Award Nomination Form

This award will be given to an AMERSA member who is at an early stage in his/her career, has made significant contributions to substance use education and/or research, and has demonstrated the potential for future achievements in the field. The recipient must have completed a doctoral level degree, and is eligible for nomination within seven years of completing that training or a post-degree advanced training program (e.g. clinical or research fellowship) in any health discipline. An exception to the timing of training will be made in order to consider an investigator/educator who is at a later career stage, yet new to the substance use field and meets the other award criteria. The award includes conference registration and a commemorative plaque.

Nominations are welcome from all AMERSA members and should include the individual’s previous substance use education and research activity and his or her potential for future contributions and achievements in the field, and the nominee’s CV.

Nomination Letter (500 Word Max.)

The Betty Ford Award is given to an individual who has had a significant impact on the field of alcohol and substance use, particularly with regards to women’s issues, substance use education and recovery. Nominations are welcome from AMERSA members and should consist of a nomination letter (to be completed electronically in the space below) as to why this individual should be considered for the award, and the nominee’s CV. The Betty Ford Award winner is required to deliver a plenary talk at the annual conference. The award includes conference registration and a commemorative plaque.

First Lady Mrs. Betty Ford attended and presented at the 1985 AMERSA conference. As described by David Lewis and Sid Schnoll in their 2018 commentary on AMERSA’s 40th anniversary, Mrs. Ford reflected candidly on how her personal physician addressed her alcohol use. She was quoted as saying, “I now believe, he chose to be uninformed about chemical dependency; who did not want to know about the addictive properties of the prescriptions that he had handed out; and chose to ignore the impact my alcohol use was having in combination with the pills I was taking.”¹

Learning that AMERSA was in financial straits and impressed with the “ME” in AMERSA – medical education, now multidisciplinary education – Mrs. Ford contributed $10,000 from the royalties of her new autobiography to support AMERSA. That milestone in the organization’s history is commemorated by the Betty Ford Award and plenary at the annual conference.

¹Lewis, D., & Schnoll, S. H. (2018). Commentary on the 40th anniversary of AMERSA: AMERSA at 40: How it all began and how it survived. Substance Abuse, 39(2), 134-138.

Nomination Letter (500 Word Max.)

Given to an individual who has made important contributions to substance use education and research. Nominations are welcome from AMERSA members and should consist of a nomination letter (to be completed electronically in the space below) as to why this individual should be considered for the award, and the nominee’s CV.

*The John P. McGovern Award winner will be required to deliver a plenary talk. The award includes a $500 honoraria, conference registration and a commemorative plaque.

Nomination Letter (500 Word Max.)

The David C. Lewis, MD AMERSA Service Award was established in 2017 to honor Dr. Lewis’ tremendous contributions to the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse. The Award symbolizes the highest level of service to the association. This award will be given to an AMERSA member for outstanding service to AMERSA and its mission to improve health and well-being through interdisciplinary leadership in substance use education, research, clinical care and policy.

Nominations are welcome from AMERSA members and should consist of a nomination letter (to be completed electronically in the space below) as to why this individual should be considered for the award, and the nominee’s CV. The award includes conference registration and a commemorative plaque.

Nomination Letter (500 Word Max.)