The NAADAC, otherwise known as the Association for Addiction Professionals, has named Indiana Wesleyan University’s Dr. Don Osborn the NAADAC Addiction Educator of the Year. Osborn currently serves as the graduate school program director and assistant professor of Addictions Counseling in the College of Graduate Studies.
According to the NAADAC website, the Addiction Educator of the Year Award is presented to the educator who has made an outstanding contribution to addiction education. To receive this award, the nominee must be an adjunct or full-time university professor who has contributed through academia to the addiction profession through the mentoring of students/student chapters, colleagues, or addiction professionals, and/or by providing ongoing research or other contributions that grow, enhance, advocate and educate for the addiction profession.
Osborn will be formally recognized with the esteemed award on Oct. 8 at the NAADAC 2018 Annual Conference in Houston, Texas.
“Clinical addictions counseling is a relatively new degree that has attracted a new generation of counselors that has never existed before,” said Osborn. “It is exciting to be in a pioneering effort to educate and train a new generation that will represent IWU and a Christian worldview literally saving lives from the evils of addiction. I tell our students the hallmarks of our program are to assist clients to reclaim, redeem, restore and re-purpose life.”
Osborn has been a professor at Indiana Wesleyan University since 2006. He has been involved in ministry and counseling for over three decades in the areas of addiction, mental health and martial and family therapy. He has professional experience as a psychiatric case manager, clinical therapist, clinical supervisor, program director, and medical administrative officer in community mental health and government.
Osborn is also an active member of NAADAC having served as the national president of NAADAC, and two terms as regional vice president. He is currently the NAADAC immediate past president, and past chairman of the National Addiction Studies and Standards Accreditation Committee (NASAC).