Okaloosa County, Florida – Vice Chairman Carolyn Ketchel was among three community leaders recently recognized by Bridgeway Center for her decades of service to advocate for improved access to mental health. The Mental Health Hero Award was presented to Vice Chairman Ketchel, State Representative Patt Maney, and Crestview Mayor J.B. Whitten during the Bridgeway Mental Health Celebration & Walk event at Liza Jackson Park on Friday, May 16, 2025.
“I truly appreciate this recognition,” said Vice Chairman Ketchel. “It has been a calling for me to help improve the mental health needs of our community over the years, and we could not make progress without the close collaboration of Bridgeway and our community leaders like Rep. Maney and Mayor Whitten. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I have seen tremendous progress in addressing the needs of the many people who need help and counseling through challenging times.”
During her years as a Social Worker, Vice Chairman Ketchel has worked on the macro-level, assisting in passing legislation on Social Security, child welfare and foster care. Vice Chairman Ketchel was previously awarded the 2020 Presidential Advocacy Award by the Florida Association of Counties for her tireless work advocating for the citizens of Okaloosa County and her role in creating the Mental Health Diversion Program with fellow community leaders.
