The Distinguished Service Medal is awarded for an employee’s – or group of employees’ – work conduct with the Department for a period of months or years, or involvement in a specific assignment of unusual benefit to the Department.
2025 Distinguished Service Recipient
Dr. Morgan Elias, Chief of Mental Health
Kern Valley State Prison
Over the past two years, Dr. Morgan Elias has transformed veteran services at Kern Valley State Prison, establishing programs and resources that did not previously exist.
She created and implemented the Veterans Healing Veterans peer mentorship program and specialized therapy groups, while expanding access to critical mental health care for incarcerated veterans.
Her initiatives connected veterans with community organizations, improved access to VA benefits, and addressed barriers to reentry through education, housing support, and specialized treatment.
These efforts have given incarcerated veterans the tools to heal, regain purpose, and successfully reintegrate into society.
Dr. Elias’s leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment have set a new standard for veteran services in the correctional system, positively impacting countless lives.
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