Children's Mental Health Chief 'Knighted' by Community Group

Yael Koenig, right, HHSA Children's Mental Health chief, receives the Sir Henry Tarke award from Henry Tarke, left. The award is presented to a public administrator who makes a difference for children and families who receive services from publicly funded agencies.The San Diego Family & Youth Roundtable has its own version of the famous Knights of the Roundtable and Yael Koenig, chief of HHSA’s Children’s Mental Health, was recently given the elite honor of being knighted by the local organization.

The group inducted Yael into their local Knights of the Roundtable when they presented her with the Sir Henry Tarke Award, presented to a public administrator who makes a difference for children and families who receive services from publicly funded agencies.

Those honored have contributed to ensuring public services are responsive to the needs of the families, youth, and children they serve, and have proven to show compassion and kindness to those they serve.

If the name sounds familiar, it is because the award was created last year, in honor of the former Assistant Deputy Director of Children’s Mental Health, Henry Tarke. Tarke was on hand to present the award to Yael, who will in turn, present to next year’s winner. One of the duties of being a knight is the responsibility to review nominations and select the next year’s winners.

The San Diego Family & Youth Roundtable is an independent family- and youth-led organization, run by and for families and youth who have received services from public funded agencies that serve children and families. Their goal is to promote excellence in these agencies by building partnerships with them to enhance their policies, programs and practices.

According to legend, the Knights of the Roundtable are known to be the most noble and chivalrous of all knights, with the table itself a symbol of equality and brotherhood, allowing for each person to be at equal seating. The Family & Youth Roundtable’s awards are given to four “Knights” each year. In addition to the public administrator category, awards are given to a family/youth leader, a community-based organization, and a researcher.