U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, has been named this year’s “behavioral health champion” by the National Council for Behavioral Health.

The organization’s senior vice president for public policy, Charles Ingoglia, said Begich was honored “for his persistent, passionate and powerful leadership on behalf of individuals with mental illnesses and addiction, as well as organizations that care for them.”

Begich and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., co-sponsored the Mental Health First Aid bill, which is designed to help identify mental illness and safely address crisis situations.