Career caring for underserved populations earns Bill Lehault the Dr. Norman A. Campbell Award for Ethics and Excellence
The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy presented alumnus and officer of the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps CAPT. Bill Lehault ’09 with the Dr. Norman A. Campbell Award for Ethics and Excellence in Healthcare, honoring his contributions to pharmacy and health care in general in the region and across the country.
Lehault has dedicated his career to providing and advancing the care of some of the most underserved patients in the country: the incarcerated, those suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders, and those who identify as transgender and non-binary. He serves as the chief pharmacist and an advanced practice clinical pharmacist for the Bureau of Prison’s Federal Correctional Institute Otisville in Otisville, NY.
“Bill’s professional career is marked by performance above and beyond expectations,” Campbell said. “This is especially noteworthy in his attention to the mental health needs of a marginalized population he serves.”
Lehault, who earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from URI, developed the pharmacy review protocol for the federal Bureau of Prison’s Secure Mental Health Units and Transitional Care Units, and he coordinates the review of all pharmacy records during those facilities’ inspections. He drafted the bureau’s Clinical Guidance Documents for Bipolar Disorder and Gender Affirming Clinical Care, and served as an author or reviewer for five additional mental health guidance documents. He is a member of the bureau’s Transgender Clinical Care Team and Transgender Utilization Review Advisory Board, and consults on psychiatric and gender affirming medications.
“Throughout his illustrious career, CAPT. Lehault has displayed unwavering dedication to improving the lives of his patients,” URI Pharmacy Dean Kerry LaPlante said in presenting the award. “His leadership and expertise have been instrumental in guiding policy and patient care for over 150,000 inmates across 122 facilities nationwide. Moreover, Capt. Lehault’s influence transcends institutional boundaries. As a published author and sought-after speaker, he has shared his knowledge and insights on psychiatric medicine at numerous conferences and universities, shaping the discourse and inspiring future generations of healthcare professionals.”
Additionally, Lehault serves as an adjunct clinical associate professor for the URI College of Pharmacy and has served as an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience preceptor and lecturer at five universities. He has been published in multiple national journals and has been an invited speaker at numerous conferences and universities on psychiatric medicine.
“It is an incredible honor to be selected for this award,” Lehault said. “There are two reasons this award holds such significance to me. First, any recognition is only as significant as presenting body; I hold Dr. Campbell and the URI College of Pharmacy faculty in the highest of regards. Second, the criterion for this recognition falls more on who the recipient is and not what the recipient has achieved. The longer one lives, the more we understand the importance of that distinction. Thank you to Dr. Campbell, Dean LaPlante, Associate Dean Orr, and to all the URI facility for this recognition and truly for so much more.”
Lehault was presented with the award on March 14, during the 39th annual Seminar by the Sea Northeast Regional Conference presented by the URI College of Pharmacy Office of Continuing Professional Development. The flagship professional development conference hosted by the College brings health care professionals from around the region to Rhode Island for discussions of the most pressing issues facing the industry. This year’s conference, “Mental Health Triad: Caring for Our Patients, Ourselves, and Each Other,” was delivered both virtually and in person on March 13-15 at the Newport Marriot, and offered valuable continuing education units for pharmacists.
Named for URI College of Pharmacy Professor Emeritus and former Associate Dean Norman Campbell, the Campbell Award honors those like Lehault who have displayed high ethics and integrity over the course of their pharmacy and health care careers.
“This award was created to honor individuals in the healthcare profession who have shown a profound dedication to the well-being of society,” LaPlante said. “Through courageous and extraordinary words and actions, recipients serve as role models for future generations of healthcare professionals. Recipients, during times of tumultuous situations, will stand as beacons guiding healthcare to remember that mankind is our business.”