[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 179 (Thursday, January 3, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2523]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E2523]]



                    TRIBUTE TO DR. MILDRED M. ALLEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 3, 2002

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Mildred 
M. Allen, a leading advocate in the mental health field, who has 
dedicated the past 17 years to making the Fordham-Tremont Community 
Mental Health Center a viable and effective mental health facility that 
performs at a superior level.
  Dr. Allen was born in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, where she lived until 
graduation from the University of Puerto Rico. Here, she earned a 
Bachelor of Arts Degree and went on to obtain a Masters of Social Work, 
a Masters in Public Administration, and a Doctorate in Art and Science 
from New York University. Armed with this extensive education and 
training, Dr. Allen went on to play a pivotal role in New York's mental 
health arena.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Allen has been a key participant in numerous state, 
national, and global conferences on mental health. In 1985 and 1987, 
she was a panelist at the World Congresses in Mental Health held in 
England and Egypt, respectively. Dr. Allen's contributions to mental 
health public administration include the first city-wide conference on 
Domestic Violence which she organized in 1985. In 1986, Governor Cuomo 
appointed her to the Manhattan Children's Psychiatric Center Board of 
Visitors. She continues to be an active member, and often officer, of 
many key boards that focus on various aspects of mental health. Dr. 
Allen's concern for the Puerto Rican community, particularly its youth, 
led her to create the Hispanic Advocacy and Resource Center, Inc. in 
order to facilitate the adoption of Puerto Rican children and provide 
support to families. She also went on to co-found the Puerto Rican 
Empowerment Partnership Corp., a non-profit organization focused on 
improving the mental and social welfare of Puerto Ricans living in New 
York State.
  Clearly, Dr. Allen will leave an undeniable mark on the world of 
mental health and has directly impacted the lives of an untold number 
of people. She is described as a truly kind and dynamic woman whose 
unyielding spirit inspires those around her. She has spent most of the 
last two decades in my district, sharing her gift and leading the 
Fordham-Tremont Community Mental Health Center to even greater success, 
with the support of an outstanding staff.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Mildred Allen for her 
illustrious and distinguished career and in thanking her for her 
unceasing passion.

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