Bruce Johnston, longtime judicial mental health advocate for Hamilton County, is retiring on Friday. Johnston served the county for 15 years.

Since 2008, Bruce Johnston is the guy who can be counted on in a time of need.

This Thursday, you can give kudos to Bruce for a decade and a half of service to Hamilton County by way of a retirement party. The gathering, which is open to the public, is slated for 9 a.m. on Thursday at the multi-purpose room of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, located at 2300 Superior Street in Webster City.

“I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to do this,” Johnston said, reflecting on his time with Hamilton County. “This has been so important to me, and I’ve made a real commitment to it on a professional and personal level. I’ve been very fortunate to serve for the past 15 years.”

Being a Judicial Mental Health Advocate, Bruce has worked with people who have been ordered by the court to participate in treatment for serious mental health concerns.

This process is made of assisting the person in understanding the commitment process, reviewing the person’s medical records, safeguarding the person’s rights and communicating effectively with medical personnel and the court system.

“Overall, we appreciate everything that he’s done,” said Jerry Kloberdanz, on behalf of the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors. “He’s done a great job.”

Johnston was one of the many people featured in the “There’s Hope for Mental Health” magazine, which was released by the combined efforts of Hamilton County Public Health and the Daily Freeman-Journal last August.