The “Going to Bat Award” is given to an individual for advocacy in the area of rural mental health above and beyond the call of duty. It is given to an individual who has consistently advocated (supported, promoted, stood up for, championed, defended, made room for, protected, etc.) for rural mental health beyond what are their normal job responsibilities.
This year’s award winner is Commissioner Kimberly G. Boswell. She was sworn in as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health in 2020. Governor Kay Ivey said of Commissioner Boswell, “She has spent the entirety of her professional career devoted to helping struggling individuals”. Boswell has furthered an accessible, interconnected, effective and just system of care for individuals served by the Department of Mental Health. She has almost 40 years of experience working with individuals with mental illness, substance use disorders and developmental disabilities. Boswell previously served as Chief of Staff, Associate Commissioner for Administration, and Director of Human Resources for the Department. Over the course of her career, she worked as a planner to improve human service delivery systems, a program evaluator, a School to Work transition coordinator, and also served as the state office administrator for the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services.

The Ann Schumacher Award is presented annually to an experienced practitioner who has demonstrated excellence, innovation, professional development and who has worked with domestic violence.
This year’s award winner is the Preferred Medical Group Fort Mitchell Clinic for its excellence in behavioral health. Since 2020 they have had the NCQA Distinction in Behavioral Health Integration – one of only 2 practices in the state of Alabama who have attained the distinction. Amazingly, they have children who are younger than 2 years of age who have been diagnosed with ASD by way of formal testing and have been started with ABA therapy. And from initial consult to starting ABA… they get it done in 4-6 weeks.
Dr. Ritu Chandra, Amanda Uzzell, Amber Wilbourn, and Benita Tonti accepted the award on the clinic’s behalf.

The National Association for Rural Mental Health established the Rural Arts Award in 2007 to honor the life-long contributions of Peter G. (Pete) Beeson to both rural mental health and the rural arts. Pete is recognized within the association for his masterful writing about rural life and his beautiful photography both of which have graced the pages of many NARMH publications.
This year’s award winner is the Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center. It is a non-profit gallery and cultural arts center featuring the works of over 400 artists and craftsmen from across Alabama’s Black Belt region. In addition to the Gallery, the Center offers art classes and workshops for youth and adults, artist demonstrations, in-school arts enrichment through its Black Belt Teaching Artist Program, along with heritage arts lectures and events.
Sulynn Creswell and Kristin Law are accepted the award on the center’s behalf.
