Dick Durbin ICA Legislator of the Year award: Letter

November 4, 2009

Senator Richard Durbin

230 S. Dearborn, Suite 3892

Chicago, IL 60604

The Honorable Richard Durbin,

I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected to receive the Illinois Counseling Association’s McGinn / Clark Award for Outstanding Illinois Legislator Award for 2009.

This award was established in 1996 to recognize the Illinois Legislator who contributes the most to advocacy, public policy, and legislative recognition for professional counselors and clients in Illinois. The award is named for two women who have been consistently active in local, state, and national levels for professional counselors in public policy and legislation. Pat McGinn is a former Executive Director of IMHCA and CICO, and Joyce Clark is a former IAMC President and Chair of the ICA Public Policy and Legislation Committee. The nomination is open to any current or former legislator in Illinois, regardless of political party affiliation.

Criteria:

1. Advocacy for professional counselors and clients.

2. Legislation sponsored to benefit professional counselors and clients.

3. Public policy leadership for professional counselors and clients.

4. Knowledge of and support for professional counselors and clients.

Your selection for this award was based upon the following:

Senator Durbin, you have been an outstanding advocate for Illinois counselors. You have been a champion of improved mental health care and greater accessibility of mental health care.

Senator Durbin is one of the co-sponsors of : S.671
Title: A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services under part B of the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

Most recently at a meeting in Chicago, you pushed for Federal Funding to Combat Youth Violence. Additionally you introduced a new bill that would improve mental health services on college campuses.

Your continued support of the mental health profession and counselors has been noteworthy.

Thank you for your work on behalf of the counseling profession.

Sincerely,

Daniel Stasi

Executive Director