Adelphi Holds First Health Innovation Awards

Adelphi University’s Center for Health Innovation recognized the efforts of individuals and organizations to our region’s healthcare in its first-ever Health Innovation Awards on November 29, 2017.

Awards honored the remarkable contributions to innovation in the healthcare field made by individuals and organizations in the community. The well attended ceremony acknowledged both winners and nominees in four categories: Health Literacy and Health Education, Public Health Preparedness, Health Care Delivery Systems and Community-Engaged Arts and Health. A special award was presented to Patrick R. Coonan, Ed.D., recognizing him as founder and chief innovation officer of the Center for Health Innovation.

Public Health Preparedness: Thomas P. Demaria, Ph.D., Long Island University Trauma Response Team

Dr. Demaria has devoted his career to helping youth recover from trauma and crisis. An adjunct professor teaching in the Long Island University Post (LIU Post) clinical psychology doctoral program, he is also a trauma division American Psychological Association fellow, Psychological Services Center of the Doctoral Psychology Program director at LIU Post and founder of the Graduate Student Trauma Response Team. Dr. Demaria also currently serves on the professional advisory board for the National Center for School Crisis & Bereavement and is involved in web-based training initiatives for the National Coalition to Support Grieving Students. He has received multiple awards for leading hundreds of community disaster counseling responses and has written multiple publications on how to psychologically support youth and children during disasters. Dr. Demaria received his Ph.D. in Clinical/School Psychology from Hofstra University in 1986 and has been a New York State licensed Psychologist since 1987.

Health Literacy & Education: The Prevention Collaborative

The Prevention Collaborative is an interdisciplinary, interorganizational consortium of community members, community-based organizations, clinicians, health educators, multimedia content developers and academic researchers. Founded by Christel Hyden, Ed.D., (Harlem Health Promotion Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine), Rafael E. Perez-Figueroa, M.D., (Columbia University) and Anthony Santella, Ph.D., (Hofstra University), the organization expands upon HIV prevention initiatives both locally and nationally by focusing on the design, implementation and evaluation of targeted health education materials using both innovative technologies and a community based participatory approach.

Community-Engaged Arts and Health: Rockville Centre Youth Council, Inc.

Founded in 2009, the Rockville Centre Youth Council, Inc. (RVCYC), helps educate local teens to the dangers of substance use by organizing awareness campaigns, substance-free social events, community service opportunities and social action activities. Notable events include their Annual Substance Abuse Awareness Campaign through the Arts, Social Host Campaign and Sticker Shock Campaign.

Health Care Delivery Systems: Transgender Voice Program Adelphi University

Launched in the Spring semester of 2016 at Adelphi University, the Transgender Voice Group provides a safe and supportive setting for individuals in the transgender community who wish to modify their voices. Since its creation, the group has provided  services to at least 15 transgender clients in group and individual settings.