By HEATHER BAUGHMAN

baughman@crescent-news.com

ARCHBOLD -- A familiar face was back in the four-county area Thursday afternoon to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week. Former Four County ADAMhs Board CEO Bill Harper, who is now the assistant director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health, spoke during a luncheon in Archbold about the strides that have been made in the mental health industry over the past 40 years.

Harper was the featured speaker during the third annual Celebrating Recovery luncheon, an event designed to bring together people who are recovering or have recovered from a mental illness and their support system including family, care workers and those involved in the mental health profession.

Each day, the challenges that professionals and individuals suffering from a mental illness face increase, Harper said.

In his early years as a social worker, Harper recalled days when paperwork was optional, medications were limited and state hospitals were the answer for people with mental illnesses. "That system is gone," he said. Though significant changes have been made for the better and people with mental illness are now living and working in their communities, Harper said there are still three demands on the mental health profession that he, at the state level, is continually working to improve.

People want things for free, they want things to be perfect and they want things now, he said.

These three goals are in the works, but "We all have the responsibility for transforming the mental health system ... and we all need to participate," Harper said to the gathered crowd.

Held at Ruihley Park in Archbold and sponsored by Four County ADAMhs Board, the luncheon was attended by more than 100 individuals.