RISE24 Awards
RISE24 Awards
Each year at RISE, All Rise honors those extraordinary professionals who exemplify the ideals of the treatment court field. This year at RISE24, we bestowed the following awards:
- Stanley Goldstein Treatment Court Hall of Fame
- All Rise Ambassador Award
- Science Giant Award
- Juvenile and Family Treatment Court Leadership Award
- Impaired Driving Treatment Court Leadership Award
Stanley Goldstein Treatment Court Hall of Fame
Carol Venditto
This year’s award is a posthumous award for a pillar of the treatment court field whom we tragically lost last year. For 25 years, Carol Venditto dedicated her time, energy, and talent to assessing and responding to the needs of treatment courts, leaving an indelible mark on hundreds of programs and thousands of treatment court professionals.
Carol began her career in 1981 as a probation officer in her home state of New Jersey. In 1997, she led the effort to bring two grant-funded, pilot drug court programs to Union County; before becoming New Jersey’s first statewide drug court coordinator. As a result of her remarkable leadership, New Jersey became the first state to make these programs available in every county.
A fierce advocate for treatment and recovery, Carol was devoted to educating justice and treatment professionals. As faculty for All Rise, she helped develop and deliver curriculum across a variety of training initiatives, always with a profound respect for the research and a unique ability to transfer it to practice. Carol was a vital member of the initial standards committee and was instrumental in developing the second edition. Her input was detailed, robust, thoughtful, and constructive, and her voice can be found on nearly every page.
All Rise Ambassador Award
Kerry Washington
Actor, author, director, producer, and activist Kerry Washington has devoted her platform to telling vital stories of people involved in the justice system.
She is the executive producer of the upcoming Netflix documentary "Daughters," which follows four young girls as they prepare for a special daddy/daughter dance at the Washington, D.C. jail with their incarcerated fathers.
Last year, her show "Unprisoned" debuted on Hulu and is a comedy series about a returning citizen, the people who love him, and how they navigate life as a family. In the show, Ms. Washington's character Paige struggles to reconcile her relationship with her father who was incarcerated most of her life. It’s a stark reminder of the generational trauma caused by family separation, but it's also a rare portrayal of the reunification process following incarceration.
Ms. Washington is a supporter of treatment courts, those who work tirelessly in them, and those they serve.
All Rise Ambassador Award
Mary McCormack
Actor and author Mary McCormack is the co-author of the book What's Next: A Backstage Pass to The West Wing, Its Cast and Crew, and Its Enduring Legacy of Service. She has long been a steadfast supporter of All Rise and treatment courts, frequently offering her time and talent to ensure that treatment courts continue to receive public recognition.
Ms. McCormack has attended RISE on several occasions, participated in a Justice for Vets public service announcement, received the Justice for Vets Ambassador Award, and helped advocate for increased treatment court funding.
Her upcoming book, co-authored with her former "West Wing" cast member and All Rise Director of Strategic Engagement Melissa Fitzgerald, highlights treatment courts as a vital justice innovation.
Science Giant Award
Dr. David Mee-Lee
Dr. David Mee-Lee is a psychiatrist certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine who delivers expert training and consulting both nationally and internationally. From 1991 to 2013, Dr. Mee-Lee served as the editor-in-chief of the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s ASAM Criteria. His more than 40 years of experience in person-centered treatment and program development for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders eventually led him to collaborate with All Rise and to share his wisdom and insight with the treatment court field.
Over the past few years, Dr. Mee-Lee has become a both renowned and beloved speaker, presenter, and expert with a gift for communicating the research in a practical and accessible way,.
Juvenile and Family Treatment Court Leadership Award
Rockdale County Juvenile Court Bridge Program
Georgia's Rockdale Juvenile Court Bridge Program team continues to demonstrate tremendous leadership in evaluating and enhancing its program. They have implemented major components of the four-pronged approach to enhance their outcomes and have shared their knowledge with other programs, hosting visitors to help them understand the practical ways they can improve key components such as incentives and sanctions.
The program continues to support not only their adolescent participants but their families as well, embracing a holistic approach to family recovery.
Impaired Driving Treatment Court Leadership Award
El Paso DWI/Drug Court Intervention and Treatment Program
The El Paso DWI Drug Court was the first of its kind in Texas. Since its founding, the program has built invaluable partnerships with local law enforcement, universities such as the University of Texas at El Paso and Texas Tech, and local hospitals and medical professionals.
The court team embraces the region’s diverse population and has taken strides to engage the Latino/Hispanic community, encouraging family members to assist participants to help ensure a more successful recovery process. This year is their 20th anniversary and their 11th year as an Academy Court as selected by All Rise's Impaired Driving Solutions.
