Liz Mathis has advocated for Iowans

For State Sen. Liz Mathis, the well-being of Iowans has always come first.

Her 27-year career in journalism put her in a unique situation. She was able to meet Iowa residents firsthand, listen to them and tell their stories to all of us.

Sen. Mathis left her journalism career to contribute to the community in different ways. She joined Horizons Family Services as a part of a leadership team that administered mental health counseling for children and families.

In 2008, she began working at Four Oaks, a children’s mental and behavioral health nonprofit. She saw how entire families were affected by mental health, in their jobs, education and personal relationships.

As a children’s mental health advocate, she visited the state Capitol and noticed that legislators were not talking about, nor adequately funding children’s mental health. There was no formal system that interconnected all available services. So she ran for the state Senate in order to speak up for children and their families.

Over the 10 years she has served, Senator Mathis worked to bring mental health leaders together and led the charge for landmark legislation that created a Medicaid system that is fair to the mentally ill and their providers.

A lifetime of service to Iowa’s citizens has been a hallmark for Sen. Liz Mathis. The U.S. House of Representatives needs someone like her to advocate for Iowans so they can live healthy and thriving lives.

Helane Golden

Cedar Rapids