At the June 1 education and support meeting of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Moore County (NAMI-MC) Dr. Fernando Cobos received NAMI-National's 2009 Annual Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from NAMI-MC's president Marianne Kernan.

The annual Exemplary Psychiatry Award honors psychiatrists who have gone the extra mile in their commitment to excellent care, reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness and working closely with NAMI members in their communities. The awards have special significance because honorees are nominated by individuals and families who are directly affected by mental illness.

At the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual conference inSan Francisco in May, NAMI executive director Michael Fitzpatrick said, "These doctors go above and beyond in theirsupport of individuals and families, mental health advocacy and public education."

Cobos is a psychiatrist and the medical director of outpatient behavioral services at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital. He was nominated for the award by Marianne Kernan, for his many contributions to NAMI-MC and his work in the community with people who suffer with a mental illness and/or substance abuse.

Cobos specializes in addiction, dual diagnosis and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). He is a U.S. Army reservist and has served two tours in Iraq working with military personnel to cope with the stress of being in combat. At home he works with people in the community who suffer from PTSD.

He is one of NAMI-Moore County's most committed professional supporters. He has been a guest speaker at the monthly meetings and participates in the "Ask the Psychiatrist" Forum at the annual Pathway to Awareness event.

Both of these forums offer Cobos the opportunity to interact with the community on a somewhat personal level to discuss their concerns regarding mental illness issues. If someone has a private question for Cobos, he will always take the time to speak to them individually. He is also a presenter in two of the hourly segments for the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training sessions for law enforcement officers that are held four times a year. This training is sponsored by the Sandhills CIT Partnership of which FirstHealth is a founding member.

Kernan refers to Cobos as the "people's doctor" because of his dedication and compassion for serving the most vulnerable people in our community.

"He is always there when you need him," she says. "NAMI-MC and those in our community feel truly blessed to have Dr. Cobos as part of our mental health community. Our only wish is that we could clone him!"