Mental illness is biologically based.
Mental illness can be treated.
Lives can be restored.

Past Awards

Awards Presented by NAMI-WCI

The Cecilia Weber Advocacy Awards

The Weber Award is presented by NAMI-WCI annually to the individual or individuals who have, through their community efforts, significantly improved the life circumstances of the seriously mentally ill and their families. NAMI-WCI presented awards to two recipients this year at our Annual Banquet on November 2, 2006.

Judge Donald C. Johnson Recipient of Weber Award 2006

NAMI-WCI recognizes the work of Judge Donald C. Johnson with the Forensic Diversion Program to bring modern treatment and support to the mentally ill who without his intervention stood very little prospect of recovering their lives.

Patsy Hoyer Recipient of Weber Award 2006

NAMI-WCI recognizes the work of Patsy Hoyer to develop modern mental health treatment modalities and resources to serve the many children in our community who currently have only limited access to such services.

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The Chico Hatke - Crisis Intervention Officer of the Year Award

NAMI-WCI presents the Crisis Intervention Team Officer, annually, who has shown outstanding skill and dedication in assisting members of our community who are in psychiatric crisis. The award was presented at the Annual Banquet on November 2, 2006.

Officer T. Perry Amos
Recipient of Chico Hatke Award 2006

On the south side of Lafayette a woman is reported to be talking on the telephone and waving an axe in the air. Officers arrive. She explained that she is a "Performance Artist" performing for her audience. When officers mention that there is no audience, she says that she can see things that others cannot see. The air speaks to her and that she can see emotions in the air all around her. Doctors, in the past, had told her that she was crazy.

She said that she was waving the axe to get the attention of her boyfriend who was around everywhere. Her boyfriend was God and he had helped write the bible. She said that when she upset her boyfriend, since he was God, he would make bad things happen. Everyone was against her except her boyfriend.

When asked if she would be willing to seek help, she said that she did not need any help and would fight if the officers approached her. After a brief tussle, the woman was handcuffed. The officers executed a twenty-four hour Emergency Detention Order. She was transported to Wabash Valley Hospital. Her parents were notified and told where she was and that she was safe.

This is only one of scores of such calls to which Officer Perry Amos has responded since he became a CIT Officer in 2004. Officer Perry Amos has been with the Lafayette Police Department for sixteen years. He is also a school resource office with the Lafayette School Corporation. He is married and has 4 children.

Thank you Perry! Consumers, family members and all of us are in your debt.

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