FM Library hosts national mental health expert

Posted

BY PCC STAFF

FORT MADISON - In her book, “Sentenced to Life: The Mark Becker Story”, Joan Becker shares her families experiences that served as the catalyst for her to become an advocate and public speaker for individuals with mental illness. Her focus is to open the doors and promote change in our mental health system. Joan will be sharing her story at the Fort Madison Public Library on Tuesday, July 25 beginning at 5:30 pm. This free program is open to everyone, no registration required.

Joan Becker lives in Iowa with her husband of 36 years, David Becker. They have three sons, Brad (Jackie), Scott (Nikki), and Mark. She and Dave believe God wants them to share their family’s story about Mark and the experience their family had coping with Paranoid Schizophrenia in the hope that it will help other families, caregivers, and professionals understand how they can make a difference in moving forward and improving our mental health system.

Mental health and treatment for mental illnesses are an important topic for discussion across the county. One in five adults, or roughly 600,000 Iowans, live with some form of mental illness. About 37,000 grapple with serious mental illness daily. On top of that, nearly 60% of adults with a mental illness didn’t receive mental health services in the previous year. It’s time to provide support, educate our communities, and end the stigma of living with a mental illness.

Joan speaks regularly to colleges, churches, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) groups, high schools, communities, and mental health service providers. She has also been interviewed by newspapers, TV stations and radio programs across the country.

For additional information about this program, contact Sarah Clendineng, (319) 372-5721, HYPERLINK "mailto:SarahClen@fortmadison.lib.ia.us"SarahClen@fortmadison.lib.ia.us.

ABOUT FORT MADISON PUBLIC LIBRARY – The Fort Madison Public Library's mission is to connect residents with materials for reading, viewing and listening enjoyment and to provide access to genealogy and local history materials.

fort madison, July 25, Library, mental health, Pen City Current, speaker

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here