MENTAL HEALTH FLAG TOUR STOPS IN NEBRASKA
February 6, 2004

Gov. Johanns Raises Flag for Mental Health Awareness
New Release from the website of Nebraska Gov. Johanns

(Lincoln, NE) Gov. Mike Johanns raised a mental health flag today at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln as part of a public awareness campaign spearheaded by the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) to increase awareness and understanding of mental illness and give those who struggle with mental illness hope and encouragement.

The mental health flag was designed and hand-painted by artist Kristy Worthen of Salem, Ark., a woman with bipolar disorder. It features a lighthouse shining a beam of light over the water and contains the inscription “Shedding Light on Mental Health Issues.”

Worthen joined Gov. Johanns and Lt. Gov. Dave Heineman at the flag-raising along with her mother, Mary, and Colleen Wuebben, executive director of the Nebraska Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI).

Gov. Johanns said, “It is time to tear down old stereotypes and recognize the dramatic advances in mental health treatment that enable many people with mental illnesses to lead productive lives. I’m proud today to raise Kristy Worthen’s mental health flag on behalf of the NLGA to draw attention to the courage of those who struggle with mental illness and give them hope.”

The flag has flown at state capitols in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas and also in Washington D.C.

Gov. Johanns said, “It’s wonderful that so many states are realizing the importance of providing for the needs of people with mental illnesses. It is my hope that this event will further underscore the need to address the inadequacy of our current system of mental health services. The time has come to offer mental health services statewide so people with mental illnesses can obtain treatment close to their families and communities where they receive the support that we know is so important to recovery.”

Lawmakers will soon begin debating the Governor’s proposed reform of Nebraska’s behavioral health system. The Governor seeks to provide an array of mental health services in each region of the state to reduce the hardship on families currently separated by long distances when a loved one is diagnosed with an illness.

Kristy meets Nebraska's Governor Mike Johanns	Governor Mike Johanns speaks on mental health
Kristy Worthen speaks on mental health issues during Nebraska's mental health flag ceremony	NAMI Nebraska speaks on mental health
Gov. Johanns signs mental health flag	Lt. Gov. Dave Heineman signs mental health flag
Gov. Johanns, Kristy Worthen, and Mary Worthen	Lt. Gov. Heineman, Kristy Worthen, and Mary Worthen
Gov. Johanns, representative from NAMI-Nebraska, Mary Worthen, Kristy Worthen and Lt. Gov. Heineman
Signatures on Mental Health Flag

Article from the Kim Foundation Improving Lives Through Mental Health at http://www.thekimfoundation.org
Gov. Johanns Raises Flag for Mental Health Awareness - February 6, 2004, 10:00 a.m. CT

Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns has initiated a mental health refrom initiative for the State of Nebraska. In his letter to the citizen's of Nebraska on September 15, 2003, Governor Mike Johanns writes,

"...Behavioral health issues are a serious problem in Nebraska. It's estimated that 67,700 adults in our state have a serious mental illness. Collectively, behavioral health disorders are the most prevalent health problem in America today – more common than cancer, lung disease and heart disease combined.

It's important to remember that people with mental illnesses have the same needs and rights as everyone else. As with other illnesses, with appropriate treatment, people can recover, lead productive lives and make valuable contributions to their communities...

...It takes state and local governments working with faith-based and community organizations, consumers, behavioral health providers and others to create accessible and effective systems of behavioral health care.

We must continue to work together to build a "Nebraska United"; that creates a better future for our children and families and helps ensure that people young and old in need of behavioral health services get appropriate care."

To read more on the State of Nebraska's Mental Health Reform Initiative, visit: http://www.gov.state.ne.us/mentalHealth/index.html . You can also visit Governor Mike Johanns site at www.gov.state.ne.us

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