HOUSE MEMORIAL 93

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Gail Chasey

A MEMORIAL

REMEMBERING PATRICK FRANCIS TYRRELL AND HONORING HIS OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO SOCIAL WORKERS AND NEW MEXICO.

     WHEREAS, Patrick Francis Tyrrell, a social worker, educator and activist, was a leader of the effort to enact the state's Social Work Practice Act and was a tireless advocate on many fronts, including repeal of the death penalty, the rights of Native Americans and children and behavioral health care for all New Mexicans; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick was a graduate of his beloved university of Notre Dame and received a master of social work degree from Loyola university and master's degrees in education and public administration from the university of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick was married to his wife, Maiya, for thirty-seven years; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick was a fifth grade teacher at Saint Joseph school, an elementary school in Winslow, Arizona, and then a social worker in Shiprock, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick was also the director of the Los Alamos council on alcoholism, where he established new programs to address problems of chemically dependent high school students in Los Alamos county; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick also developed and delivered a community-based substance abuse program, which received the prestigious governor's award for exemplary substance abuse prevention programming; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick was appointed executive director of the national association of social workers, New Mexico chapter, in March 1987, and he held that position until his retirement in December 2015; and

     WHEREAS, in 2003, Patrick was a part of major unemployment reform efforts, and in 2004 and 2005, Patrick helped to organize campaigns that significantly reduced cuts to medicaid; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick collaborated with health action New Mexico to pass the landmark Patient Protection Act, guaranteeing managed care consumers a bill of rights; and

     WHEREAS, along with the New Mexico human needs coordinating council, Patrick advocated successfully for the establishment of a public housing trust fund; and

     WHEREAS, in 2009, Patrick played a significant leadership role with the New Mexico coalition to repeal the death penalty, resulting in the end of capital punishment in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick served on many boards of nonprofit organizations, including the New Mexico human needs coordinating council, health action New Mexico, the New Mexico alcohol program directors association, the New Mexico coalition to repeal the death penalty and the southwest behavioral health independent practice association; and

     WHEREAS, in April 2017, Patrick received a lifetime achievement certificate of appreciation for his commitment, dedication and loyalty for his nineteen years of service on the board of directors at la familia-namaste; and

     WHEREAS, throughout the years, Patrick developed close working relationships with New Mexico legislators from both sides of the aisle to educate them on social work issues and their impact on New Mexicans and to help draft legislation to remedy those issues; and

     WHEREAS, in New Mexico, there are now social workers in the house of representatives and in the senate who have benefited from Patrick's mentorship and encouragement to take advocacy to the next level; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick was a pillar in the social work community and was greatly respected as a leader and an invaluable resource to his colleagues and students and to legislators; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick was a mentor to many social work students, was a believer in people and fought for the greater good with his unwavering conviction that, together, social workers could make things better for everyone; and

     WHEREAS, Patrick died on September 1, 2017, and he will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved him;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Patrick Francis Tyrrell be remembered and honored for his significant public service contributions to New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the family of Patrick Francis Tyrrell and the New Mexico chapter of the national association of social workers.

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