History

After reading an Op/Ed piece in The New York Times by Andrew Solomon calling for an aggressive national effort to treat mood disorders, Mr. Wiegers met with national experts including Dr. Marshall Thomas. Their collaboration resulted in a donation to the University of Colorado School of Medicine to establish what is now the CU Anschutz Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center.

The center was created specifically with the goal to better understand, identify and treat people with depression, bipolar disorder and other mood disorders. Mr. Wiegers also funded the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC), solidifying his stature as a pioneer in mental health care.

In 2015, a $10 million donation from the Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation led to the naming of what is now the CU Anschutz Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center. These generous gifts have created the most comprehensive approach in the Rocky Mountain region to care for people with mood disorders.