6th Central Texas African American Family
Support Conference
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Richard E. Hopkins “Torch” Awards:
Established in honor of Richard E. Hopkins
The Richard E. Hopkins Torch Awards were established in 2006
to acknowledge individuals in our community who have significantly
improved the lives of persons affected by mental health or
other health related issues within the Central Texas community.
The “Torch” Awards will be presented annually
at the Central Texas African American Family Support Conference
in four categories: Consumer, Family Member, Professional
and Community Leader.
The Central Texas African American Family Support Conference
(CTAAFSC) is hosted by Austin Travis County Mental Health
Mental Retardation Center (Center) and sponsored by community
partners from the public and private sectors. The purpose
of the conference is to provide education and information
to consumers, families and the community about mental health
and developmental disabilities/mental retardation, chemical
dependence, co-occurring disorders, and physical health issues.
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The ultimate goal of the conference is to increase individual and
family awareness of available behavioral and physical healthcare
services, reduce stigma, and eliminate health disparities. The CTAAFSC
targets the African American community but embraces all community
members regardless of race or ethnicity, and conference participation
at all levels has been across racial and ethnic lines.
A Center Trustee since 1993, Richard E. Hopkins has been a strong
and visionary supporter of this conference since it began in 2000.
His professional background of over 28 years in the field of Human
Services, includes Vocational Evaluator with the Royal Maid Workshop
for the Blind in Hazelhurst, Mississippi; Vocational Rehabilitation
Counselor, Disability Examiner, Regional Program Specialist and
Director of Programs with the legacy agency--the Texas Rehabilitation
Commission, currently the Division for Rehabilitation Services under
the State Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services--where
he serves as the Program Specialist for Assistive Technology.
Mr. Hopkins earned his B.S. degree from Tougaloo College, Tougaloo,
Mississippi and his M.Ed. from Jackson State University, Jackson,
Mississippi. Mr. Hopkins is married to Diane M. Hopkins an Executive
Project Manager at IBM. They have one son Christopher a student
at the University of Houston. Mr. Hopkins has been invaluable to
the Center in spearheading both the conference and numerous other
endeavors. Mr. Hopkins has served as Vice-Chairman and on the Executive
Committee of the Center’s Board of Trustees since 1994 and
is Chairman of the Human Resources Committee. He is an active member
of the Austin Capital City Lions Club and serves on the following
boards; Knowbility, Project Mend, The Texas Council of Community
MHMR Centers, Inc., Austin Outreach and Community Services, Inc.,
Austin Sickle Cell Anemia and is a member of the Texas Technology
Access Program Advisory Council. He is an Active Member of the Agape
Baptist Church where he serves as Chairman on the Deacons Board.
Mr. Hopkins has volunteered as a missionary for the past four years
in Honduras on the various Medical Missions through St. Francis
Episcopal Church, Temple, Texas.
2006 Recipients
Consumer Category –
Sam C. Higgins, Jr.
Sam Higgins has demonstrated his leadership as a consumer
in a number of ways. He is the Vice Chair of the Austin Travis
County MHMR (ATCMHMR) Consumer Council, and serves as a role
model for other mental health consumers. In addition, he has
participated in a number of ATCMHMR and community activities
to support education and advocacy, including focus groups
and seminars on mental illness.
In September 2005, Mr. Higgins provided a testimonial as
part of the New Milestones Foundation’s fundraising
event. He provided an eloquent description of his own struggle
with mental illness and how he is managing his illness and
moving forward.
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He is also active in the faith community, and will be assisting
his church in providing outreach and education about mental
illness. Mr. Higgins is truly keeping the “flame burning”
by being a role model and using his experience and wisdom to
help others. |
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Family Member Category
- Brenda Coleman-Beattie
Brenda Coleman-Beattie is the past president of the
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Austin, an organization
that she helped greatly expand during her tenure. Ms. Coleman-Beattie
says that her sister’s experiences as a mental health
consumer led her to become involved in the field.
In addition to her work with NAMI, she was appointed by Governor
Perry to the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities
and serves on the Mental Health Policy Network of the John
D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as well as the School
of Social Work Advisory Council at the University of Texas
at Austin.
A graduate of Leadership Texas and a recipient of the Exemplary
Leadership and Financial Management Award from the ComCare
Board of Directors in Seattle, Ms. Coleman-Beattie is perhaps
best known to ATCMHMR staff and volunteers for the impeccable
style with which she emcees the Central Texas African American
Family Support Conference each year.
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A skilled financial manager and strategic planner, Ms. Coleman-Beattie
has built a highly successful corporate career working in
a broad array of public and private venues. She has held prestigious
positions in Phoenix, Seattle, and Austin, where she rose
through the ranks at Lower Colorado River Authority to the
position of Assistant Chief Operating Officer and Assistant
to the Deputy General Manager. Currently, the principal of
2Thrive4 LLC, she is a strategy consultant who helps individuals
and organizations to thrive and succeed.
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Professional Category
- Mary Lou Adams
Mary Lou Adams has long been an advocate for healthcare
and preventive healthcare for low-income persons. She received
her Masters, a Nurse Practitioner’s Degree and a PH.D.
from The University of Texas before joining the faculty.
In her position as associate professor and project director
at The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, Dr.
Adams has served as a role model for hundreds of young men
and women who see entering the health professions as a vehicle
to promoting the common good. She specializes in helping low-income
women access screening, prevention and treatment for breast
cancer. The model she designed to help African American women
access screenings for breast cancer has become a national
model.
Additionally, Dr. Adams has served on many community boards
and is an outstanding volunteer having devoted hundreds of
hours to a broad spectrum of community causes including the
Urban League, Planned Parenthood, and the Links. |
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Community Leader Category
– Rev. Mike Manor Rev. Mike Manor is a life
resident of Austin, Texas. He is an Associate Minister at
Mount Zion Baptist Church. He is the overseer of all of the
community ministries at the Mount Zion Action & Resource
Center (Mt. Z.A.R.C.).
Rev. Manor has worked for years in the Mental Health and
Developmental Disability Fields. His work experience includes
directorship positions with the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation, the Austin Travis County Mental
Health Mental Retardation Center and the Austin Travis County
Health and Human Service Department. He is an excellent resource
for the church and community, and because of his untiring
efforts many individuals and families have been helped.
Rev. Manor has served on many community boards and is currently
on the board of the Austin Area Interreligious Ministries
(A.A.I.M.). He is continually promoting health, mental health
and developmental disability activities within the Austin
and Travis County community.
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