Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Santa Fean Named 2008 National "Behavioral Health Champion"


Carol Luna-Anderson Recognized for Community Behavioral Health Care

SANTA FE - Carol Luna-Anderson, PhD, LPCC, the Executive Director of
The Life Link in Santa Fe, was one of five people nationwide honored
by the National Council for Community Behavioral Health Care.

The Behavioral Health Champions of 2008 were featured in the December
2008 Magazine Behavioral Healthcare who has sponsored the award since
2005 to recognize the difficult and challenging work managers in the
behavioral health field do.

"I believe we are drawn to things that have touched our lives and
perhaps influenced us into becoming who we are," said Luna-Anderson.
"My childhood story includes my family having psychiatric
disabilities, alcoholism, divorce and a dependence on others to help
us eat. But it also included strength, an ability to overcome,
encouragement, and stubbornness to succeed."

The NM Human Services Dept's Behavioral Health Services Division
(BHSD) and the NM BH Collaborative worked to nominate Luna-Anderson
for the award. "We are so excited that Carol won this award; she has
done great work for people living in Northern New Mexico receiving
mental health and substance abuse treatment and needed transitional
or permanent housing," said Harrison Kinney, BHSD deputy director.

As the Executive Director of Life Link, Luna-Anderson serves Santa Fe
and five counties in Northern New Mexico. They provide transitional
and permanent housing with home-based comprehensive community
services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, homeless
services (women with children, people with psychiatric disabilities).
Life Link has a staff of 54.

"Serving as the top executive of a behavioral healthcare organization
takes a lot of hard work, attention to detail, commitment and
courage," said the editors of Behavioral Healthcare about the 2008
awardees.

Behavioral Healthcare Magazine reaches 28,361 professionals in mental
healthcare, substance use treatment, and related fields. Their
website is at www.behavioral.net

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