Richard Pruss Development Scholarship

Treatment Communities of America (TCA) is committed to working with our members to support, prevent and alleviate the profound personal, social and economic consequences of alcoholism and substance use disorders in this country. As a means of supporting our workforce, TCA is proud to have established the Richard Pruss Professional Development Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded annually to a direct-service staff person in order to assist in furthering their education.

This scholarship was developed to honor the work and legacy of Richard Pruss to the Substance use disorder Field

About Richard Pruss

Mr. Pruss had a long history of service in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) field; he stepped down as President and CEO of Samaritan Village (NY) in 2008 and served as a Board member and Chairman of the Board of Directors until December, 2017. Richard was one of the pioneers in the field; he began his mission in the mid-60s and dedicated his life to Samaritan Village where he saved the lives of thousands of individuals over his long and impressive career. Richard also served as the TCA President from 1980-1984 and remained active as a TCA Board Member until his passing in July, 2018. This scholarship was developed to honor the work and legacy of Richard Pruss to the SUD field.

We believe that this scholarship will make a profound difference and will support the professional development of a talented individual who works in the SUD field. Scholarships will be provided on the basis of need and qualification. TCA asks that all of our members consider nominating someone who you feel is deserving of this opportunity. All nominations must come from TCA members.

Nomination Guidelines and Forms

Congratulations to our 2024 recipients!

Melanie Hlapatsos - Outreach (NY)
Dana Robinson - Integrity (NJ)
Caleb Grams - Gateway (IL)
Christene Angell - Akeela (AK)
Derek De Los Santos – VIP Community Services (NY)

Click on the following for the Nomination Guidelines, Nomination Form, Individual Professional Development Plan and the Professional Development Scholarship Nominee Evaluation Form.