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MENTAL HEALTH FLAG TOUR STOPS IN KENTUCKY Kentucky Becomes 22nd Stop on Nationwide Tour
The following press release is from
the Lieutenant Governor Stephen Pence's website: Lieutenant Governor Stephen B. Pence
Press Release Date: March 25, 2004 Contact: Ryan Watts (502) 564-2611
Kentucky becomes the 22nd stop on nationwide tour
Frankfort, KY: Lieutenant Governor Stephen B. Pence joined lawmakers and mental health advocates today to officially welcome the Mental Health Flag Tour to Kentucky. During the ceremony, Lieutenant Governor Pence signed the mental health flag and presented the Worthens with Kentucky Colonels in front of dozens of supporters.
The National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) initiated the Mental Health Flag Tour to raise public awareness about mental health issues. In addition, the NLGA chose Kristy Worthen, native of Little Rock, Arkansas, to design the flag that will fly over all 50 state capitols. In January, President George W. Bush signed Kristy’s flag during a stop in Arkansas.
“It is an honor to welcome the Worthens to Kentucky,” said Lieutenant Governor Pence. “Their moving story and captivating mission inspire us to address the importance of mental health in Kentucky.”
Kristy and her mother, Mary, are national advocates for mental health issues. Kristy Worthen suffers from bipolar disorder or manic depressive illness, which causes fluctuating mood and behavior. Although there is no cure, there are now effective treatments. People with bipolar disorder and other major mental illnesses can recover and lead happy and productive lives. The Worthens have embarked on a nationwide journey to educate the public about this issue. For more information about Kristy Worthen and the flag tour, please visit http://www.netmountain.net/kristyworthen.
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The following article is from NAMI-Kentucky
at From: JPD737@aol.com As a member of the NAMI ARMI, you are invited to the launch of the Campaign for the Mind of America in Kentucky. We are working to coordinate this event with the presentation of the Mental Health Flag in Frankfort on March 25 at 10:45 A.M. At that time, mental health advocates from across Kentucky are being invited to be at the Capital Rotunda to hear the presentation of the mental health flag created by Kristy Worthen, a NAMI Arkansas consumer. Kristy and her mother, Mary, will be presented with Ky Colonel certificates by the LT. Governor Steve Pence. Key legislators on the HB843 Commission are scheduled to attend as well. Advocates from NAMI National are scheduled to join us as we celebrate recent victories in the budget and work to ensure these allocations for mental health and substance abuse treatment are maintained. Following the ceremony, there will be opportunity for those in attendance to contact their legislators about the budget and the need for mental health funding and other important pieces of legislation that have not yet been passed. Later the afternoon of the 25th, Kristy and Mary Worthen are scheduled to be introduced in each chamber of the legislature. You are welcome to be on hand with us to celebrate the flag and mental health! A bus will be available for those interested in attending from the Louisville area. A note will be sent out on that shortly. Please join us! Jim Dailey From the website of the Kentucky's Cabinet for Families and Children at http://cfc.ky.gov/pipeline/2004/0326/CHFS%20NEWS%20MARCH%2026%2004.asp Kentucky welcomes Mental Health Flag Tour A mental health flag designed by Kristy Worthen, an artist from Arkansas who also has bi-polar disorder, is making its way around the country with the goal of being flown over every State Capitol this year. This is a national initiative sponsored jointly by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the National Lieutenant Governors Association to raise public awareness about mental health issues such as bi-polar disorder that can be successfully treated with new medications. Lt. Governor Steve Pence received and signed the flag from Kristy and her mother in the Capitol Rotunda on March 25. This event filled the Rotunda and brought together legislators, Kentucky Commission on Services and Supports for Individuals with Mental Illness, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Disorders and Dual Diagnosis (HB 843) Commission members, consumers, family members, mental health advocates, and providers to rally around the importance of addressing mental issues in Kentucky. Kentucky is the 22nd state to fly the flag, representing mental illness issues that seriously affect people throughout the world. It is estimated that one of every three households in our nation is touched by mental illness and perhaps more. "I would go so far as to say that almost every household in America is affected by mental illness in one way or another – whether it’s their family or they know someone whose family experiences these issues," said James W. Holsinger, Jr. MD, Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. In addition to remarks made by the Lt. Governor, Dr. Holsinger, and the Worthens, Rep. Mary Lou Marzian and Sen. Dan Kelly also spoke, citing the work and impact of the HB 843 Commission. For more information about Kristy Worthen and the flag tour, visit http://www.netmountain.net/kristyworthen. To learn