JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It was a time when people did not want to talk about mental health issues, let alone seek help for themselves or a family member.
Yet Dr. Michael Solloway worked to guide people and organize community help.
Now people are mourning his loss as a pioneer in the mental health community of our First Coast.
Born in 1938, Dr. Solloway, his family said, died as a result of an accidental fall.
"There was a stigma that existed in Jacksonville and everywhere around the country" when the entire topic was taboo," retired CEO of Baptist Health Hugh Greene told First Coast News.
Dr. Solloway started moving people from a point where they felt "ashamed" and embarrassed to talk about mental health to a position of true support and medical attention.
Greene said Dr. Solloway would never accept applause or credit or any recognition for his groundbreaking work, but people in the mental health community know he was invaluable.
Greene says Dr. Solloway's name kept coming up over and over when Baptist Health was trying to organize its mental health care.
Dr. Solloway was the first Medical Director of Psychiatry and a founder of the Behavioral Health Services at Baptist Health.
His obituary lists some of his other major achievements:
His volunteer service ran deep, serving many local agencies including MHA of NE Florida, JAMI, NAMI, YCC, WeCare, Daniel Memorial, Florida’s Children First, St. Augustine Youth Services and various Jewish agencies and boards including Jewish Federation and Foundation of NE Florida. A former USAF Captain, he got his degree from The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He also started several grass-roots support groups for families struggling with Mental Illness.
Dr. Solloway is survived by former wife, Bonnie L. Solloway and their children Crystal L. (Darin) VanGundy and Stephen K. (Courtney) Solloway.