05/22/2026
A message of appreciation for our Mental Health Matters! Employee Resource Group (ERG) from Keith Ozols, ODHS Director of Vocational Rehabilitation and Executive Sponsor of the Mental Health Matters! ERG:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As executive sponsor of Oregon Department of Human Services Mental Health Matters! Employee Resource Group, I want to personally thank the ERG's leadership and members for the care, compassion and guidance you bring to our agency and our communities.
Mental Health Matters! was created to help foster a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and free from the stigma often associated with mental health challenges. Today, it has grown into our largest ERG, with more than 450 members dedicated to encouraging understanding, resiliency and wellness across ODHS.
What inspires me most is the impact this group continues to make beyond our workplace. Through community outreach and partnership efforts, Mental Health Matters! has directly supported more than 4,000 people in Oregon in the past year alone. One example that stands out is their effort to provide kinetic tools to foster families and children across the state. With our Office of Equity and Multicultural Services (OEMS), they helped over 400 people access these resources that support emotional regulation, comfort, and well-being at local ODHS offices.
Being part of this ERG is deeply personal to me, and I am truly grateful for the time, energy, and heart our members contribute. Your work helps create a culture where people feel seen, respected, and supported - and that matters.
Thank you for all you do.
