Articles from prior issues of The Advocate

March/April 2001

Criteria Changes For 2001 NADE Award Nominations
by Ruth Trent, Awards Chair

NOW IS THE TIME FOR NADE members to acknowledge the accomplishments of other NADE members through the NADE Awards. The nominating procedures and descriptions of Awards for 2001 are outlined below. The Awards Committee is looking forward to your nominations.

There have been a few changes made in the Awards Criteria. One change is that each chapter is limited to one nomination per award. Another change involves the Lewis Buckingham Award. The criteria now states, “recipient should have served on the National Board of Directors”, instead of, “recipient should have held national office”. The criteria for Rookie of the Year has also changed. The recipient of this award must be a member of NADE for less than two years at the time of nomination (July 1).

NOMINATING PROCEDURES

1) Each chapter is responsible for selecting and nominating their own members on the approved forms (available through your chapter president).

2) Nominations must be submitted by July 1, 2001 to the National Awards Chair.

3) The nomination form should be typed and should explain in detail how the nominee exemplifies the specific criteria of each award.

4) A one page typed attachment is permissible if needed.

5) Please do not refer to the member or chapter by name in the nomination.

6) Each chapter is limited to one nomination per award.

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 Austin, Texas.

Nominations must be received by July 1, 2001. Please send nominations to:

Ruth Trent
C/O KADE
PO Box 1000
Frankfort, Kentucky 40602

or FAX to: (800) 564-5083 Attn: Ruth Trent

If you have other questions, please call Ruth Trent at (502) 564-8050, ext. 4176.

NADE AWARDS CRITERIA

The PRESIDENT’S 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 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 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 Evaluation 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 is presented in the name of John R. Gordon to a supervisor in the disability program and is designed to honor and recognize superior performance in a supervisory capacity.

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 workloads of his/her Agency.

The LEWIS BUCKINGHAM AWARD is a professional award 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 served on the National Board of Directors.

The DIRECTOR’S 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 is to be presented annually in the name of a charter member of NADE who was actively supportive of NADE as an association of disability professionals.

Criteria for Eligibility:

(a) The recipient must be a member and active supporter 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.

(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.

The FRANK BARCLAY AWARD is presented annually in recognition of an individual who has demonstrated exceptional ability to motivate and challenge or to develop or promote programs which motivate and challenge personnel in a disability program and/or develop programs designed to motivate/challenge such personnel in personal and professional growth through human resource development.

Criteria for Eligibility:

(a) The recipient must be a member of NADE.

(b) The recipient must be assigned to job duties on a full or part-time basis. Examples of potential nominees include, but are not limited to, training officers, civil rights office employees, human resource management personnel, etc.

(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 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, at the time of nomination (July1), 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.