RICHMOND The Virginia House of Delegates today (2-15) unanimously passed a resolution commending Judith Hines, of Leesburg.

Hines was honored in January by the Loudoun Times-Mirror as their Citizen of the Year for 2008.  She is the president of Friends of Loudoun Mental Health, and has worked to improve the lives of the mentally ill for more than 20 years.  In 1983, she helped found the Loudoun Alliance for the Mentally Ill, and helped implement several of their programs.

Two specific examples of these programs are Family to Family and In Their Own Voices.  Family to Family is a program in which families of people with mental illness help other families, and In Their Own Voices provides training to people with mental illness so they can go out and speak about their illness.

A strong advocate for freedom of the press, Hines was instrumental in the creation of the Newseum in 1996.  She is also involved with the Freedom Forum, a group which advocates free speech and freedom of the press.

Hines also touches many lives through her involvement with Saint James United Church of Christ in Lovettsville, in particular the churchs mission programs.