HR0786 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0786 LRB095 14066 GRL 39918 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

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

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

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

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

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

WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas was an active member of the Apostolic Church of God; and

WHEREAS, Despite her busy schedule, Dr. Terra Thomas always found time to spend with her family and always supported their activities; she was well known as the children's biggest fan; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Terra Thomas is survived by her sons, Rheaves and Brooks; her brothers, Ronald Thomas, Dwayne Thomas, and Albert Nash; her grandmother, Nellie Leatherberry; her 7 nieces and 2 nephews; her 4 aunts and 3 uncles; and a host of cousins, friends, and associates; therefore, be it

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

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