Rachel Hutzel Prevention Partner Award – This award is presented to an individual who has contributed to the advancement substance use/misuse prevention by developing community prevention capacity, implementing new or innovative prevention strategies, and demonstrating positive impacts and measurable outcomes in their community. 

Maritza Maldonado-Dyer
Addiction Services Council

Maritza is a Clinical Specialist/Addiction Counselor Assistant at the Addiction Services Council. She has been serving the Hispanic/Latino Community in Cincinnati OH, for 18 years and is currently a member of the Greater Cincinnati Latino Coalition, Apoyo.  

Maritza is dedicated to providing valuable resources which empower and impact the families she serves. She believes in the power of prevention. Maritza understands how providing adequate research data and teaching parents how to recognize the signs of substance use can ultimately decrease high-risk choices and reduce the rate of substance use in youth.

In 1993, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Rafael Hernandez awarded Maritza the Domestic Violence Awareness Award. In 2009 she received the Hamilton County Community Action, Bridge Builders Award and was recognized by the Ohio General Assembly as a key leader in the Hispanic/Latino community in Cincinnati.

Maritza is honored to be a PreventionFIRST! partner and thrilled that this partnership creates an opportunity for her to provide prevention information and trains in Spanish to the community that she loves and respects.