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Derya Williams, M.A., C.A.P. - Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director.

She is a pioneer in the fields of HIV/AIDS Prevention/Intervention, and Substance Abuse Prevention/Intervention/Treatment services. She has served RRHS for more than 20 years. She has a Master of Arts Degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Alabama, Birmingham and is a Certified Addiction Professional in the State of Florida and is certified in Therapeutic Community Evaluations. In collaboration with the University of Miami Mrs. Williams studied briefly at Oxford University in the field of Evidence Based Medicine.

She began her career at RRHS in 1982 as a Monitor Technician at the residential treatment facility and soon moved into positions of even greater responsibility. Through her vision and expertise, the River Region AIDS Program serves as a national model for HIV/AIDS Outreach Services. Also under her leadership, the agency now offers a full scope of Treatment/Prevention/Intervention Services including Methadone Maintenance, in-patient/out-patient substance abuse counseling, AIDS Services, Court Services (in-jail), Mental Health Day Treatment, Overlay Services in Adult Living Facilities, and a Dual Diagnosis Program.

In addition, she serves the community at the local, state and federal levels. She is a founding member of the Minority AIDS Coalition of Jacksonville and Co-Chair of Ryan White Title I Mayor’s Health Planning Council and appointed to the Mayor’s Mental Health Task Force. She has been commissioned by the Governor to be a member of the Florida Biomedical Research Advisory Council and the State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision. Members of MAC and River Region have carried their commitment to fight the ravages of AIDS to the international arena through her participation in the US/South Africa HIV/AIDS International Network. They have traveled to South Africa with the Jacksonville Team Volunteers to fulfill their mission of education and training the trainers.

Mrs. Williams is a certified National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) trainer whose presentations are sought not only in Florida, but also throughout the nation. Mrs. Williams has been recognized for her many accomplishments here in Jacksonville, Florida and abroad with USA/SA/Africa, Inc.. She was a finalist for the Eve Award in 2003, received the National Association of Social Workers 2004 Public Citizen of Year, and recognized as a Woman of Influence by the Jacksonville Business Journal September 2004.

Mrs. Williams is married to Reverend Newton Williams and the mother of a son and daughter.

River Region employs experts in many fields who are available to speak to organizations throughout the region. To arrange a speaker from River Region for your next event, please call River Region's Communications Coordinator, Dan Murphy, at 899-6300, ext. 4116, or send him an e-mail with details about your event (location, date, audience, etc.)

River Region has been serving Northeast Florida since 1972.
Administrative Offices 2055 Reyko Rd., Suite 101 Jacksonville, FL 32207 Mental Health Services 3020 Warrington St. Jacksonville, FL 32254	Clinical Services 390 Park St. Jacksonville, FL 32204 Outreach Department 382 Park St. Jacksonville, FL 32204
Some programs are funded in part by Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies, including the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 11 programs accredited by CARF. Please report website problems to dmurphy@rrhs.org.