Timberlands honors a founding father

Fred Johnson wears many hats. He was Wahkiakum County’s Prosecuting Attorney for 30 years, he continues to practice law, he is the assistant fire chief, a deacon in the Catholic church, and now he is being honored as one of the instrumental links in the chain of getting the Timberlands Regional Support Network started in Wahkiakum County.

Timberlands is responsible for the state’s public mental health system operating in Pacific, Lewis and Wahkiakum County regions, said Bill Hardy, TRSN administrator. In 1989, the state legislature passed ‘mental health reform,’ which created the regions.

From the beginning, Johnson was a delegate on the governing board in Wahkiakum County, Hardy said. The state contracts through TRSN for mental health services for those on Medicaid or low income. The network will then in turn provide services through licensed mental health centers.

Johnson, humbled by the honor said that while working on the board, he learned humility and hope by working with the clients. The progress he has seen is inspirational and humbling.

“It’s been an honor and privilege working with TRSN,” Johnson said. “Some of us who don’t have as many things to struggle with can really learn lessons from the clients who overcome so much to achieve a lot in their lives and do so much good.”

Working with TRSN over the years, Johnson said he learned what hope is really about. It’s about not taking no for an answer. When the network was formed, he said people were turned off by the idea and would say the county was too small.

“But we didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and here we are 13, 14 years later still providing services,” he said.

Johnson choked up slightly as he thanked TRSN Executive Coordinator Sandy Everman.

“She isn’t only passionate about doing her work, but I can tell she is passionate about the needs of her clients and making sure clients were served as best we can,” he said.

Johnson said he believed the TRSN to be in good hands to carry on the tradition of hope.

“I just want to thank everyone that is here,” Johnson said, adding his wife, Tammy, “who is always an inspiration to me.”