Conference Awards

FMHAC honors three individuals each year for excellent work in the field of forensic mental health with the William T. Rossiter award for global contributions, the Christine M. West award for work in the field and the John T. Philipsborn award for legal excellence.

Award Nomination Application

William T. Rossiter Award

William Rossiter III spent many dedicated years in the field of Forensic Mental Health before his death in early 1988. Among his many accomplishments, he worked as a forensic consultant to the DMH; helped develop the Conditional Release Program; and served as President of the Forensic Mental Health Association of California. In addition, he demonstrated particular commitment and donated much energy in non-forensic areas, facilitating the organization of services to those under represented and in need.

The Rossiter Award is the highest award the FMHAC bestows. With this award we honor an individual who has made, over a period of time, an exceptional global conribution to the field of Forensic Mental Health. The contribution should encompass a body of on-going and varied work such as clinical program development; administration; facilitating legislative changes and/or education. It must occur in state hospital, juvenile, community Forensic Mental Health or jail/prison settings.

1985 Roger Schock, MD
1986 Donald T. Lee, MCSW, ACSW
1987 Richard P. Mandella
1988 Pamela Craig, RN
1989 Roger J. Wiere, PhD
1990 William E. Reid
1991 Grant J. Ute, LCSW and Elsie Go Lu, PhD
1992 Christine M. West, LCSW
1993 Captane P. Thomson, MD
1994 Diane C. Serber, LCSW
1995 Arthur J. Paull, LCSW
1996 Craig S. Nelson, PhD
1997 Janet J. Kohler, MPA, LCSW
1998 E. Eugene Kunzman, MD
1999 J. Reid Meloy, PhD
2000 Mark Wiederanders, PhD
2001 Phil Erdberg, PhD
2002 The Honorable Harold E. Shabo
2003 David Meyer, JD
2004 Emily Keram, MD

2005 Rusty Selix, JD, and Darrell Steinberg, JD
2006 Barry Perrou, PsyD
2007 California State Sheriff's Association
2008 Janice Marques, PhD
2009 Terry Kupers, MD, MSP
2010 Honorable Judge Stephen Manley
2011 Stephen Mayberg, PhD
2012 Elizabeth Loftus, PhD
2013 -----
2014 Kit Wall & Elaine Linn and Charles Scott, MD
2015 California Judicial Council
2016 Jennifer Skeem, PhD
2017 Edward Latessa, PhD
2018 Chief Probation Officer Mack Jenkins
2019 District Attorney Jackie Lacey
2020 Terri McDonald
2021 Jo Robinson
2022 Leon Evans
2023 Alan Abrams, MD, PhD
2024 Robert Horon, PhD

Christine M. West Award

Christine M. West was Director of San Francisco Jail Psychiatric Services for eight years and established Forensic Health Care. Her dedication to the organization included an enormous investment of energy in the FMHAC including service as the board treasure. Ms. West spoke nationally about Jail Forensic Mental Health. She passed away in late 1991.

The West Award recognizes contributions in the field of Forensic Mental Health. Person, collaborations, a department, or an agency may be nominated for significant individual contributions in areas such as Forensic Mental Health education, clinical treatment, research or program development.

1993 Robert E. Baldwin, MSSW, and Raul Espinosa, Jr., MHA
1994 Georgette DeBorde, LCSW, and Alisa M. Dunn, LCSW
1995 Timothy P. Meehan, LCSW
1996 Grenda Ernst, LCSW
1997 Melvin E. Hunter, MPA, JD, and Mitchell E. Marquez, LCSW
1998 Carla M. Jacobs and Douglas R. Korpi, PhD
1999 Patricia Butler, RN, and Burt Rein, PhD
2000 Bradford Smith, LCSW, and Jay Adams, PhD
2001 Rolf LaMar, LCSW
2002 Ben Auerbach, MA
2003 Ray Beland, LCSW
2004 Gilbert Abdalian, MFT
2005 Kevin Smith, LCSW
2006 Richard Hayward, PhD
2007 Louis Hodnett, MSW, and Wanda Killion, LCSW
2008 Lynda Frost

2009 Joel Fay, PsyD
2010 Jo Robinson, MFT
2011 Douglas Taylor Smith, LCSW
2012 Candace Kunz-Tao, MFT
2013 Millie Swafford, LCSW, and Kenneth Carabello, MSW
2014 Heather Bowlds, PsyD, and David Polak, LCSW
2015 John Philipsborn, JD
2016 LAPD/LACDMH Mental Evaluation Unit
2017 Chief Robert Ochs, LCSW
2018 Honorable Judge Garrett L. Wong
2018 Mark A. Refowitz
2019 Sheriff Bill Brown
2020 Neil Besse, JD
2021 Victoria Simon, PhD, MFT
2022 Katherine Warburton, DO
2023 Michelle Nunez Arteaga, LCSW
2024 Samuel Leach

John T. Philipsborn Award

The John T. Philipsborn Award recognizes contributions in the Legal Field related to mental health. Person[s], Collaborators, Department[s], or Agency may be nominated for significant contributions in areas such as legal education, the practice of law, treatment advocacy, innovations and legislation related to Mental Health Issues impacting criminal cases, criminal courts or court programs. This may include issues impacting pretrial, trial, collaborative courts, diversion programs, or other alternatives to incarceration.

2024 John T. Philipsborn