Dartmouth Health's VP of psychiatric, emergency services receives mental health advocacy award

AJ Horvath
AJ Horvath, Dartmouth Health's VP of psychiatric and emergency services

Alexander J. "AJ" Horvath, Dartmouth Health's vice president of psychiatric and emergency services, was recently honored by West Central Behavioral Health (WCBH) with its 2025 Lilla McLane-Bradley Award for Mental Health Advocacy. Horvath was selected by WCBH for the award for his outstanding commitment to mental health access and advocacy. 

"I am both honored and humbled by receiving this award from WCBH, and it will be an everlasting reminder for me of the importance of living life with passion and drive to have a positive impact on people, systems, and community beyond ourselves," Horvath said.

The Lilla McLane-Bradley Award was established to honor the legacy of Lilla McLane-Bradley, a dedicated mental health advocate who played a foundational role in the growth and development of WCBH. This award serves to inspire future generations of leaders, volunteers, and advocates in the field of mental health and substance use.

"AJ has been a tireless advocate for mental health, working to bridge the gap between community members and the resources they need," said Lori Shibinette, president and CEO of WCBH. "His dedication to improving outcomes for individuals and families struggling with mental health challenges is truly commendable."

About Dartmouth Health

Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire’s only academic health system and largest private employer, serves patients across New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,300 providers in nearly every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH. Its network of hospitals, outpatient centers, clinics and home care facilities, spans a broad geographical area. Year after year, DHMC is named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and is consistently recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes Dartmouth Cancer Center, northern New England’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and one of less than than 60 total nationally; Dartmouth Health Children’s, which includes the state’s only children’s hospital (Children’s Hospital at DHMC/CHaD) and more than 20 locations around the region; eight member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene, Claremont, Hampstead, and New London, NH, and Windsor and Bennington, VT; Dartmouth Health Home Care; Dartmouth Health Connected Care Center for Telehealth, serving patients as far away as Texas; and more than 30 primary and multi-specialty clinics across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its partnership with Dartmouth College, Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and the White River Junction VA Medical Center, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials with international impact. Dartmouth Health and its more than 16,000 employees are committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in the communities it serves and to providing every patient with exceptional, state-of-the-art, personalized care. Learn more at dartmouth-health.org.