Social Worker of the Year Award 2004

L to R: RADM Christine Beato, CDR Guy Mahoney, VADM Richard Carmona, LCDR David Morrissette

For his outstanding dedication, creativity and initiative to improve health and mental health care for Native Americans in western North Dakota, CDR Mahoney was awarded the 2004 Social Worker of the Year Award.

CDR Guy Mahoney took the Surgeon General’s challenge to serve in remote areas and to underserved populations in the Indian Health Service in January of 2003. He and his wife left the Federal Medical Center, Carswell, in Fort Worth, Texas to serve in the Aberdeen Area – an isolated hardship locale. CDR Mahoney served three roles at the Fort Berthold Service Unit in New Town, North Dakota. As Director of Community Health Services including Public Health Nursing, Public Health Education, the Dental Department, the Diabetes Program, and the Mental Health/Social Services Departments; department head of the Mental Health/Social Services Department providing biopsychosocial services to the Three Affiliated Tribes and as a clinician with children, adolescents, and adults of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Tribes.

CDR Mahoney, who wears his uniform daily, is well recognized and respected among the Tribal leaders and the patients he serves. He has been asked to give presentations to the Elders of the Tribe and the Tribal Council Chair. As an illustration, he was honored to participate in a Memorial Day Service as a speaker at the famous Old Scout Cemetery in White Shield, North Dakota at the request of a Tribal councilman. Dr. Mahoney has been assigned many responsibilities where leadership traits and abilities are essential. The officer leads by example and his promotion of professional excellence, inter-departmental cooperation, and drive for attainment of program goals are evidenced by the accomplishments of his department heads. Under his leadership, third party reimbursement for the clinic increased substantially among the Community Health Services departments after he promoted new ways to capture and report patient services data. Dr. Mahoney has done an exceptional service to the patients of Fort Berthold by effectively coordinating the efforts of his departments. For example, specialty clinics were provided for children that allowed physicians, nurses, dentists, educators, mental health, and diabetes staff to provide their services together in one visit. This has been an important way to assure that services for children are delivered, and particularly those services that are difficult for their parents to access.

CDR Mahoney is an exemplary officer and an outstanding representative of the Commissioned Corps. He received the USPHS Commendation Medal for his fine work at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell, in co-authoring the first BOP National Clinical Guideline for Social Work Professionals. He was deployed at the World Trade Center as a CCRF member, and has continued to complete training to enhance his readiness abilities. His rapid rise from clinician, to supervisor, to manager attest to his professional competencies and the confidence his seniors have in his ability to lead programs and personnel.

CDR Mahoney now directs the Social Services Department and staff at the Colorado River Service Unit which includes the Parker Indian Health Center, Peach Springs Health Clinic, Chemehuevi Health Clinic, Supai Health Clinic serving the Chemehuevi, Hopi, Mojave, Navajo, Hualapai, and Havasupai tribes of the area. The Havasupai reside at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and their community is accessible only by helicopter, burro, or foot.