Sidney Shankman, M.D., Founder and President Emeritus
Date Posted: August 17, 2010
Dr. Shankman with Child of Client at Mellwood Women and Children’s Facility
Message from Founder of Second Genesis Upon His Retirement(click below)
Message_from_Founder_of_Second_Genesis.doc
Dr. Sidney Shankman was the Founder and President of Second Genesis, Inc., a non-profit drug and rehabilitation program with residential and out-patient centers serving Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.
Over the last 40 years, Second Genesis successfully treated thousands of men and women, including pregnant women, women with their children and adolescents with their families.
The work of Dr. Shankman and that of Second Genesis, Inc., an exceedingly successful rehabilitation model established in 1969, had been presented at the World Health Organization and in numerous special television and media reports. A renowned expert in his field, Dr. Shankman had testified as a congressional consultant for the House Committee on Crime, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency.
Dr. Shankman had given invitational lectures in England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, and Israel. He had also served as a consultant regarding drug abuse policy for the governments of Israel and the United Kingdom. A special report of his work had been broadcast worldwide by the British Broadcasting Company. In turn, Second Genesis played host to many international visitors who wished to observe and learn from this highly successful treatment model.
Considered a leading authority on behavioral disorders, Dr. Shankman was asked to present a key paper before the American Bar Association. The services and professional opinions of Dr. Shankman were frequently sought by a variety of judges and legal authorities who recognize therapeutic and rehabilitative intervention as a viable alternative to incarceration.
Dr. Shankman had served as an advisor to the Governors of Maryland and Virginia. He had been a consultant on drug abuse to the Mayors and County Executives of all local jurisdictions in the Washington, D.C. area. He had been a guest lecturer at major universities and had supervised psychiatric residents at the Children’s National Medical Center in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, formerly known as the Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. He served as a consultant and lecturer at the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program at the School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University. That program brought mental health specialists from all over the world to train at various facilities offering chemical abuse treatment.
First Lady Nancy Reagan with Dr. and Mrs. Shankman
Dr. Shankman was appointed by former President Ronald Reagan to serve as an advisor to the White House Office of National Drug Abuse Policy and had served as consultant to many of the member nations of the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities (WFTC), which served as the voice for the Therapeutic Community movement to other segments of worldwide treatment, prevention and research of chemical abuse. Dr. Shankman had been appointed to serve on the Executive Council of the WFTC, a non-governmental organization in consultation status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and served as the Chairman of the International Scientific Committee of the World Federation. In September 2006, Dr. Shankman received the worldwide organization’s Harry Scholl Award, which “cites the outstanding leadership from within the ranks of the world body in advancing its goals, evidenced distinguished leadership both in the WFTC as well as in his/her own region”. A reception was held at the United Nations.
In recognition of his achievements in successful treatment and rehabilitation, Dr. Shankman was named Washingtonian of the Year by Washingtonian Magazine and was awarded the Benjamin Nichols Award by the Medical Society of the District of Columbia: “in recognition of outstanding contributions toward improving the health of the community”.
Upon the occasion of its 100th anniversary, the Maxwell House Coffee Company conducted a nationwide search for “100 Real American Heroes”. Dr. Shankman was one of those selected “for his contributions to his community and his heroic efforts in helping to save the lives of hundreds of young people”.
Sidney Shankman, M.D. with First Lady Barbara Bush
The Caron Treatment Centers (serving the Greater Philadelphia area, Washington, D.C. and Greater New York area) has taken a leadership role in recognizing individuals or organizations within the communities they serve. At the Award Ceremony, June 2007, Dr. Shankman received the Medical Professional Award – Physician “to honor those who, through their efforts, have unselfishly committed themselves to heighten awareness, promote prevention and deliver treatment as an alternative to the pain of addiction to alcohol and other drugs”.
Dr. Shankman received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College, Columbia University. A former Memphian, he obtained his Medical Degree from the University of Tennessee. After completing a residency in adult psychiatry, he was awarded a Kennedy Foundation grant for study in mental retardation at Letchworth Village in New York. In addition, he was awarded a government grant and completed a Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Children’s Hospital, Washington, D.C. From 1964 to 1966, while completing his military duty at Ft. Meade, MD, he served as Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Kimbrough Army Hospital, Ft. Meade, MD. From 1966 to 1969 he was Director of Mental Health Clinic of Alexandria, VA.
Dr. Shankman at Opening of Baltimore, Harford Road, Facility
Dr. Shankman is a Fellow of the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Orthopsychiatric Association, the Medical Societies of Alexandria, Virginia, The District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Maryland, and the State of Virginia. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
He has been recognized in various biographical indexes: Who’s Who in America, the Dictionary of International Biography, as well as La Societe International de Who’s Who.
On December 31, 2008, Dr. Shankman retired from his leadership role at Second Genesis, thus ending his successful 40 year tenure. He delivered this final message,
Message_from_Founder_of_Second_Genesis.doc
to residents and Board members of Second Genesis. The Board of Directors unanimously bestowed the title: “Founder and President Emeritus”.
To download this biography, please click the link below:
Graduate Speakers at the 2007 A New Beginning Gala with Dr. Shankman
