Gateway Rehab founder receives journalism award from national addiction association

Pittsburgh – Dr. Abraham Twerski, founder and medical director emeritus of Gateway Rehab Center, received the Michael Q. Ford Journalism Award from the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) at the annual conference on addiction treatment held in May in Palm Beach, FL. 

Established by NAATP in 2005, the award is named for the first executive of NAATP, a champion of the addiction treatment field who died unexpectedly in 1999. Ford was known for his journalistic style and flair for communicating the value of and need for addiction treatment. He is credited with shaping the direction of NAATP with the energy, wit, and determination that he brought to his work.

Twerski was chosen as the 2006 recipient in recognition of his journalistic achievements—author of more than 60 books and hundreds of articles and pamphlets—during a 40-year career in the addiction treatment field.

An internationally recognized expert and pioneer in the field, Twerski’s books have focused on topics central to healthy recovery including, self esteem, spirituality, and family issues. Among his most well known work are Addictive Thinking; Life’s Too Short; I’d Like to Call for Help, But I Don’t Know the Number; The Spiritual Self, and Do Unto Others. He and Peanuts comic strip creator

Charles Schulz collaborated on a series on self esteem: When Do The Good Things Start?; Waking Up Just in Time; I Didn’t Ask To Be In This Family; and That’s Not A Fault…It’s A Character Trait. His newest book, From Pulpit to Couch, was published in 2005.

In addition to his writing, Twerski is a sought after speaker, traveling internationally to champion treatment and elimination of stigma and denial about addiction. He has received dozens of awards in recognition of his work, including the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Distinguished Service Award in 1997; Catholic Charities of Pittsburgh Caritas Award in 1998; the 2001 Health Care Hero Lifetime Achievement Award through the Pittsburgh Business Times; the 2002 Nelson J. Bradley Life Time Achievement Award from NAATP; and Gateway Rehab’s inaugural Hope Award in 2005, which will be known in the future as the Abraham Twerski Hope Award.

NAATP is the national voice of the addiction treatment field in the areas of public policy, advocacy, and funding. Gateway Rehab president and CEO Dr. Ken Ramsey is chairman of NAATP.