Federal Way Public Schools Alumni of Note
Kathleen Merriam
Statewide Clubhouse Coordinator at State of Hawaii Adult Mental Health Division
Federal Way High School
Graduate, Class of 1984
Kathleen Merriam still remembers her high school counselor who helped her find her path to college.
Merriam, a 1984 Federal Way High School graduate, recalls that her counselor guided her toward college preparation courses and introduced her to a program at Green River Community College that provided tuition reimbursement for those in student leadership positions. After earning her Associate of Arts degree, Merriam transferred to Western Washington University and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She later earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Hawaii.
These days, Merriam oversees ten psychiatric rehabilitation programs for the State of Hawaii. The programs are for people with severe and persistent mental illnesses and provide a variety of vocational, educational, and social opportunities in order to assist individuals with reintegrating into the community.
“I have always felt like helping others is a way of life versus a job,” Merriam said. “I am blessed to have my own mental health and want to help others. I had a very difficult time in my younger years and feel like I have been able to turn that experience around to be useful experience in helping others. I decided in high school to pursue a career in mental health administration so I could make the system better for people that try to get help.”
Merriam has enjoyed a long and productive career in various leadership positions in the mental health field. She has earned many awards, including the recent 2010 Government Leader Award from the Hawaii Mental Health Association. She serves as vice president of the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu and is married with two children.
Merriam offers the following advice to students: “From personal experience I want to be honest and state that the pressures are so incredible on a high student, whether it’s pressure to use drugs, to give into depression, to have sex, to skip school, whatever it is, try and stay true to your path of completing high school as successfully as you can. The moment you start to struggle, get some help. It takes a very strong person to get some help - it is not a weakness. There is help out there and if you don’t know where it is, someone does. Taking a negative, destructive path will have consequences forever and you deserve the right to get some help.”
To teachers and policy makers, Merriam offers the following advice: “In times of budget cuts, generally the student services or counseling offices get cut first. I would encourage you to see these services as essential and life saving. Teachers often provide counseling and mentoring in their role simply because issues come up and they need to react and respond. However, there are times when a trained professional is needed on site and this person can be a liaison to mental health providers, state resources or referral agencies. The counseling office also provides vocational services, which sets the stage for the future workers in our communities. Academics is the core but students are not able to function and grasp this if their troubles at home or struggles with drugs, relationships or mental health issues overwhelm their ability to focus.”