Mental health nonprofit hopes to top $100K with annual walk
Late Gov. Dreyfus' daughter-in-law to chair fundraiser
Susan Dreyfus is a lifelong Republican whose resume includes serving as administrator of the state Division of Children and Family Services under former Gov. Tommy Thompson.
But political affiliation hasn't kept Dreyfus from pushing for better mental health insurance coverage in Wisconsin, an effort that remains stalled in part because of opposition from business interests and their GOP allies in the Legislature.
Wisconsin is one of only eight states in the nation that lacks mental health parity, requiring that mental health be covered the same as other illnesses.
"If we are going to have a serious discussion about health care reform in this country we need to include mental health in that," said Dreyfus, daughter-in-law of the late former Gov. Lee Dreyfus.
Dreyfus lost her own father to suicide following a long bout with depression and noted that many, many families are impacted by serious conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
"Mental health is a nonpartisan issue," she said Wednesday during a kickoff for third annual National Alliance on Mental Illness Walk. "None of us are immune."
The fundraising event for the NAMI Dane
County is scheduled for Sunday Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. at Olin
Park.
The 5K charity walk raised $85,000 last year with organizers looking to top the $100,000 mark in 2008.
Dreyfus, who now serves as executive vice president for strategy at Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc, is honorary chairperson of the 2008 NAMI Walk. That role was filled in 2007 by Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin.
The Capital Times is a Gold Sponsor for the event, along with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and Department of Psychiatry.
Becker Law Office LLC of Madison sponsored the kickoff luncheon at Blackhawk Country Club.
Among the attendees Wednesday was Corinda Rainey-Moore, a clinical team manager at the Mental Health Center of Dane County and president of the nonprofit group's board.
Rainey-Moore said much stigma and misunderstanding remain regarding mental illness, especially among blacks.
"It's something that rarely gets talked about and is almost never discussed in the African-American community," she said.
NAMI estimates that one in four adults, or 57 million Americans, will experience a mental health disorder in a given year. One in 17 Americans lives with a serious condition like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression.
More than 600 walkers participated last year. For more information visit http://www.nami.org/namiwalks/WI/Dane or call 249-7188.
