Community Health Law Project names honorees

The Community Health Law Project (CHLP) has named the 32nd Annual Ann Klein Advocate Awards and 2019 Michael D. Lione Accessibility Award Honorees to be presented on Thursday, Oct. 24 at The Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange.

The Ann Klein Advocate Awards was created in 1988 to honor Ann Klein, former Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services, who was instrumental in establishing a community-based system of care for people with mental and physical disabilities. The award recognizes honorees for the outstanding contributions they have made in improving the lives of people living with disabilities. The 2019 honorees are Phillip Lubitz, MSW, Associate Director, NAMI New Jersey, The National Alliance on Mental Illness; The Miracle Project, Mayo Performing Arts Center; Gina M. Plotino, Vice President, Programs & Operations, Bergen County's United Way, President, GMP Consulting, Inc.; Rabbi Dr. Francine Reibman, Co-founder & Co-chair Children's Emergency Medical Fund of New Jersey; Peter Scerbo, Executive Director, (Retired) CBHCare, Inc.

The Michael D. Lione Accessibility Award was established in 2013 in memory of long time Community Health Law Project Board Member and former chair Michael D. Lione. This award is presented to an individual or entity that has performed exemplary work as an advocate for accessibility on behalf of persons living with disabilities. The 2019 recipient is Michael R. Dribbon, PhD, Vice President of Business Development & Chief Innovation & Research Officer, Children's Specialized Hospital & Center for Discovery, Innovation & Development.

In addition, this year the Community Health Law Project will be giving Special Recognition Awards to David Lazarus, retired director of litigation and David Popiel, retired senior managing attorney for their more than three decades of policy, litigation, legislation successes on behalf of persons living with disabilities.

The Community Health Law Project's student intern program and other advocacy initiatives are supported through this annual awards event. The awards reception and presentation will take place at The Wilshire Grand, West Orange, NJ, at 6 P.M. on Thursday, October 24, 2019.