NCCHC’s annual awards celebrate individuals whose leadership, innovation, and dedication have enriched and transformed the field of correctional health care.
The awards were presented on Oct.26 during the opening ceremony of the National Conference on Correctional Health Care in Las Vegas.
The Bernard P. Harrison Award of Merit was presented to Jayne Russell for more than four decades of leadership and service to correctional health care. For nearly 30 years, Russell has served as an NCCHC lead accreditation surveyor, visiting correctional facilities and helping health care teams strengthen their systems and meet NCCHC standards. Her service to NCCHC includes nearly 20 years on the Board of Representatives. Her career included executive leadership with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Department of Corrections, and California Prison Health Care Services.
The B. Jaye Anno Award of Excellence in Communication was given to Dr. Stephanie Gangemi, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, with more than 17 years of practice and teaching experience. Dr. Gangemi’s research explores ethics, moral injury, trauma-informed practice, staff well-being, and the effects of correctional environments on health professionals. She was the first researcher to publish original findings on moral injury in correctional health care and has developed tools, interdisciplinary simulations, and educational programs that turn research into practice.
The Edward A. Harrison Award of Excellence in Correctional Health Care Leadership was presented to Nury Marcelo. Marcelo has spent more than a decade advancing correctional nursing through leadership, innovation, education, and advocacy. As chief nursing officer for Cermak Health Services at Cook County Jail, she leads nursing operations in one of the nation’s largest and most complex correctional health care systems. She also spearheaded the free Midwest Correctional Health Conference, speaks at NCCHC conferences, and advocates for greater visibility and development in correctional nursing.
The 2026 Jim Voisard Surveyor of the Year Award was given to Pauline Marcussen. Marcussen joined the NCCHC surveyor team in 2024, bringing decades of correctional health care experience and deep knowledge of NCCHC standards. She guides complex multisite surveys, mentors fellow surveyors, and turns large volumes of clinical, operational, and documentation data into clear findings and practical recommendations. A former Rhode Island Department of Corrections health services administrator, Marcussen served on the NCCHC Board of Representatives and chairs the CCHP Board of Trustees.
The 2026 R. Scott Chavez Program of the Year Award was presented to the Essex County Correctional Facility–Silver Lake Hospital Mental Health Alternative to Incarceration Program. The Mental Health Alternative to Incarceration Program is demonstrating how collaboration among corrections, health care, the courts, and community services can improve outcomes for people with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders.
Launched in 2024 by Essex County, CFG Health, and Silver Lake Hospital, the program moves eligible individuals from jail to a 62-bed dual-diagnosis hospital unit for psychiatric and substance use treatment, medication management, and stabilization. Clinical, legal, and operational reviews proceed simultaneously to reduce delays.
In less than two years, more than 200 individuals have been released to Silver Lake Hospital, and the program has expanded to Union and Hudson Counties. Medicaid reactivation, discharge planning, housing support, and connections to community treatment are built into the model, helping to create a more coordinated path from incarceration to treatment and the community.
Honorees include:
- Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr, Essex County Executive
- Ronald Charles, Director, Essex County Department of Corrections
- Philip B. Alagia, Essex County Chief of Staff
- Brandon DeJulius, CFG Health
- Dr. Lionel Anicette, Essex County Correctional Facility and CFG Health
Congratulations to all award winners!
