Description

Outstanding Service Award
The CSH Section Outstanding Service Award is presented to two psychologists annually who have made a significant impact in a community or state hospital setting. One awardee each year is a graduate student or early career psychologist. Outstanding service must be demonstrated in a community or state hospital and can be in any of the following areas:

• Clinical intervention
• Assessment
• Research and program evaluation
• Training and supervision
• Program development
• Consultation
• Leadership
• Advocacy

We are particularly interested in the nomination of individuals who have made a significant impact in a community and state hospital setting, such as through the development and implementation of novel programs, contributing to culture change through training of staff, research that benefits patients and/or staff in meaningful ways, and exemplary service to underserved populations.

Awardees will receive a certificate and $500. Awardees will also be featured in the Division 18 newsletter and on our section’s website.

Eligibility

Candidates may be self-nominated or nominated by another professional or student.
The candidate’s outstanding service must have been/must be demonstrated in a community or state hospital setting.

How to Apply

If you are nominating someone else, please submit the following materials no later than June 1, 2025 to the CSH Section Chair at csh@publicservicepsych.org:

• Nomination letter, including a description of the way in which the nominee has impacted their practicum/work setting and the people they serve and why you think this individual should be recognized for their achievement
• The nominee’s up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV)

If you are self-nominating, please submit the following materials no later than June 1, 2025 to the CSH Section Chair at csh@publicservicepsych.org:

• Nomination letter, including a description of the way in which you have impacted the practicum/work setting and the people you serve and why you believe you should be recognized for your achievement
• Up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV)
• One (1) recommendation letter

Past Recipients

2024
Brittany Penson, Ph.D. (2024 Early Career awardee)
Brittany Penson has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment as an early career psychologist at Georgia Regional Hospital Atlanta (GRHA), where she is an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Penson has played a pivotal role in integrating diversity and individual differences into hospital practices and intern training, and was noted to be a fierce advocate for her patients’ individual needs.

Talee Vang, Psy.D. (2024 awardee)
Talee Vang leads the Hennepin Healthcare’s Healthy Equity Program and is the Co-Chair of Minnesota’s Culturally Informed and Culturally Responsive Mental Health Task Force. Her extensive accomplishments include designing a multiyear educational framework to address crucial issues like anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ care, and socioeconomic disparities. Her programs are described as “catalysts for systemic change, fostering a healthcare environment that prioritizes safety, quality, and equity, integral to overall operational improvement.”