Treatment Advocacy Center Welcomes Acting Executive Director Lisa Dailey
John Snook to become Director of Government Relations and Strategic Initiatives at the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare
January 1, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT:
Geoffrey Melada, Director of Communications
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ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – The Treatment Advocacy Center, a leading nonprofit that advocates for the elimination of barriers to effective treatment for individuals with severe mental illness, announced today that Executive Director John Snook will be leaving as of January 11, 2021 to assume the position of Director of Government Relations and Strategic Initiatives at the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare. Current Director of Advocacy Lisa Dailey will assume the role of Acting Executive Director as of January 12, 2021.
“We are proud of John’s many accomplishments and believe his being named to this new position is a testament to the Treatment Advocacy Center’s many successes over the last six years,” said Dr. Michael Knable, chair of the Treatment Advocacy Center Board of Directors. “During his tenure, John presided over the publication of 15 major research reports, guided the passage of the bipartisan mental health reforms of the 21st Century Cures Act, secured more than $70 million in federal funding for assisted outpatient treatment programs around the United States, and oversaw the passage of 44 new laws designed to improve access to treatment for people with severe mental illness. We are grateful for his impactful leadership, and are excited to continue partnering with him in his new role.”
Beginning January 12, 2021, Lisa Dailey will take the helm of the Treatment Advocacy Center, after serving as the organization’s director of advocacy for the past two years. In that role, she led advocacy efforts in California to expand the adoption of Laura’s Law to nine additional counties, was the lead author on two iterations of “Grading the States,” the first comprehensive evaluation of civil commitment laws by state published since 2014, and successfully lobbied for the improvement of civil commitment criteria and other SMI legislation in nine states. Previously, she spent three years as legislative and policy counsel for the organization.
“We are thrilled that Lisa will lead Treatment Advocacy Center during this transition and help us continue the tremendous progress we’ve made in our mission to overcome barriers to treatment for people with severe mental illness,” said Dr. Knable. “Her leadership, values and her background as a lawyer, mental health advocate and family member have been crucial to our unparalleled impact over the last five years. As we head into a new year, faced with daunting national health and economic challenges, we are grateful for the benefit of Lisa’s wisdom and steady hand.”
“Thanks to the work of my talented colleagues, Treatment Advocacy Center is the premier source of information and advocacy regarding severe mental illness. I am deeply honored that the Board of Directors has entrusted me with the responsibility of leading this organization during this unprecedented time in our country, when mental health has never been a more urgent priority,” said Dailey.
“As I take on this new role, my focus and Treatment Advocacy Center’s focus will continue to be advocating for continued medical advances for people with severe mental illness, and compassionate treatment laws that give the benefit of them to our loved ones.”
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The Treatment Advocacy Center is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating barriers to the timely and effective treatment of severe mental illness by promoting laws, policies and practices for the delivery of psychiatric care and supporting the development of innovative treatments for and research into the causes of severe and persistent psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
