Mental health VIPs pick up top service awards

BOARDMAN -- Community and mental health system leaders were honored by the Mahoning County Mental Health Board recently at its annual May is Mental Health Month meeting at Holiday Inn.
Recipients selected by workers in the mental health system were Nancy Flinn of the Burdman Group Inc. as agency director of the year and Tom Arens, also of Burdman, as consumer advocate of the year.
Flinn was honored for serving 1 1/2 years as interim director of Burdman during an especially difficult transition period, and Arens was cited for his tireless advocacy for quality services for mental health consumers.
The mental health board presented three Eagle leadership awards to the following leaders for their efforts to educate and assist individuals in seeking to improve the quality of life in Mahoning County.
* Matthew Stefanak, Mahoning County District Health commissioner, for his leadership on the Family and Children's First Council's lead poisoning control efforts.
* Cynthia Davis-Taylor, administrative assistant at D & amp;E Counseling Center, for her efforts on behalf of the New Outlook Drop-in Center and the black.
* Pam Washington of Help Hotline Crisis Center was singled out for her work with Victims of Crime and injured military personnel.