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Honoring and Recognizing Dr. Arthur C. Evans for his accomplishments and numerous contributions to the City of Philadelphia on the occasion of his retirement from the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services and congratulating him on his appointment as CEO of the American Psychological Association.
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WHEREAS, Arthur C. Evans, Jr., Ph.D. holds a doctorate in clinical/community psychology from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in experimental psychology from Florida Atlantic University, where he also completed his undergraduate work; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Evans, is the Commissioner of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS) – a $1 billion healthcare agency that is the behavioral health and intellectual disabilities safety net for 1.5 million Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, DBHIDS has undergone a system-wide transformation under the leadership of Dr. Evans. Improved outcomes for people accessing services and has resulted in fewer inpatient admissions, visits to crisis centers, and significant cost savings that the City has reinvested in community-based services and supports; and
WHEREAS, Prior to his work in Philadelphia, Dr. Evans was the Deputy Commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, where he led major strategic initiatives for the Connecticut behavioral healthcare system. He played a significant role in implementing a recovery-oriented policy framework, addressing healthcare disparities, and increasing the use of evidence-based practices, leading edge research, and community engagement; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Evans holds faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and has held faculty appointments at the Yale University School of Medicine and Quinnipiac University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Evans has been recognized nationally for his work in behavioral healthcare policy and the transformation of service delivery systems. In 2015 he was recognized by the White House as an “Advocate for Action” by the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, he received the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service, the American Medical Association’s top government service award in health care, for his leadership in transforming the Philadelphia behavioral health system, particularly around the adoption of a public health approach; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Evans has served in several national leadership roles, including: Chair of the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Partners for Recovery Initiative Steering Committee, Co-Chair of the National Action Group on Fostering System Reform for Adults with Serious Mental Illness, Member of SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory Committee, Chair of the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Paths to Recovery Project, and President of the Board of Directors of the New England Institute of Addiction Studies, Board of Directors for the Melville Charitable Trust, the nation’s largest philanthropy focused exclusively on ending homelessness; and
WHEREAS, With a proven track record of innovative and effective solutions to complex systems change, Dr. Evans brings diverse training and experience as a scientist-practitioner and policymaker. He is in high demand as a resource for his fellow psychologists, healthcare administrators, and community, service, and government leaders. An adept and versatile public speaker, Dr. Evans speaks to behavioral health leaders and organizations across the country; and
WHEREAS, In January of 2017, Dr. Evans was named chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association (APA). Dr. Evans will assume his position there on March 20. As CEO of APA, Dr. Evans will head the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 117,500 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL, Hereby honors and recognizes Dr. Arthur C. Evans for his accomplishments and numerous contributions to the City of Philadelphia on the occasion of his retirement from the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability and congratulates him on his appointment as CEO of the American Psychological Association.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Evans as a sincere expression of the Philadelphia City Council’s gratitude and recognition.
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