HowardCenter Director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Bob Bick and Board of Trustees member Thomas “TJ” Donovan, Jr. were recently appointed to the Governor’s Criminal Justice and Substance Abuse Cabinet for a five-year term.
The Governor’s Criminal Justice and Substance Abuse Cabinet was established to address the growing need for a forum in which community representatives from law enforcement, treatment facilities, and educational programs can establish a common understanding and plan to achieve a coordinated response to drug-related crime in our communities.
Bick has a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, is a licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor, and has served as a consultant and trainer for regional hospitals and community mental health centers. In addition to providing local and statewide leadership in Vermont’s current efforts to address opiate addiction, he currently serves as the president of the Board for the Behavioral Health Network of Vermont and the vice president of the Board of the New England Institute for Addiction Studies. “I am honored to be chosen for this cabinet position because it is an opportunity to have an impact on lowering drug addiction and combating crime in our communities,” says Bick.
HowardCenter Board of Trustees member Thomas “TJ” Donovan, Jr. was also appointed to the Cabinet and will serve as the co-chair with Tom Heubner. Donovan is a Burlington native who was elected Chittenden County state’s attorney in November 2006. Prior to being elected, he was an associate with the Burlington law firm, Jarvis & Kaplan. Donovan also served as a deputy state’s attorney in Chittenden County and an assistant director attorney in Philadelphia, PA. Donovan lives in South Burlington with his wife and their two sons.
HowardCenter offers life-saving professional crisis and counseling services to children and adults; supportive services to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities who need help with education, employment, and life maintenance skills; counseling and medical services for those struggling with substance abuse, and intensive interventions for adults with serious and persistent mental health challenges. The agency serves more than 15,000 individuals and families each year, mostly in Chittenden County (although some programs are statewide).