At the Education Directorate Advocacy Breakfast during APA's 2005 Annual Convention, APA Board of Educational Affairs Chair Cindy I. Carlson, PhD, presented a special award to Assistant Surgeon General Rear Adm. Donald L. Weaver, MD, deputy administrator for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care. Weaver received the honor for his efforts to bring mental and behavioral health services to poor rural and urban areas--in particular by ensuring that psychologists and other mental health professionals work alongside physicians in federally funded health centers.

"Don Weaver had the wisdom and courage to promote the integration of mental and behavioral health services into health care for underserved communities," Carlson said.

Weaver spoke about the need for integrating mental and behavioral health professionals into federal programs for underserved populations, including the National Health Service Corps and the Federally Qualified Health Centers. He noted that vacancies exist in both programs for psychologists and that more information can be found at http://bphc.hrsa.gov.

Weaver also recognized the role of APA's Education Directorate in promoting the inclusion of mental and behavioral health professionals in federal programs designed to provide health care in needy communities, and he thanked APA staff for the funding secured from Congress that enabled HRSA to conduct meetings in 26 states to address mental and behavioral health services.