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LITTLE ROCK—Ginger Beebe doesn’t like public speaking but will put aside her nervousness to speak on behalf of children with mental-health problems.

“I can do this,” she says after speaking Wednesday to families and advocates, developing a statewide support system for young people with behavior problems. “It’s just such a little thing to do to raise awareness.”

Mental-health concerns are a priority for Arkansas’ first lady, partly because of the suicides of her son-in-law and a personal friend.

After she moved into the Governor’s Mansion a year ago, she toured the state to better understand what families face in dealing with mental illness. She met with 80 families in 37 counties and passed along what she learned to a new governor’s commission on children’s behavioral health.

Wednesday, she reminded her audience at a Children’s Mental Health Summit that she is still listening.

The state currently is moving away from institutional care for children with behavior problems toward family and community support systems. The Arkansas Department of Human Services recently approved a $500,000 grant to strengthen local mental-health programs for children and provide family support and training.

With the funds, a coalition of nonprofit groups working with the governor’s commission and other government agencies is creating a statewide online database that families and community groups can tap into for help and support for their troubled children. The online system also will include chat groups and information on medical specialists.