CRITERIA FOR AWARDS
Nelson A. Voorhees Award
This award is presented to a person with a disability who has shown a special or extraordinary effort in the accomplishment of his or her rehabilitation goal. Aware that a precise measurement of the hundreds of successful rehabilitants each year would be an impossible task, the Committee seeks to select those individual(s) who most closely embodies the philosophy of rehabilitation. The rehabilitation goal does not have to be employment but can also be the attainment of greater independence.
Dr Frank G. Bowe Rehabilitation Practitioner of Distinction
This award is intended for a professional or para-professional worker from the field of rehabilitation. The worker should have special qualities and have made an outstanding contribution in the areas of administration, research supervision, counseling or in providing services to persons with physical, social or mental disabilities through innovation, development or implementation of the rehabilitation process.
Rehabilitation Program of Distinction
This award is intended to recognize the extraordinary accomplishment of a particular agency, program or project in promoting rehabilitation of the physically, socially or mentally disabling conditions.
Marilyn Miller-Morell Advocacy Award
This award is for the individual or organization that has made a positive contribution to improving the lives of persons with disabilities by actively representing their interests to government and the community at large.
Employer of Distinction
This award is given to the business, industry or individual employer who has responded to the call for the hiring of persons with disabilities. The recipient should be one who has made an exceptional effort to bring workers with disabilities into the mainstream of the world of work.
Dr. Patricia J. Livingston Public Policy Award
This award is for an individual who has shown particular sensitivity with regard to public policy at the local, state or federal level, enhancing the quality of life of persons with disabilities.
Media Award
This award is intended to commend an individual, program or publication educating the public to the concerns of persons with disabilities.
Rehabilitation Research Project of the Year
This award is presented to the program and/or professional whose research extends the resourcefulness of technology, medicine and/or social research in helping alleviate and/or comprehend disabling conditions.
The Diane L. Neville Distinguished Service Award
This award is presented to an individual whose personal commitment and career achievements have significantly enhanced the lives of persons with disabilities.
The Barbara Schultz Memorial Award
This award is presented to an individual whose efforts and leadership have enhanced employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in New York City.
The Dr. Alfred H. Schwartz and Iris Nelson-Schwartz Humanitarian Award
This award is presented to an individual, program or organization demonstrating exceptional qualities, compassion, and care in enhancing the lives of persons with disabilities, meeting the following criteria:
1. an outstanding record of service to persons with disabilities, above and beyond the mission of work as established.
2. the individual, program or organization has demonstrated effective concern for care, treatment, education, or rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
3. this can include past or present professional work.