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Gladstone marks Mental Health Awareness Month; NAMI and new interim superintendent address council
Summary
Mayor Milch proclaimed May 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month. Dave Hunt of NAMI Clackamas outlined free peer and family classes and local services, and Dr. Karen Gray introduced herself as interim Gladstone superintendent and described priorities for city–school collaboration.
Mayor Michael Milch read a proclamation declaring May 2026 Mental Health Awareness Month and invited a NAMI Clackamas representative to brief the council on available services.
Dave Hunt of NAMI Clackamas thanked the mayor and council and highlighted free local supports: weekly peer and family support groups, eight-week peer-to-peer and family-to-family classes, one-on-one peer-support specialists (the fourth was hired that day), volunteer opportunities (131 volunteers last year), and a NAMI Clackamas theater-night fundraiser on June 25 to support programming. "We have lots of amazing opportunities for people to not just recognize... the importance of mental health awareness, but actually to take action for ourselves and those we care about," Hunt said.
The council then welcomed Dr. Karen Gray, the interim Gladstone School superintendent, who outlined the importance of city–school partnerships to support students through shared facilities, health and dental services, workforce connections, and community-school models. Dr. Gray thanked council members and said collaboration can improve outcomes, enrollment, and economic resilience.
Councilors and community members praised local partnerships and upcoming school bond planning referenced during the discussion. The presentations were informational; no formal action was taken.
