Champions for Mental Health – 2025

Join us on Tuesday, October 7, for the 19th annual Champions for Mental Health awards ceremony!

Each year, Riverbend Community Mental Health recognizes individuals or organizations in central New Hampshire who advocate for greater access to mental health services; contribute extraordinary time, talent or treasure to improve the lives of people with mental illness; or publicly give voice to those with mental illness, helping eliminate the stigma and stereotypes that can surround the disease.

For this year’s ceremony, Riverbend is honoring Dr. Dominic Geffken and Ms. Susan Paschell.

Dr. Dominic Geffken, MD, MPH, is the Program Director of the NH Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency, a community-based program at Concord Hospital that trains and educates future family physicians. Dr. Geffken partnered with the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness to start a program that delivers primary care services specifically to the unhoused population in Concord, which includes clients with mental illness. In addition, Dr. Geffken was the first family medicine clinician at the Concord Hospital Family Health Center to provide medication treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).

Susan Paschell helps individuals and groups navigate the legislative system and advance community-focused causes and missions. For more than 40 years, her work as a lobbyist and legislative specialist includes educating lawmakers on key issues impacting the community mental health system. In concert with her colleagues at The Dupont Group, Susan works with everyone from top executives to citizens who have never approached a lawmaker, to educate people on how state government works and how to best advocate for their own or community interests.

Community members, mental health advocates, local businesses, neighbors and friends will gather together at this year’s event ceremony to honor these two talented leaders in clinical practice and public policy.