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Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton will lead Wisconsin’s largest-ever observance of National Depression Screening Day, hosting events in Madison and Green Bay today. She will be joined by representatives of major employers and organizations to announce record-setting participation in employee depression screening. It’s estimated that as many as one million people in Wisconsin live with depression. Depression impacts their daily lives, their families, their ability to work, and their productivity. That makes it a tremendous drain on Wisconsin’s economy, because a healthy, happy workforce our workforce is our competitive edge, and we need a workforce that is healthy and happy.

Lt. Governor Lawton has organized a free, completely confidential online mental health screening as part of National Depression Screening Day, available at Lt. Governor Lawton’s website. National Depression Screening Day is designed to identify mental health concerns in the workplace in an effort to improve employee productivity and build a better workforce for Wisconsin.

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I came across an interesting editorial in the Capital Times about Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton. Before I go any further, I have to admit I hadn’t really done a lot of reading on Lt. Governor Lawton, so I didn’t realize just what an asset she’s been as a part of Governor Doyle’s administration. I suppose that’s in large part due to the fact that I had gotten so used to useless Lieutenant Governors - folks like Scott McCallum and Maragaret Farrow - who didn’t really do anything except occupy office space during their tenures as our state’s second in command.

Lt. Governor Lawton has been a leading advocate nationally on the issue of global warming, authoring and introducing a resolution to establish the commitment of state officials from across the country to combat global warming and invest in renewable energy. Lawton’s lobbying on behalf of her resolution secured support from Democratic and Republican lieutenant governors - a commitment that required Republicans to break with their president and many party leaders who continue to deny the science of global warming and refuse to respond with the urgency that is required. Even more impressive than her leading role nationally on global warming issues is the fact that Lawton was recently unanimously elected to serve as vice chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association, putting her in line to become the chair of that organization next year.

It’s nice to see a woman take a leading role in Wisconsin and nationally, and I personally look forward to seeing how far Lieutenant Governor Lawton’s star rises.

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