Michael Richards sometimes finds himself telling people, “I’m not your typical lobbyist.” But in fact, that’s exactly what he is.

The term “outside special interests” gets bandied about a lot, but the national Club for Growth is the real deal. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Club for Growth has distanced itself from the national group’s efforts to kneecap Tommy Thompson.

In interviews with mental health advocates and county and state officials, the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism found that Wisconsin’s public mental health system — once viewed as a national model — has become fragmented and underfunded. And many experts fear that as Gov. Scott Walker moves to close the state’s budget deficit, the mental health system will be weakened even further.

Educational resources and statistics; suicide prevention tips; crisis lines and other places to seek help. Includes links specific to Native American suicides.

More than 65 percent of depressed mothers don’t get adequate treatment for depression, according to a nationwide study released this fall by the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. The study of 2,130 women found that black, Hispanic and other minority mothers, as well as uninsured mothers, were among the least likely to be helped.