more about mental health issues, visit http://mhmr.chs.ky.gov/MH/ or www.nami.org. The following is from the "Kentucky Mental Health Counseling Assocation's Adcocacy, Actions, and Advancements!" at: http://www.kmhca.org/Kentucky%20Mental%20Health%20Counseling%20Association-5-3.htm By Angelia S. Bryant, Ed.D, NCC, CCMHC, LPCC Mental Health “Rally in the Rotunda” On March 25th, 2004, NAMI Kentucky hosted the “Shedding Light Tour” featuring Kristy Worthen in the Capitol Rotunda. Kristy designed a flag, which she hand-painted to create awareness of mental health issues. Ms. Worthen suffered for seven years without help with her diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The lighthouse on the flag represents the assurance of help and hope that she could live a better life through treatment. A press conference was held in the Rotunda as Lt. Governor Steve Pence spoke and signed the flag before it was flown above the Kentucky Capitol. An address by NAMI representatives highlighted the mental health needs in Kentucky in NAMI's Campaign for the Mind of America. An in-depth report on mental health entitled, “The State of Mental Health Services in Kentucky” can be found on our web site at kmhca.org The following article is from: http://www.northkey.org/northkey/live/index.asp?s=news&p=main Rally in Frankfort March 25, 2004 A hopeful contingent of NorthKey representatives, along with other Northern Kentucky community members, boarded a bus bound for Frankfort March 25 and joined others from across the state in an effort to secure mental health and substance abuse funding threatened by state budget cuts. The day was marked by two main events: an afternoon caucus meeting between the Northern Kentucky group and local legislators, and a rally and ceremony in the capitol Rotunda where Lt. Gov. Steven Pence signed the newly created Mental Health Flag. NorthKey’s Vice President of Development and Community Relations, Gary Goetz, along with other NorthKey employees, several consumer advocates and Northern Kentucky Independent Health Department representative, Alan Kalos, presented information to legislators about increased demands for services and the disparity in mental health funding per capita Northern Kentucky has experienced over the years compared to other regions in the state. Spirits were dampened slightly when State Representative Charlie Walton, of the 66th District and chair of the Northern Kentucky Legislative Caucus, told the group that cuts would likely come in the State budget and other forms of funding should be considered. “You’ll have to look at other options due to the budget crisis here,” Walton told the group. He suggested finding federal grant dollars and looking for ways to be more efficient. State Rep. Tom Kerr, of the 64th District, concurred with Walton and suggested looking for ways to enhance local support for services, since all of those dollars would stay within the region. Expressing a different perspective was Jon Draud, State Rep. of the 63rd District. He encouraged the group to continue educating legislators about the very real needs of the educational and human service systems so they understand that additional revenues are needed to support the level of service and quality of education that will benefit the community. As for Northern Kentucky’s under-funding, Walton agreed. “There does need to be some changes and people here (in Frankfort) pushing for equity and a fair share of what we deserve.” But Walton and the other legislators in attendance were not hopeful that any new legislation impacting funding in a positive way would be passed during the current state session. The number of legislators that attended the meeting did generate some
hope, however, among the Northern Kentucky group. Goetz believes the most important information the legislators gained
was seeing 11 individuals who cared enough about mental health and substance
abuse treatment issues to make the trip to Frankfort. Rosemary Metzger, a NorthKey consumer-advocate and employee of Recovery
Network, said she, too, was encouraged by the turnout of legislators. During the rally in the Rotunda, mental health supporters held signs
reminding legislators they would not be silent on mental health and substance
abuse issues. But the highlight of the rally was the signing of the mental health flag
by Lt. Gov. Pence. The flag was designed by Arkansas consumer, Kristi
Worthen, and has been signed by 23 Lt. Governors across the country and
by President Bush. Worthen said she made the flag as a tribute to “family, friends, health care providers and all who work hard to ensure the mentally ill get the help and medications that are right for them.” After relating his own family members’ struggles with mental illness,
Secretary of Health and Family Services, James Holsinger, told the crowd
of about 150 of his support of mental health issues. Speakers at the rally also voiced support for Senate Bill 64, which would provide around the clock screening for mental illness in jails, and House Bill 107, which would raise the cigarette tax and funnel more funding into mental health and substance abuse services. Goetz said he believes the rally helped to show legislators that “real
people” are impacted by mental illness and these “real people”
deserve appropriate treatment and resources. |
Copyright 2003 Kristy Worthen
Designed by Angelique Zeigler at NetMountain.Net
