The New York State Association of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Providers (NYASAP) presented Mower (formerly Eric Mower + Associates) with the first-ever Richard Pruss Community Service Award during ASAP’s 19th Annual Conference in Syracuse, NY on September 24.
Named after Richard Pruss, a pioneer in the field of substance use disorder treatment who recently passed away in July of 2018, the community service award was selected by the ASAP Conference Steering Committee and presented to the marketing, advertising and public relations agency during the open general session of the conference.
Already a recipient of multiple Gold Healthcare Advertising Awards, Mower’s Stop Treatment Fraud poster series development was driven by Helio Health (formerly Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare). The posters, which are running statewide in New York, depict how individuals are promised resort-like conditions and successful treatment programs, but often find themselves instead in recently closed motels turned into “treatment facilities” designed to drain their insurance benefits. The posters warn individuals to be aware of suspicious activity before signing up and to report suspected patient brokers and their activities.
“Mower’s team jumped at the chance to create these posters that may ultimately save lives by protecting individuals seeking treatment for addictions,” said Maggie Hooper, senior account supervisor and leader of Mower’s healthcare specialty. “We pride ourselves on being fierce friends to our clients, co-workers and community. We’re honored to be recognized for our work and the impact it may have on the lives of others.”
ASAP represents the interest of the largest alcoholism and substance use preventions treatment, recovery, research and training providers in the country, and is committed to supporting organizations, groups and individuals that prevent and alleviate the profound personal, social and economic consequences of alcoholism and substance use disorder in New York State.
“Mower’s work to understand the predatory practice of patient brokering allowed us to create a public education campaign with OASAS and Governor Cuomo to protect families experiencing a substance use disorder,” John Coppola, executive director, New York Association of Substance Abuse Providers.”
