Springfield Market Leader Recognized for Contributions to the Community

Edna Rodríguez, LP-PsyD, Director of Behavioral Health, accepts Latino Excellence award from the Massachusetts Black & Latino Caucus. 

According to the MBLLC, the award honors “Latino community leaders and trailblazers who are moving the needle forward in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.”

Edna was nominated for the award by State Representative Shirley Arriaga (D-Chicopee), who noted that Edna’s “clinical work focuses on the adaptation of evidence-based assessments to underserved populations and minorities.” Edna has worked in a variety of clinical settings including outpatient, psychiatric inpatient, residential programs for individuals with substance use disorder, and emergency departments serving children and adults. In her nomination, Representative Arriaga praises Edna for her work that “prioritizes education about stigma and cultural humility and awareness to help providers treat with respect and compassion people with histories of trauma and systemic oppression, as well as those recovering from substance use disorder and other mental illnesses.”

Held in Boston, the Latino Excellence Awards Ceremony drew lawmakers, community leaders, and award recipients from all over the Commonwealth. The Mission of the MBLLC is to “define, highlight, and analyze those issues and concerns affecting people of color in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Caucus shall seek to develop a sense of political awareness among its constituents and to make the political and legislative process accountable and accessible for those who have been disenfranchised.”