[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 155 (Saturday, December 19, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. KEITH F. OLSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Saturday, December 19, 1998

  Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an 
extraordinary constituent of Colorado's Fourth Congressional District, 
Dr. Keith Olson, on his retirement from the Larimer County Mental 
Health Center (LCMCH). I am privileged to know and have worked with 
such a talented public servant, dedicated professional, and father.
  After 24 years of service in Larimer County, Dr. Olson's legacy is 
one of leadership, compassion, and professionalism. He began his tenure 
with the LCMCH in 1974 as a mental health clinician. Exhibiting the 
talent and hard work characteristic of his entire career, Dr. Olson 
soon moved into roles of greater responsibility, beginning with the 
coordination of the Intensive Management Team, and culminating with the 
top post at LCMCH: Executive Director. Under his eight-year guidance, 
the Center attained widely recognized excellence. The many accolades 
include: 1998 Agency of the Year (Columbine Chapter of the National 
Association for the Dually Diagnosed); the Joel Webber Award for 
Excellence in Health Care (El Pomar Foundation Awards for Excellence 
for Colorado non-profit organizations); national recognition from the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency for the center's Project Rebound, a 
program assisting the victims of the disastrous 1997 Ft. Collins flood; 
and the National Association of Counties named the Center's volunteer 
program one of the top ten in the nation. Clearly, Dr. Olson inspired 
the LCMCH to achieve outstanding service to the Ft. Collins area.
  While these accomplishments would not have been possible without Dr. 
Olson, he is the first to say they could not have happened without the 
interest, enthusiasm and care of his colleagues at the Center and 
throughout the community. Moreover, the greatest reward for the LCMCH, 
for the community and for Dr. Olson, was making a substantial 
difference in the lives and families of men and women suffering from 
mental illness.
  What makes Dr. Olson truly remarkable is his commitment to the mental 
health profession above and beyond the call of duty, and his devotion 
to the community and his family. He has created and developed a large 
number of agreements, partnerships, programs and non-profit 
organizations. Through these partnerships, Larimer County reaches out 
to provide access to essential mental health services for the Medicaid 
population in northern Colorado, give the developmentally disabled 
population much-needed mental health and psychiatric services, treat 
children and youth in schools, provide on-site service to needy 
families. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to note, Dr. Olson 
accomplished all of these things with just 50 percent of his hearing. 
Dr. Olson's contribution to the mental health profession, to the people 
of Larimer County, and to the State of Colorado will be missed.