ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) regularly honors professionals in both the public and private sectors who have left indelible marks on intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) services. The Ben Censoni Award for Excellence in Public Service is the only award that recognizes public officials who strive to improve the lives of people with I/DD. The award is named in memoriam of Ben Censoni, former developmental disabilities director for Michigan and chair of the association’s Governmental Affairs Committee.
Ben Censoni was successful because of his persistence — his “press on regardless” attitude. He believed this kind of pressing stimulates ingenuity. He was energetic. He was honorable. He had conviction. He was resilient. He was not just an advocate — he was a champion. Given a little time, he always came up with an excellent tactic to use, even with the most significant problems. But more than anything, he was admired most because he was optimistic.
NASDDDS is pleased to award Alison Barkoff the Ben Censoni Award for Excellence in Public Service honor this year. NASDDDS honors Alison for her steadfast, stellar leadership during her tenure at the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Serving in the role of the ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging, she was the advisor to the HHS Secretary on aging and disability policy, oversaw national disability and aging programs, and led cross-agency initiatives related to long-term services and supports, civil rights, housing, direct care workforce, family caregiving, healthy aging, and public health. Her efforts have resulted in important progress on some of the most critical issues facing our field today, including efforts to address the workforce crisis and strides in improving supports for people with I/DD, brain injury, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Alison was recently named as the Harold and Jane Hirsh Associate Professor and Director of the Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, where she will continue her important work on behalf of people with disabilities and older adults.
For more than 25 years, Alison has focused on legal and policy advocacy to improve the lives of people who face the most significant challenges in accessing health care and other critical community services, particularly people with disabilities. Alison truly brought people – and federal agencies – together to address these issues and has been instrumental in shaping federal regulations related to Medicaid, healthcare discrimination, aging programs, elder justice, and workforce. Alison’s work on key civil rights litigation and important policy initiatives time and again demonstrate her commitment to making sure that people with disabilities can live good lives in communities across our nation.
“We are forever grateful to Alison for her persistence and relentless pursuit of equal and inclusive rights for all people with disabilities,” said Mary Sowers, NASDDDS Executive Director. “We look forward to continuing our work together as she steps into her new role at George Washington University.”
The National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS) represents the nation’s I/DD agencies in 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico providing services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. NASDDDS promotes visionary leadership, systems innovation, and the development of national policies that support home and community-based services for individuals with disabilities and their families. Learn more.