2025 Awards

IMCHA recognizes the service, dedication, and excellent work of LMHC’s and mental health advocates across the state of Iowa with their annual awards. We encourage you to nominate yourself or someone else to recognize their outstanding contributions to the profession by April 14, 2025.

The awards will be given at the IMHCA Conference2025 Conference Information on Thursday May 7, 2025 at a special dedicated event from 5pm – 7pm at the West Des Moines Sheraton Hotel.

Questions can be directed to [email protected]

2025 Mental Health Champion Award

Champion:

Verb: to fight or speak publicly in support of a person, belief, cause, etc.

Adjective: one who shows superiority or high quality

This award will be presented to a nominated Iowa mental health counselor or mental health advocate who shows exemplary dedication to the advocacy for individuals with mental health conditions, as well as furthering the field of mental health counseling through their individual and public professional efforts.

2025 Emerging Mental Health Professional Award

Student: A person engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in an educational institution.

Emerging Professional: Someone in the early stages of their career, demonstrating promise and growth.

This Award recognizes an IMHCA member who has demonstrated the potential to become a dedicated leader of the counseling profession in years to come through public service, direct client work, and/or policy development.

2025 Mental Health Counselor of the Year Award

Counselor: A professional who provides guidance and support to individuals facing mental health challenges.

Excellence: The quality of being outstanding or exceptionally good.

This award is to be given to persons who spend 51% of their time in direct counseling with clients and relevant consultation activities. This award is intended to recognize an individual who has provided outstanding counseling service, including consultation, to the public.

2025 Professional Service and Leadership to IMHCA

Service: The action of helping or doing work for others.

Leadership:The ability to guide, inspire, and make an impact.

This award recognizes volunteers who have served IMHCA on a board or committee and shown their dedication and commitment to enhancing the field of mental health.

Please submit your nominations using the form below by April 4, 2025!

Award Nomination

Your name (person nominating)*
First Last
Your Phone Number*
Your Email Address*
For which award are you nominating someone? (choose only 1)*
- Mental Health Champion Award: This award is for exemplary dedication to mental health advocacy. This award recipient does not need to be a licensed clinician, and may also be awarded to a group or agency.
- Student or Emerging Mental Health Professional: This award honors a student or new professional who has embodied the values of the clinical mental health counseling profession and shows great potential for future contributions to the clinical mental health profession. This aptitude can be demonstrated by stellar academic, clinical, and/or service accomplishments in their early career.
- Mental Health Counselor of the Year: This award is to be given to persons who spend 51% of their time in direct counseling with clients and relevant consultation activities. This award is intended to recognize an individual who has provided outstanding counseling service, including consultation, to the public.
- Professional Service and Leadership to IMHCA: This award recognizes volunteers who have served IMHCA on a board or committee and shown their dedication and commitment to enhancing the field of mental health
Name of the person you are nominating for this award (if nominating yourself, enter your name again, please)*
First Last
Nominees credentials and job title*
Nominee's Phone
Nominee's Email Address*
Is Nominee aware of this nomination?*
- Yes
- No
In two to three paragraphs, please describe why you believe this nominee should receive this award.*
Please upload a resume or CV for review if you would like it to be considered for the nomination.
Max. file size: 32 MB.
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By checking this box, I hereby grant permission to The Iowa Mental Health Counselors Foundation, including the Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association (IMHCA), to use my name, image, likeness, and any statements or media provided by me in any publicity, marketing materials, or media, including but not limited to social media, websites, and promotional materials related to the the named organizations, its events, projects, and initiatives. I understand that this permission is granted without expectation of compensation
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