Mental health has always been a very personal issue for my family and I.  In fact, I made improving our mental health system a cornerstone of my administration while I was Governor.

Individuals with mental illness are our brothers and our sisters, our mothers and our fathers.  They are our sons and daughters, our neighbors and our colleagues.  And, yes, our husbands and our wives.

The battles that they wage every day within themselves, the very personal and often debilitating battles, have too often been ridiculed or ignored.

The work of the Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma is invaluable in terms of exposing these negative stereotypes and lighting the path to recovery for countless individuals.  It is my hope that this council will be the torch bearer that breaks down the wall between myth and reality to create an open and honest public dialogue.