Director honored as 'behavioral health champion'

Lisnow

The executive director of University of Colorado Hospital's Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation (CeDAR) has been recognized as a "Behavioral Health Champion" by Behavioral Healthcare magazine, the professional journal serving the executive, clinical and operating leadership of mental health and substance abuse centers nationwide.

The magazine says Franklin Lisnow plays an important role in leading, or reinventing, approaches that help thousands recover from addiction and reclaim their lives.

"We (CeDAR) are recognized as a world-class center for residential addiction and co-occurring disorders treatment," Lisnow said. "We can deal with more difficult patients – patients that not every facility can handle. This truly is a place where people can get everything they need to turn their lives around."

Lisnow has more than 35 years of experience in treating chemically dependent people and their families and has served as executive director of CeDAR since the facility opened in November 2005. He also is a member of the board of directors for the Society of Addiction Counselors of Colorado (SACC). Lisnow is past president and a 10-year board member of the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC).

"I am pleased and honored to be named a 2010 Behavioral Health Champion. CeDAR and University of Colorado Hospital gave me the chance to practice what I believe is quality behavioral health treatment in a quality chemical dependency center," Lisnow said.

The 2010 champions were nominated by their peers and selected by the editorial team of Behavioral Healthcare magazine. They rank among the most active and accomplished executives and leaders in the fields of community mental health care and substance abuse treatment and recovery. Each will be recognized at an awards luncheon in Washington, D.C., at the National Conference on Addiction Disorders on Sept. 10.