Las Vegas Mayor Goodman Sets Up Dusty May Mental Health Center

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Oscar Goodman, a mayor who led Oscar’s steakhouse as a restaurateur, lawyer, and politician may have made a lasting legacy to the Las Vegas landscape in an announcement made last Friday, March 24, 2023. Goodman, who has served two terms as mayor of Las Vegas, announced a new mental health center named after the former Las Vegas police officer, Dusty May. May, who also served as a U.S. Marshal and worked with the New York Police Department, took his own life in 2021. The suicide of May, who was a Las Vegas police officer for over 20 years, gained national attention. Mental health has been in the national spotlight in the wake of the suicides of celebrities including Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, former Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated the military's suicide rate has increased more than double since the year 2001.

A news conference was held by Goodman at the Las Vegas City Hall last Friday at 10 a.m. The room was filled with police officers, family members of police officers, and community members. Former U.S. Marshal May received two purple hearts for his military service and was a graduate of West Point Military Academy. May was hired by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 1989, was promoted in 2010 to the rank of sergeant and served as a member of the SWAT team.

The Dusty May Mental Health Center, which will be located in downtown Las Vegas, will provide a variety of services to people with mental illness, including counseling, therapy, and medication management. The center will also offer support groups and other resources for people with mental illness and their families.

Goodman said the center is needed to address the growing problem of mental illness in Las Vegas. He said that the city has seen a sharp increase in the number of people with mental illness in recent years, and that the city needs to do more to help these people.

The center is expected to open in 2025. The city has already received a $50,000 matching grant from the state of Nevada. The city is still seeking additional funding for the center.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness, please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or visit their website at www.nami.org for more information.