Nancy C. Speck, Ph.D
Professional Affiliations
Nancy has been a member of a rural regional community mental health
and mental retardation board of trustees for nearly 30 years. She was
appointed by her home county. She currently serves as vice-chair
of that board but also serves the Texas Council of MHMR Centers in
executive committee capacities, including two years as chair.
Nancy represents Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas on
the National Council Community Behavioral Health, Inc. for nearly 7
years and served in several executive committee positions including
First Vice Chair. Her decades of service to the mental health field,
public and higher education, and community economic development have
afforded her opportunities to work with many rural communities.
She currently serves as a co-chair of the Texas Strategic Health
Partnership MHSA Workgroup and as a consultant to The University of
Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and the Texas Health Institute.
NARMH Positions and Projects
Nancy's involvement with NARMH began in August, 2002 in Santa Fe, New
Mexico. She had just learned that the President’s New Freedom Mental
Health Commission would include rural issues as one of 16 priority
issues and was in Santa Fe to announce this news to NARMH and to visit
with members and learn more about the organization. As Chair of the
Commission Rural Subcommittee, she was eager to make contact with NARMH
and its leadership and include the expertise and wisdom that lies within
NARMH in the work of the Commission. Nancy was very gratified by the
openness and willingness by NARMH members to join the process and advise
the writing of the rural issues for the subcommittee of the Commission.
Rural Mental Health Involvement and Contributions
Nancy has traveled extensively throughout the United States regarding
the rural issues and goals of the President’s New Freedom Commission.
She has attended the NARMH national conferences since 2002 and been on
several programs. After the New Freedom Commission Report was released
in 2003, Nancy has joined other NARMH leaders in pushing for a SAMHSA
designated rural desk and the development of a National Plan for Rural
Mental Health (Behavioral Health). Both of these recommendations are
currently being addressed at the Federal level.
NIMH has continued to be supportive of research and initiatives in
the area of e-mental health. Again, many of NARMH’s leaders have been
her colleagues in encouraging the NIMH sponsored meetings and building
an even stronger relationship with NIMH and rural mental health needs.
Since January of 2006, Nancy has served on the NARMH Board as an
appointed member filling an unexpired term. She would like to continue
serving as a member of the NARMH Board and would encourage the policies
regarding research, workforce training, a national rural mental health
plan, high quality national meetings and building a larger and broader
network of individuals and allies for rural issues. She feels that
both her Texas responsibilities in the development of community
collaboratives as a focus of the Texas Transformation Grant and
opportunities to interact with national mental health leadership can
enhance the audience for the critical issues identified by NARMH members
and leaders.