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Ramsey County declares Aug. 12 'Sue Abderholden Day' as NAMI Minnesota director retires
Summary
At its Aug. 12 meeting the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners presented a proclamation honoring Sue Abderholden for more than two decades leading NAMI Minnesota and named Aug. 12, 2025, in her honor. Commissioners and colleagues praised her role in mental-health policy changes and community partnerships.
The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners presented a proclamation on Aug. 12 declaring the day "Sue Abderholden Day" to honor Sue Abderholden, outgoing executive director of NAMI Minnesota, as she prepares to retire after more than two decades leading the statewide advocacy group.
The proclamation, read at the board meeting by Commissioner Jevan Singh, credited Abderholden with policy and advocacy achievements that staff summarized in the text given to the board. It noted her role in requiring mental-health training for educators, reducing use of seclusion and restraint in schools, protecting children from being forced into child-protection systems to access care, reforming civil-commitment laws, expanding mobile crisis services and limiting solitary confinement for people with mental illness in prisons.
Board members and fellow advocates said Abderholden helped expand parity laws, increase access to culturally responsive services, and build a stronger mental-health workforce. The proclamation listed awards recognizing her work, including a health-equity award from the Minneapolis Health Department, a national advocacy leadership award from the National Council for Behavioral Health, and a Distinguished Citizen award from Macalester College.
"It has been an incredible path for me," Abderholden said after receiving the proclamation. She told the board the most important lesson is that "change can happen" and that "the voices of the individuals impacted by mental illnesses ... are the ones that help create change." She thanked Ramsey County for its partnership and noted NAMI Minnesota's long local history.
Commissioners and community leaders at the meeting spoke about Abderholden's long career mentoring advocates and shaping policy across education, health care, housing and criminal justice. The proclamation text and remarks at the meeting described her as central to building collaborations among individuals with lived experience, families, providers, legislators and other public-health leaders.
The county formally recorded the proclamation at the meeting; no board action or vote on county policy was associated with the ceremonial recognition.
Ramsey County's proclamation names Aug. 12, 2025, in Abderholden's honor and thanked her for her service to the state and county.
