The National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) Honors Marylou Sudders,
ACSW with the 2004 Knee/Wittman Outstanding Achievement Award

Marylou Sudders became President and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC), in February, 2003. In this capacity, she provides executive leadership to a 127 year old, private non-profit children’s agency dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. One of the largest children’s mental health outpatient agencies, MSPCC has an operating budget in excess of $30 million and 800 staff located in 25 offices across the Commonwealth. She strongly advocates for the children and families of Massachusetts regarding sound public policies, excellent services and the funding necessary to maintain a safety net for our youngest citizens and their families.

Previously, Ms. Sudders was Commissioner of Mental Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for seven years. In this capacity, she served as the chief spokesperson on mental health issues. With an annual budget in excess of $600 million, Ms. Sudders was charged with overseeing a public mental health system that provides services to more than 24,500 adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance. Key legislative successes during her tenure included the passage of: mental health parity insurance; five fundamental rights for mental health consumers; civil commitment reform; children’s mental health commission; and, the hospital interpreter law. In May 1999, Ms. Sudders was honored as one of the selected invitees to the first White House Conference on Mental Health. In June, 2002, she testified before Congress on the issue of criminal justice and mental illness.

Ms. Sudders received a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a Bachelor’s Degree with honors from Boston University . She serves on the Governor’s Commission on Children’s Mental Health and the Governor’s Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Academy of Certified Social Workers , the Child Welfare League of America, and the Children’s League of Massachusetts. She is on the Board of the Pine Street Inn and Massachusetts Association for Mental Health.

Ms. Sudders has received many awards throughout her career. She is the recipient of the prestigious 2003 Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation Manley/Ziegler Award for Outstanding Public Service; the 2004 Friend and Leader Award by the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health; and the 2004 Social Worker of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.