HR0786

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are saddened to  learn of the death of
Dr. Terra 
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Thomas, who passed away on October 12, 2007; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas was born on October 16, 1947 in 
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Easton, Maryland; she attended Morgan State University, where 
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she was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. since 
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1977; she received her doctorate in psychology from Adelphi 
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University; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas had a long and distinguished 
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career in the medical profession; she began working for Human 
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Resources Development Institute, Inc., an agency that provides 
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behavioral health services, in 1978 as a child psychologist; 
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she became the institute's President and CEO in 2004; she 
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served as an associate faculty member at Northwestern 
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University Medical School's Institute of Psychiatry, where she 
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provided clinical supervision to the institute's staff and 
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graduate students; she also served on the boards of the 
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Illinois Alcoholism & Drug Dependence Association, the 
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Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois, the 
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International Council of Alcoholism and Addiction, the 
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Governor's Task Force for the Consolidation of the Departments 
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of Substance Abuse and Alcoholism, and the Corporate Council on 
 


 






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Africa; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas traveled around the world as a 
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medical consultant; she served as a technical advisor to the 
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Ministry of Health of South Africa; she served as an expert 
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trainer for the United Nations Drug Control Programmes in 
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western Africa and as a trainer in Cultural Competency for 
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various diverse populations; she was a consultant for the 
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presidents of Zambia, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Liberia; she was 
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a representative for the United States Office of Drug Control 
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in Peru; she also served as an expert consultant and trainer to 
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the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the Center for 
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Substance Abuse Prevention in the United States and the Virgin 
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Islands; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas was a designer and trainer for 
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various HIV/AIDS outreach, prevention, and education models 
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since 1984; she was a co-founder of the AIDS Foundation Chicago 
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and the Midwest Training and Education Center; she was also a 
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founding member of the Illinois AIDS Advisory Board; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas was an active member of the 
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Apostolic Church of God; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Despite her busy schedule, Dr. Terra Thomas always 
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found time to spend with her family and always supported their 
 


 






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activities; she was well known as the children's biggest fan; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas is survived by her sons, Rheaves 
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and Brooks; her brothers, Ronald Thomas, Dwayne Thomas, and 
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Albert Nash; her grandmother, Nellie Leatherberry; her 7 nieces 
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and 2 nephews; her 4 aunts and 3 uncles; and a host of cousins, 
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friends, and associates; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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mourn, along with her family and friends, the passing of Dr. 
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Terra Thomas; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Dr. Terra Thomas as an expression of 
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our sympathy.