OLYMPIA -- A 26-year veteran mental health worker with broad experience at the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has been selected as the new Mental Health Services Chief for the Mental Health Division.

David B. Weston, who has worked for DSHS as a clinician, administrator, and manager who served as Acting Mental Health Services Chief for the past six months, has worked in nearly every phase of mental health services in Washington State. He spent nine years at Western State Hospital and 10 years with the headquarters staff of the Mental Health Division.

Known for a quiet but knowledgeable voice, Weston has a reputation for his competence and extensive experience, with a broad range of contacts in the mental health delivery networks at the county and local levels across the state.

"David has been an invaluable member of the mental health team in DSHS," said Mental Health Division Director Richard Kellogg. "He has a broad grasp of all the current issues in mental health, he understands budgeting and legislative deliberations, and he is equally adept with state contracting issues and the information technology that the entire field of health care relies on."

As Chief of Mental Health Services, Weston will direct implementation of programs and new services at the state level. He also will monitor the division's county and local partners who provide outpatient and inpatient services under community mental health programs.

Weston holds a Master's in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. He received a B.A. degree from Denison University in 1971.

Most recently, he spent four years as Senior Mental Health Program Administrator, working with community and state psychiatric hospital services and helping implement legislative initiatives.

Previously, Weston worked for six years as a Mental Health Program Administrator, coordinating with civil and forensic services at the state's three psychiatric hospitals and working with involuntary treatments and mentally ill offenders in the correctional system.

Earlier, Weston worked as an administrative and legislative liaison at the state's Special Commitment Center for sexual offenders and as Superintendent of a similar center at Monroe for sexually violent predators.

He began his government service as a social worker in New York, Kentucky, and Oregon, before joining the staff at Western State Hospital in 1981.

ASSIGNMENT EDITORS/PLANNING EDITORS: An electronic photo of David Weston is available by request from stevejh2@dshs.wa.gov For more information or background, contact Jim Stevenson, HRSA Communications Director, at 360-725-1915 (pager: 360-971-4067)