Mario Hernandez, PhD, a professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies, received the National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA) Lifetime Achievement Award during the organization’s annual conference.
“NLBHA honors the leadership of Dr. Mario Hernandez for his years of professional services to our nation and the Latino community. Dr. Hernandez played a significant role in helping shape the governance and policy direction for NLBHA while he was president of the board. He continued to support our mission throughout the years, and we are honored to present him with a NLBHA Lifetime Achievement Award,” Executive Director Fredrick Sandoval said.
The NLBHA is an organization that promotes a unified national voice for Latino populations in the behavioral health arena and raises awareness of the disparities that exist in areas of access, utilization, practice-based research, and adequately trained personnel. The conference highlighted the latest and most relevant data around prevention, treatment, recovery, policy, and research focusing on the Hispanic and Latino communities.
Hernandez expressed his appreciation for receiving the award.
“As a first-generation college graduate from a family of immigrants, I am humbled and want to acknowledge my parents who, to better the lives of their children, were drawn to work in the cigar factories in Ybor City, Florida," Hernandez said. "I believe it is not only the great things that great leaders do but also the many great small things that any of us can do every day that adds up to make our communities better."
Hernandez will be named board member emeritus during NLBHA’s October 2022 board meeting on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.