• Legislators

• State-level leaders 

• Senior organization leaders 

• Elected officials

Cross-System Team Impact Award

This award recognizes a team of law enforcement and mental health professionals whose community has benefited greatly from this cross-system collaboration. Submissions must include all team members’ names or will not be considered

CIT Excellence Award

This award recognizes a specific CIT program that has shown consistent dedication to the core principles of Crisis Intervention Teams. Submissions must include all team members’ names or will not be considered

Legal Advocate for Mental Health Justice

This award recognizes a legal professional who has shown significant advocacy for progressive mental health practices in the criminal justice system. Legal professions include but are not limited to:

• Judge/Magistrate

• Attorney/Prosecutor/Public Defender

• Paralegal

• Clerk

First Responder Advocate for Mental Health Justice

This award recognizes a first responder who has shown an above-and-beyond dedication to providing a compassionate response to those in need of mental health support. First Responder professions include but are not limited to:

• Law Enforcement

• EMT

• Corrections

• Dispatch

• Probation/Parole/Home Detention

Behavioral Health Advocate for Mental Health Justice

This award recognizes a behavioral health professional who has provided extraordinary mental health services to justice-involved individuals with mental illness. Behavioral Health professions include but are not limited to:

• Therapist

• Psychologist

• Psychiatrist

• Case Manager

• Social Worker

• Peer Support 

• Program Coordinators

Change Agent in Mental Health Justice

This award recognizes a person who has ignited community-wide culture changes through their mental health advocacy.

Youth Justice Impact *Our newest Justice Advocate Award category!

This award recognizes a youth justice professional who has provided extraordinary advocacy, support, and/or services to court-involved youth with mental illness. Youth Justice professions include, but are not limited to:

• Juvenile Court Staff

• Juvenile Probation Staff

• Youth-serving providers

• Child Welfare professionals

• Case Manager

• Social Worker

• Program Coordinators