A Democratic Austin city council member announced Monday that she is taking a mental health leave — the second Texas Democrat to do so this month.
Natasha Harper-Madison began a 60-day leave from the Austin City Council on September 25, citing her struggle with depression and anxiety.
“I am writing to inform you of a necessary step I must take in the interest of my well-being and ability to serve our community effectively,” she wrote in a statement. “Service is in my heart, as I know it also is for all of you. This year has been extremely challenging for me. I live with depression and anxiety. Thankfully these issues can be treated with focused care.
“I understand the importance of our work and the commitments we have made to our constituents, and I assure you that my decision to take this leave has not been made lightly. I have every intention of returning to my duties in good health with renewed energy and dedication to continuing to serve District 1 and the entire Austin community.”
The decision comes roughly two weeks after another Texas Democrat, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, announced she is extending her mental health leave for clinical depression. Hidalgo, considered a rising star in the Texas Democratic Party, according to The Texas Tribune, went on leave in July and was scheduled to return to work in September. The leave was extended to October 2.
A statement from Hidalgo said she was discharged from a mental health facility on September 16 but was advised to take her time before returning to work.
“The way my doctors explained re-acclimatization to me is that you would not go from heart surgery straight to running a marathon, in the same way that they do not want me to go straight back to my usual schedule,” she said in a post on X.
The topic of mental health has gained traction this year, especially among Democratic leaders. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in February for clinical depression. The move came one week after he was hospitalized for complications in his recovery from a stroke.
“After what he’s been through in the past year, there’s probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John,” his wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, said in an email, reported The New York Times. “It’s not easy for anyone to be open about mental health challenges. But I am so proud of him for asking for help and taking steps to get the care he needs.”
