Articles from prior issues of The Advocate

March/April 2000

2000 Awards Criteria Announced
by Glenda Croom, NADE Awards Chair

DOES YOUR CHAPTER EVER FEEL left out when the national awards are presented at the annual NADE conference? Well, NOW is the time to take action to solve that problem! A NADE member/chapter cannot be recognized with an award without first being nominated. The nomination forms and criteria will be sent out to all chapter Presidents in the CCP March mailout. Please note that the nominees for the Earl Thomas Award need only be a DDS administrator for three years instead of five as it has been in the past. Also, there is a new award entitled the "Rookie of the Year" recognizing the contributions of a disability professional who has been a member of NADE for less than two years.

Nominating procedures include: Each chapter is responsible for selecting and nominating their own members on the approved forms Nominations must be submitted by July 1, 2000 to the National Awards Chair The nomination form should be typed and should explain in detail how the nominee exemplifies the specific criteria of each award. A one page typed attachment is permissible if needed. Please do not refer to the member or chapter by name in the nomination.

All nominations, as well as ballots, will be submitted to the Awards committee members (one from each region) by the Awards Chair. The results will be announced at the Awards luncheon at the NADE conference in Puerto Rico.

Nominations MUST be received by July 1, 2000. Send the nominations to: Glenda Croom c/o TADE PO Box 685011 Austin, Texas 78768-5011 512.437.8592 Fax 512.437.8900 President's Award THIS AWARD IS TO BE given annually and presented by the NADE President in recognition of an outstanding Chapter. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) Any organized NADE Chapter which has demonstrated outstanding achievement by innovation of programs for improving medical and other professional community relationships. Such activities as panel presentations, speeches, publication of bulletins, newsletters, circulars or other efforts to improve the quality of medical reporting or reporting of vocational assessments or the use of other professional information which can be utilized for the factual and effective documentation of disability determinations. (b) Any chapter activities which have enhanced working relationships among its professional communities.

The Charles O. Blalock Award THE CHARLES O. BLALOCK AWARD is a service award to be presented annually and on a continuing basis in the name of the founder of NADE. It is made in recognition of an individual who has made extended efforts and major contributions toward the organizational advancement of NADE. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) The recipient may be any professional member of the National Association of Disability Examiners who is employed either full or part-time. (b) The recipient shall have provided outstanding leadership in the development and substantial expansion of his/her State Chapter, Regional, and/or the National organization. (c) The recipient shall have shown consistent efforts over a period of at least three years toward the organizational advancement of NADE. (d) The recipient may be a Committee Chairperson, a National Board Member, a Chapter President or any Member who has promoted the advancement of NADE to an outstanding degree.

The NADE Award THIS AWARD IS TO HONOR and recognize the disability professional of the year who has made outstanding contributions not only to the service of the claimant in accordance with his/her expertise but has contributed substantially of his/her time and talent to promote harmonious and more effective working relationships among his/her immediate professional community. The award shall be presented annually at the National Conference. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) Anyone who is professionally identified as a disability professional, employed full or part-time. (b) Any NADE member engaged as a professional in any capacity, i.e., Medical Consultant, Adjudicator, Vocational Evalua- tion Consultant, Supervisor, etc. (c) Anyone who has consistently shown outstanding achievement by the use of initiative and humanitarian efforts and ability to effectively assist in the Social Security disability process.

The John Gordon Award THIS AWARD IS PRESENTED IN the name of John R. Gordon and is made to honor and recognize superior performance of a supervisor. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) Any supervisor who is professionally identified as a NADE member. (b) Any supervisor who by his/her initiative and resourcefulness promotes cohesiveness in his/her work group. (c) Any supervisor who provides further incentive for personal growth and professionalism among the individuals he/she supervises. (d) Any supervisor who acts in his/her executive capacity in the promotion and maintenance of morale. (e) Any supervisor who exceeds the requirements of his/her role in facilitating the work loads of his/her Agency.

Lewis Buckingham Award THIS PROFESSIONAL AWARD IS TO honor and recognize a leader of the National Association of Disability Examiners at either the Regional or National level. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) This person must consistently have shown outstanding achievement by the use of initiative and humanitarian efforts to further advance the professionalism and goals of the National Association of Disability Examiners. (b) The recipient must have contributed at least ten (10) years of continuous service to the organization. (c) The recipient should have held national office.

Director’s Award THIS AWARD IS TO HONOR and recognize an outstanding member of the support staff who demonstrates work performance efficiency and characteristics which contribute to the efficient operation of the unit and the morale of coworkers. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) Any clerical or paraprofessional employee who is employed either full or part-time and is a member of NADE. (b) The recipient must have shown outstanding leadership and work performance among his/her peer group.

The Earl B. Thomas Award THIS AWARD IS TO BE presented annually on a continuing basis in the name of a charter member of NADE totally committed to and actively supportive of all for which it stands. It is made in recognition of an administrator of a disability agency for constant contributions to the Social Security disability program that far exceed the responsibility of the position and who is actively supportive of the advancement of the National Association of Disability Examiners. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) The recipient must be a member of NADE. (b) The recipient must be the administrator of a State or Federal agency or be the top administrator of a Regional or Satellite DDS and have been so for *three years. *(Previously five years - Change enacted by the NADE Board, October 1999). (c) The recipient must have contributed significantly to the program in ways consistent with the policies of NADE, beyond the normal administrative duties of his/her position. (d) The recipient must be an active supporter of NADE.

The Frank Barclay Award THIS AWARD IS PRESENTED ANNUALLY in recognition of an individual who has shown exceptional ability to motivate and challenge or to develop or promote programs which motivate and challenge others toward personal and professional growth/human resource development. Criteria for Eligibility: (a) The recipient must be a member of NADE. (b) The recipient must be assigned to job duties specifically directed toward human resource development and perform these duties on a substantial but not necessarily full-time basis. Examples of potential nominees include, but are not limited to, a training officer, a Quality Circle facilitator or an administrator of personnel programs. (c) The recipient must have notable accomplishments in the area of human resource development, consistent with policies and objectives of our professional organization.

The Rookie of the Year Award (This is a new award which was approved by the NADE Board, October 1999). THIS AWARD IS TO BE given annually to honor and recognize a disability professional who has made a significant contribution on a local, regional, and/or national level to the National Association of Disability Examiners. Criteria for eligibility: (a) The recipient must have been a member of NADE for less than two years (regardless of the number of years of service in a DDS). (b) The recipient must have made a significant contribution to their local, regional, and/or national level of NADE.