THE 2008 HENRY B. BETTS AWARD
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

THE AWARDS PROGRAM
The Henry B. Betts Award was created by the Prince Charitable Trusts and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 1989 to annually honor an individual whose work and scope of influence have significantly improved the quality of life for people with disabilities in the past, and will be a force for change in the future. It is named for Henry B. Betts, MD, in recognition of his pioneering leadership in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation and decades of dedicated service to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

In 2001, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), a national membership organization working to increase the political and economic power of all Americans with disabilities, joined with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to collaboratively administer the award program.

Typically, one outstanding living individual is selected each year to receive The Henry B. Betts Award. That person receives an unrestricted $50,000 cash award at AAPD’s annual Leadership Gala in Washington, D.C. The 2008 Betts laureate will be presented the Award at the seventh annual AAPD Leadership Gala in March 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Since 1989, The Henry B. Betts Award has been presented to individuals who have, in the course of their work, helped to lead the societal transformation that is producing dramatically better outcomes and higher expectations for the diverse groups that make up the disability community in the United States and around the world. Some past laureates include grassroots pioneers Marca Bristo, Judith Heumann, Lex Frieden, Mary Lou Breslin and Fred Fay; medical and rehabilitation pioneers Dr. Ernest Johnson and Dr. Timothy Nugent; scholars Hugh Gregory Gallagher and Paul Longmore; international activist Ralf Hotchkiss; national disability rights leaders, John Kemp, and Dick and Ginny Thornburgh who, as a couple, have demonstrated more than three decades of extraordinary leadership on behalf of all people with disabilities.

The 2007 Award was presented to Mark Johnson, nationally-recognized activist, community organizer, and Director of Advocacy at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Early in his career, as a counselor at the Charlotte Rehabilitation Hospital in North Carolina, he helped establish the Metrolina Chapter of the National Paraplegia Foundation and one of the first Title VII Independent Living Centers in the U.S. Later, he would help to create Americans Disabled for Accessible Transportation (ADAPT), a grassroots-driven organization that has been an effective force for change in the national disability rights movement. AAPD’s President and CEO, Andrew J. Imparato, says of Mark Johnson, "His organizer's approach is what the disability movement needs more of, and his pragmatic strategies have proven effective in breaking down barriers to full participation and equal opportunity in a wide range of areas, including housing, transportation, health care, sports and recreation, and worship." Read more about the 2007 Betts laureate by visiting the AAPD website: www.aapd.com.

SELECTION CRITERIA
The recipient of The Henry B. Betts Award will be a *person at the pinnacle of his or her career. While the award is not a lifetime achievement award, the recipient must have professional accomplishments over his/her lifetime that justify receipt of the award. Successful nominees will have demonstrated a strong vision and understanding of how to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities; possess a record of efforts and accomplishments that have affected a wide disability population; and have served as a powerful force for change, enhancing the opportunities for people with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society.

Additional specific criteria for evaluating nominees and selecting the award recipient will be determined each year by The Henry B. Betts Award Jury.

* AAPD and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago strongly encourage potential nominators to nominate a single living individual for the Betts Award. While the Award Jury voted unanimously to consider a couple for the Betts Award in 2002, this was an unusual circumstance. In fact, this was the only time in the history of the Award that the recipient was a couple.

HISTORY
Henry B. Betts, MD has devoted his professional career to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. Dr. Betts joined the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago as an attending physiatrist (a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation) in 1964. He went on to become Medical Director of the Institute, Chair of the department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) of Northwestern University Medical School, and eventually president and chief executive officer of the Institute. Dr. Betts has held many leadership board positions on national disability organizations. He continues to be an advocate for disability issues in his current positions as Professor at Northwestern University Medical School and Chairman of The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Foundation. Dr. Betts is also a former member of the AAPD Board of Directors and its Executive Committee. As a physiatrist, educator, advocate, and humanitarian, Dr. Betts has created a legacy that will affect the lives of generations of individuals with disabilities.

By providing recognition to people who have devoted their careers to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities, The Henry B. Betts Award helps to elevate the accomplishments of these individuals and inspire others to learn from their example, and ultimately change attitudes toward people living with disabilities, thereby improving their quality of life.

For this eighth year in partnership, AAPD and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago look forward to recognizing a new laureate with this unique and prestigious award.

Funding for the 2008 Betts Award Program is graciously provided by the Prince Charitable Trusts.

Any person who is a member of the Board or staff of AAPD or the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, or a relative of any of these individuals, will not be eligible for this award.

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