Daily Herald honored for addiction coverage

The Daily Herald was honored Wednesday for its in-depth coverage of addiction and substance abuse recovery by TASC Inc., a prominent nonprofit agency that coordinates treatment.

TASC, or Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities, gave its first Public Voice Leadership Award to the Daily Herald "for its outstanding leadership in advancing the public dialogue around addiction and other complex health and social issues."

Timothy C. Evans, chief judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, received the agency's Justice Leadership Award for his "outstanding leadership in providing innovative treatment alternatives."

The awards were presented at the agency's 30th anniversary luncheon at Chicago's Intercontinental Hotel.

Pamela F. Rodriguez, TASC's executive vice president, said the Daily Herald's reports on addiction, underage drinking and treatment alternatives to incarceration heighten community awareness and illustrate the human consequences of these conditions.

TASC is an independent, statewide group whose employees work with people struggling with addiction and other health concerns who are referred to them by criminal justice and child welfare agencies.