Springfield’s New City Manager David Cameron Makes Mental Health a Priority After Personal Loss and Shocking Local Stats

When David Cameron stepped into the role of Springfield, Missouri’s 14th City Manager on July 7, 2025, he didn’t just bring a resume packed with $1.4 billion in infrastructure wins—he brought a quiet, unshakable mission: to stop people from disappearing in silence. His appointment, confirmed by a 5-4 City Council vote on May 27, 2025, wasn’t just about budgeting or permits. It was about survival. Because in Greene County, more than half the men between 25 and 62 have thought about ending their lives in the past year. That’s not a statistic. That’s a neighborhood. That’s your cousin. That’s the guy who fixes your car on weekends.

Why He Walked Away from the Announcement

Cameron missed Springfield’s official unveiling on May 15, 2025—not because he was late, but because he was at a mental health retreat. The city’s own news release called it a "previously scheduled" commitment. No apologies. No excuses. Just a man who refuses to pretend self-care is optional. "I didn’t just set boundaries for myself," he told KSMU News in an interview on May 15. "I made them part of my contract. Because if the boss is always on, who’s going to believe it’s okay to log off?" His employment contract, first read on May 19, 2025, and approved days later, includes explicit language protecting his personal time after 5:00 p.m. No emails. No calls. No guilt. He’s not asking for special treatment—he’s modeling it. "People go to the gym," he said. "Some people go to a mental gym. And I think it’s very important that they do."

A Crisis No One Talks About

The 52% figure—cited by KSMU News Director Michele Skalicky—isn’t just alarming. It’s unprecedented. No state or national dataset comes close. In most U.S. counties, suicide rates hover around 15–20% among men in that age group. In Greene County, it’s more than double. And the numbers don’t show the quiet ones—the fathers who stop playing with their kids, the mechanics who start skipping shifts, the veterans who stop answering texts. Cameron, born and raised in the Ozarks, knows this landscape. He’s seen it. He’s lost people to it. And now, as the city’s top administrator, he’s turning grief into policy. "This isn’t a national problem," he told reporters. "It’s local. And local problems need local solutions."

From Republic to Springfield: A Proven Track Record

Before Springfield, Cameron ran Republic, Missouri’s city government for over a decade. There, he didn’t just cut red tape—he rewrote it. He slashed permit turnaround times by 60%, created 3,000 jobs, and oversaw the development of the Garton Business Park and an Amazon fulfillment center. But what set him apart wasn’t the money. It was the culture. In Republic, he introduced mandatory mental wellness check-ins for city staff. Managers were trained to recognize burnout. Employees could use up to five days a year for mental health without needing a doctor’s note. The result? A 37% drop in voluntary resignations and a 42% increase in internal promotion rates over four years. "I didn’t invent this," Cameron said. "I just believed it mattered enough to put it in writing."

What Comes Next

Now, he’s bringing that playbook to Springfield. His plan: rewrite the city’s employee handbook by October 2025 to include paid mental health days, peer support networks, and confidential counseling access—all without stigma. He’s working directly with Mayor Jeff Schrag and the City Council to fund it through existing wellness grants and reallocated administrative savings. "We’re not adding another program," Cameron explained. "We’re changing how people feel when they walk into City Hall. If someone’s struggling, they shouldn’t have to choose between their job and their sanity." The backlash? Predictable. Four council members—Bruce Adib-Yazdi, Brandon Jenson, Monica Horton, and Craig Hosmer—voted against him, calling the mental health provisions "unnecessary" and "costly." But Cameron’s supporters point to a simple truth: you can’t lead a city if your people are breaking.

The Ripple Effect

This isn’t just about city workers. It’s about the message it sends to every small business owner, teacher, and firefighter in town. When the city’s top official prioritizes mental health publicly, it chips away at the stigma that’s held this region back for decades. Local nonprofits like the Springfield Mental Health Alliance have already reached out, offering to co-develop training modules. And the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (9-8-8) is being promoted in all city communications, with QR codes now appearing on parking tickets, utility bills, and public transit cards. Cameron’s leadership style—"disruptive," as Mayor Schrag calls it—isn’t about grand speeches. It’s about small, stubborn acts of humanity. Showing up for yourself. Saying no. Taking a day off. And letting others know it’s okay to do the same.

Why This Matters Beyond Springfield

America’s rural and midsize cities are facing a silent epidemic. Suicide rates in non-metropolitan areas have climbed 40% since 2018, according to CDC data. Yet few leaders are willing to tie their personal pain to public policy. Cameron is. And that’s why this isn’t just a local story. It’s a blueprint. If a city manager can turn grief into policy, maybe other towns can too.