She said Gibbons had dedicated his career to fostering the BYU social work program, bridging the distance between social work and the BYU community and closing the gap between a religious institution and a socially liberal profession. The NASW will recognize Gibbon's contributions to mental health awareness and distinguish his influence in the profession of national social work.
Gibbons is a co-author of Utah's first comprehensive mental health grant.
The grant was written at the request of Utah Gov. Calvin Rampton in 1965. It led to involvement in the establishment of the Central Utah Community Mental Health Center, which is now Wasatch Mental Health. Gibbons is the former director of BYU's School of Social Work. He was the first permanent social work educator hired in a permanent teaching position and charged with providing leadership for the development of the undergraduate and master's programs. His efforts led to accreditation of BYU's social work programs.