Jan 18, 2024
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. April Aycock, the Monroe County Office of Mental Health Director and President/CEO of Awareness Counseling Services, will be the distinguished recipient of the Good Neighbor Award at our 2024 Goodwill Gala.
Dr. April Aycock is the Monroe County Office of Mental Health Director and president/ CEO of Awareness Counseling Services with over 10 years of combined Behavioral Health, leadership, and public speaking experience. She is the first African American Monroe County Office of Mental Health Director. In this role, she oversees public mental health services to improve the quality of life for people suffering from mental health, addiction, and intellectual developmental disability. As a private practice CEO, she provides individual and group therapy, organizational mental health, addiction, diversity, and leadership workshops.
Dr. Aycock’s executive leadership experience includes strategic planning, coaching, mentoring, critical thinking, developing programs, and developing creative solutions. Dr. Aycock is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Master Level Credentialed Alcoholism Substance Abuse Counselor. She holds an Ed.D. Program in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University. She is also an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Delta Nu Omega chapter member.
Her roles allow her to infuse her love of social justice, advocacy, and collective partnership with multiple local and state stakeholders. She holds a wealth of experience and has served in various professional roles, including consultant, presenter, clinical supervisor, clinical coordinator, psychiatric emergency evaluator, group facilitator, private practice therapist, and adjunct professor. Her proudest moment was developing an adolescent substance use disorder outpatient clinic and an embedded adolescent substance use disorder program within a mental health clinic for the University of Rochester Medical Center [URMC] Strong Recovery clinic.
Dr. Aycock’s wealth of experience has gained her national recognition as one of 14 National Association of Counties Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission members. This commission is tasked with developing policy and programmatic recommendations at federal, state, and local county levels to address systemic issues contributing to the mental health crisis. Dr. Aycock has been selected to be a member of the NYS Office of Mental Health Multicultural Advisory Committee, where they are tasked with advising the NYS Office of Mental Health on policies and activities that can reduce disparities in quality, access, and treatment outcomes. Additionally, she has been a keynote speaker at the National Association of People Supporting Employment First 2023 Conference and Urban League of Rochester’s Interrupt Racism 2022 Conference.
During her free time, Dr. Aycock enjoys spending time with her children, family, and friends, listening to music, and attending comedy shows.
Join us in celebrating the remarkable achievements of Dr. April Aycock as she receives the Good Neighbor Award. Her dedication, leadership, and advocacy continue to make a profound impact on the mental health and well-being of our community. Congratulations, Dr. Aycock!