[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 184 (Wednesday, October 20, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING ROB WEISS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 20, 2021

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Rob 
S. Weiss in recognition of his 25-year career at Mentis, Napa's oldest 
non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable bilingual 
mental health services.
  Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Mr. Weiss earned his 
bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of California, Los 
Angeles (UCLA) in 1989. He then entered UCLA's Master of Social Welfare 
(MSW) program, where he received his graduate degree in social welfare 
in 1995 and became a licensed clinical social worker. Early in his 
career, Mr. Weiss discovered a passion for helping those struggling 
with their emotional and mental health. In 1996, Mr. Weiss began 
working at Mentis, providing therapy and supportive structure for 
adults living with mental illness. As a result of Mr. Weiss' dedication 
and service, he was promoted first to clinical director and then to 
executive director of the agency in 2011. His tireless work and 
stewardship of the agency is reflected in the growth of the population 
Mentis serves each year, which has grown from a few hundred people a 
year to over 3,500 individuals.
  In addition to aiding those with mental health illnesses, Mr. Weiss 
has dedicated time to support youth through coaching youth sports. His 
holistic philosophy to coaching has provided hundreds of young athletes 
with the mental and emotional skills to face challenges both on and off 
the court.
  Mr. Weiss' numerous leadership roles include serving on the 
Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center's Committee on Community 
Benefits to measure progress of the Center's community outreach health 
initiatives. Mr. Weiss has also served on the Adventist Health 
Community Health Needs Assessment Steering Committee to better 
understand the needs of his community. He is a member of both the Napa 
County Aging Population Initiative, a group dedicated to supporting 
older adults in Napa County, and the Community Leaders Coalition, a 
group that supports vulnerable populations in Napa County.
  Madam Speaker, it is evident that Mr. Weiss has worked endlessly to 
serve the most vulnerable individuals in our community. Therefore, it 
is fitting and proper that we honor him here today.

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