Presidential Awards | Blanche F. Ittleson Award | Max Hayman Award | Marion Langer Award | Vera Paster Award

The American Orthopsychiatric Association has a distinguished history of support for the application of mental health research and related professional service to the public interest. Ortho seeks to recognize exemplary work consistent with its values and, in particular, to give encouragement to students in the mental health disciplines who are engaged in:

• the creation of humane social policy
• the protection of human rights
• the prevention of mental health problems
• and the improvement of mental health services, especially for disadvantaged populations.

Each year, Ortho presents several awards that recognize distinguished contributions to mental health and social justice:

• Presidential Awards recognize outstanding contributions of individuals and are awarded at the discretion of the President.
• The Blanche F. Ittleson Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the delivery of children’s services and the promotion of children’s mental health.
• The Max Hayman Award honors distinguished scholarship in the mental health disciplines that contributes to the elimination of genocide and the remembrance of the Holocaust.
• The Marion Langer Award recognizes distinction in social advocacy and the pursuit of human rights.
• The Vera Paster Award recognizes an outstanding graduate student or a post-doctoral resident or fellow in a mental health discipline for exemplary work in research and/or public service that promises to generate or apply knowledge that may contribute to the advancement or empowerment of people of color.