Neill E. Miner (1949 – 2018) was passionate about prevention. He worked in Maine as Director for the Maine Office of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Prevention and later became a founding director of the New England Institute of Addiction Studies and of AdCare Educational Institute of Maine. Neill’s quiet, principled demeanor embodied strength, endurance, and professionalism. His example sets the bar high for preventionists who follow.

The Neill E. Miner Memorial Prevention Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution in the field of prevention. Prevention is defined as a proactive process which empowers individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life events and transitions by creating and reinforcing healthy behaviors and lifestyles and reducing risks contributing to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug misuse and related behaviors. Prevention focuses on the interventions that occur prior to the onset of a substance use disorder and which are intended to prevent the occurrence of the substance use disorder or reduce risk for substance use disorder.

The recognized individual will have demonstrated a deep commitment and broad orientation to health promotion and disease prevention that extends beyond their specific profession or field of interest. For example, the individual may have made a meaningful impact in health legislation, health education, health policy development, or consumer advocacy at either the community or state level. Professional rank or status in an organization is not an important factor.

The Maine Prevention Certification Board will submit the Neill E. Miner Award recipient on to the IC&RC for consideration of the IC&RC Prevention Professional of the Year Award. Each IC&RC member board is allowed to submit one nominee per year and the submission must be a Certified Prevention Specialist (PS-C). If the Neill E. Miner Award recipient is not a PS-C, the MPCB will review other nominees and, using a scoring rubric, will submit the highest ranked PS-C for the IC&RC Award nomination.

To Nominate a Maine Prevention professional for the 2020 Neill E. Miner Award, please submit your application before January 27, 2021.