Austin, Texas — Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association, has been honored with the Society of Biological Psychiatry’s Humanitarian Award in recognition of his exceptional contributions to advancing mental health care and advocating for those with mental illness.
An organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of biological mechanisms and treatment of psychiatric disorders, the society bestows this award annually to recognize individuals who have demonstrated service and advocacy for mental illness. Previous recipients have included former CBS News Correspondent Mike Wallace and former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I. The award was presented to Evans at the society’s annual meeting May 10 in Austin.
Evans was recognized for the work he has done throughout his career to help the nation rethink its approach to mental health.
“In his vision, a population health framework would improve mental health care by reconceptualizing who can provide and receive help, identifying opportunities to intervene at the earliest moments of psychological distress, and not limiting interventions only to those with a formal diagnosis,” said the nomination letter for his award. “Evans advocates for a national re-thinking of when and where people can get help, reaching people earlier in the development of mental health challenges by working further upstream to prevent unnecessary suffering. This includes designing health-promoting environments and embedding mental health supports and services into the settings where people live, work, learn, play and worship.”
Throughout his career, Evans has advocated for health equity, leading a range of initiatives aimed at expanding the paradigm for mental health in the United States. Under his leadership, APA has spearheaded efforts to increase access to services via telepsychology—especially in rural communities—to promote research that better addresses social determinants of health, to confront systemic and structural bias within the field of psychology and ensure that all people—particularly those at the margins of society—have the greatest opportunity to achieve health and wellness.
“For me, the rewarding part of my career comes with the knowledge that my work can improve people’s lives,” Evans said. “I love being a psychologist and knowing that we can use psychological science and knowledge to make our society a better and healthier place. This is what energizes me to continue pushing for positive change—today and in the days ahead.”