Dallas County District Attorney Susan Hawk has announced she is once again seeking treatment for depression.
On Monday, her office said Hawk is seeking inpatient medical care at a facility in Arizona.
Her office released a statement that Hawk wrote.
"Under the guidance of my doctors, today I’m entering a treatment facility in Arizona that specializes in mood disorders. Mental illness is a fluid and dynamic disease that calls for unexpected and prolonged treatment. Like the tens of millions of Americans that suffer from mental illness, I did not choose this disease, but I am choosing to treat it aggressively and openly in an effort to provide transparency from our office, and to encourage others living with similar struggles to be proactive in treatment and not live in shame.” said Judge Hawk. “I’m committed to making my health the top priority so I can honor my commitment of service to Dallas County. I’m blessed to have the continued and steadfast support of my leadership team and colleagues at the DA’s office, and I thank them for their hard work in serving our citizens in my absence.” Hawk continued.
Hawk's office said she has remained under the care of mental health professionals and will continue to do so as they collaborate to determine an effective treatment plan, which will include a timeline for her return back to the District Attorney’s Office.
"I think when she's healthy, she's effective," said Wade Emmert, former Dallas County Republican Party Chairman. "In fact, I think she's one of the most effective DAs we've had in a long time."
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When Hawk first announced she was going to seek treatment for depression again, there were some calls from her political opponents for her to step down.
"The question that I have, and I think many citizens have is, is the DA's office – the stress and pressures of that office – do they contribute to her condition or not," Emmert asked. "Only Susan Hawk can answer that question."
It is not clear what prompted this hospitalization. It's her third since taking office in January 2014.
