Akio "Joe" Shimizu
Alameda County Mental Health Services
Oakland, CA
Akio "Joe" Shimizu is an active member of various mental health organizations within the Oakland area, including the California Mental Health Planning Council, the Mental Health Board of Alameda County and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) for Alameda County, where he most recently served as president. As president of NAMI, Shimizu supported and advocated for consumers, families and friends of people with severe mental illnesses. His goal is to improve the quality of life of all whose lives are affected by mental illness.
In 1996, he was appointed to the Alameda County Mental Health Board and has worked to bring mental health services to parity with other health services and to reduce the stigma of mental illness, particularly among Asians and other ethnic cultures. Shimizu also helped plan service delivery for the senior mental health program portion of Proposition 63, passed by California voters last fall.
Shimizu's community involvement in improving mental health services was inspired by his son, Terry, who lived with schizophrenia for 13 years before taking his own life in 1999. Shimizu's deep commitment and contributions to reform the mental health system reflect his hopes for recovery and empowerment.
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