Ms. Hennessey and Project SAFE were featured in the 1999 PBS TV series on addiction titled "Close to Home" by Bill Moyers.
SUN CITY, AZ, February 16, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Maya D. Hennessey with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Ms. Hennessey celebrates many years of experience in her professional network; and has been noted for her achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Forty-five years ago, Ms. Hennessey began her career in behavioral health by advocating for gender-sensitive treatment approaches to improve outcomes for addicted women and their families. Maya provided hundreds of workshops on vital approaches to restore healthy families ravaged by the debilitating effects of oppression, poverty, trauma, and addiction.
In the 1980s, Ms. Hennessey became a Patient Advocate for Rape Victims, supporting traumatized women through the rape kit collection and interviews by medical staff and police. Maya participated in a year-long Lay Ministry training and became an on-call Chaplain. Maya also received certifications in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, family systems, and group dynamics.
Throughout her professional career, Ms. Hennessey developed cross-training and inter-agency collaboration to help leaders and stakeholders enact policies and approaches to restore healthy families. Maya created interactive skill-building exercises to train professionals on the impact of the combined issues of addiction, trauma, poverty, child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence. As a contractual consultant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Maya cross-trained state directors of substance abuse and child welfare across the nation on Project SAFE, a successful Illinois evidence-based model.
From 1992 to 2004, Ms. Hennessey was notably employed by the Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance (IDASA), as the Women's Specialist. Maya continued to enhance and expand Project SAFE sites across Illinois. During her distinguished tenure, Ms. Hennessey was appointed to serve on numerous policy advisory, advocacy, and workgroups, including the Illinois Governor's forums and advisory councils; and two of First Lady Hillary Clinton's subcommittees on addicted women and families. As the Women's Specialist, Maya served on the Illinois child welfare & substance abuse advisory council; and collaborated with Cook County Courts, Family Justice Leadership Institute, the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the Chicago City Council Subcommittee on Domestic Violence. Ms. Hennessey served as a coordinator of volunteers for the Midwestern states for the National Family Caregivers Association; and served on Chicago Mayor Daley's Caregivers Advisory Council.
Ms. Hennessey wrote a book titled "If Only I'd Had This Caregiving Book," a guide to help family caregivers establish effective networks of support for both the caregiver and the patient. She also authored articles on women and addiction. She and William L. White co-authored an article on females driving under the influence of alcohol.
An alumnus of Northeastern Illinois University, in 1984 Ms. Hennessey earned a bachelor's degree in behavioral health, business, management, and theology. As a professional member of the Illinois Alcohol and Drug Dependence Association (IADDA), Maya chaired the first women's issues committee of IADDA. Ms. Hennessey taught courses at Governors State University on women across the life cycle, from infant mortality to addicted seniors. Ms. Hennessey and Project SAFE were featured in the 1999 PBS TV series on addiction titled "Close to Home" by Bill Moyers. Maya was recognized in 1991 with the Keith Keisey Award. In 2010, at the National SAMHSA Women's Conference, the Illinois Women's Advisory Council awarded Maya for her progressive advancement of gender-competent women's services. Moreover, Ms. Hennessey was named among the women making a difference in the field of addiction" by Counselor Magazine in 2004. Maya continues to advocate for gender equality for women.
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