Thank you and congratulations, Delegate Pena-Melnyk—recipient of the Mental Health Association of Maryland's 2022 Legislator of the Year Award!

Congratulations and thanks so much for your efforts!

Delegate Pena-Melnyk, since first meeting you at an event some years ago my husband, Tom, and I have followed your awesome efforts to make a difference in the lives of so many. We deeply appreciate your focus on substance use and mental health needs across Maryland. Congratulations on this much deserved recognition!

In gratitude,

Barbara & Tom Allen

Delegate

It is am]n honor to congratulate you for this well-deserved honor for your leadership, commitment to mental health issues, children's issues, general health issues and so much more. I am so pleased to count you as a friend and be represented by you. There has never been a time when I have called you or asked for your support that you didn't have such a positive and enthusiastic response. Your leadership has truly made a difference on so many health & mental health issues. You are a very special person and I love you!

Bea Rodgers

Delegate Pena-Melnyk,

Thank you for championing so many issues around behavioral health, your commitment to the underserved populations in Maryland is commendable and so much appreciated by those of us working in the field. Thank you!

Del. Pena-Melnyk - congrats on your award from the MD Mental Health Assoc! So well deserved. And I hope we can work together this session on legislation to require MH providers for kids at least to accept Medicaid.

Best,

Danielle and Patience

University Park, MD

Thank you for all you have done to champion the needs of people with mental health and substance use needs and their families. The behavioral health community is fortunate to have such an ally in the legislature. Congratulations on a well-deserved award.

Thank you for your awesome leadership and hard work designed to improve the lives of individuals with behavioral health conditions. You make such a difference! Daryl Plevy

Delegate Peña-Melnyk: Congratulations on receiving the 2022 Legislator of the Year Award from the Mental Health Association of Maryland. Your leadership has made a significant impact on our behavioral health community. Thank you.

Thank you, Delegate Peña-Melnyk, for being a champion for behavioral health! On Our Own of Maryland appreciates your dedication to making behavioral health care more available, more accessible, more effective, and more equitable for all Marylanders, so everyone can find their own way to wellness, recovery, empowerment, and a fulfilling life. We appreciate you!

Congratulations on receiving the MHAM Legislator of the Year Award!

You deserve this award for working as a House of Delegates leader with the MHAM and other MH patients, professionals and advocates to enact our important legislation.

Your legislative career is filled with successful leadership in other areas which have improved the mental health of individuals who do not receive or obtain inadequate services because of their race, gender, inadequate finances, disability, and/or nationality.

Thank you for your dedication, competence, and compassion,

Betty McGarvie Crowley

Dear Delegate Pena-Melnyk,

We at MHAMD are so appreciative of your leadership and attention to issues that are often neglected in the world around us. The bills you authored last year to address inequity in our health care system, to advance telehealth access in a time of crisis, and to reduce the pathway into the criminal justice system for people with mental health and substance use conditions are foundationally important. But these are just a few examples of your attention over the past decade to ensuring fairness, equality and access to needed services for all. With much appreciation,

Linda Raines

Dear Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk,

Congratulations on your award. It is well deserved.

Kind regards,

Celia Serkin

Executive Director

Montgomery County Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, Inc.

Disability Rights Maryland congratulates Delagate Pena-Melnyk on receiving this award and expresses our gratitude for your continued support for Marylanders with Disabilities!

Dear Del. Pena-Melnyk,

Thank you for all you have done over many years to use your fierce and effective advocacy to help Marylanders receive mental health and substance use disorder care. No matter how challenging the issue is, we can always rely on you to help make the world a better place for those who want a fair chance to achieve good health services. It's a pure pleasure to work with and learn from you. We owe you a debt of gratitude!

Congratulations and thank you for all you do!

Ellen Weber

Delegate Pena-Melnyk. I am so glad to have a true advocate for persons/families that deal with mental illness and addiction in the legislature. I especially appreciate your ability to question policy makers about why they have made decisions which impact services for our citizens. You are a true joy to be around and thank you for your tireless efforts to support behavioral healthcare.

Delegate Pena-Melnyk, thank you for being so involved with mental health issues. We're grateful for the time you've spent on issues of great importance to NAMI Maryland and the Behavioral Health Coalition. You always take the time to meet with our members and make them feel welcome when they come to testify in your committee. You're a true health care leader in Maryland and so very deserving of this award. Congratulations to you!

We are extremely lucky to have Delegate Pena-Melnyk as our champion. She is smart and experienced and can cut through barriers to get where we need to go. But maybe the greatest thing the Delegate brings to the table is her huge heart. It is always crystal clear when talking to her that the most important aspect of any policy is the impact it will have on her constituents and others in need of behavioral health services. Congratulations, Delegate Pena-Melnyk - this recognition is well-earned!!

Congratulations on this award and thank you for your efforts and advocacy to ensure everyone can get the help they need and deserve.

Delegate Peña-Melnyk,

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor! Thank you for being an unwavering champion for mental health, access to care, LGBTQ people and other marginalized communities. And thank you for doing it all with grace, kindness and love.

Eileen Zeller

Delegate Pena-Melnyk:

So pleased to join others in congratulating you on MHA’s recognition of your leadership on health and mental health issues I. Maryland.

I have been a long-time admirer of your work in the legislature and was reminded recently why I have so much respect for you. It was at an event for Delegate Henson - your compassion is real and authentic!

Gail Smith

Annapolis