>> CATHY: THERE IS A NEW HEAD OF THE MENTAL ADVOCACY GROUP, NAMI, AND HE'S FOLLOWING UP THE DECADES-LONG TENURE OF SUE ABDERHOLDEN.

HE'S ON THE TAIL-END OF HIS FIRST HUNDRED DAYS IN THE POSITION AND JOINS US NOW.

NEW NAMI MINNESOTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARCUS SCHMIT.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANKS FOR THE INVITE, CATHY.

>> Cathy: GOSH, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE TWIN CITIES, WHICH IS A AWFUL LOT.

THERE IS A LOT OF FEAR, AND ANGER, DOES THIS FEEL LIKE COVID, IN TERMS OF HOW PEOPLE ARE HANDLING THINGS, TO YOU?

>> IT DOES.

VERY MUCH SO.

AND I WAS WEARING A DIFFERENT HAT AT THE TIME.

AND, YEAH, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING TRAUMA, BEING RETRAUMATIZED, PARENTS ARE HAVING REALLY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH KIDS.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CHILDREN RIGHT NOW THAT ARE EXPERIENCING ISOLATION AND WE KNOW THAT THE AFTERMATH OF THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY REALLY DIFFICULT.

>> Eric: DOES THE STATE HAVE THE -- OR THE FEDS HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE?

PROVIDERS NOT GETTING ENOUGH MONEY BACK OR THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PROVIDERS?

HOW DO YOU SEE THE INFRASTRUCTURE HANDLING THIS?

>> WELL, I MEAN, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, ERIC.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT IT'S REALLY GOING TO TAKE IS A LOT OF COLLABORATION, RIGHT, AS WE THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF FRAUD ON OUR HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAMS IN THE STATE, WE THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS I.C.E.

OCCUPATION AND HARASSMENT, AGGRESSION AGAINST MINNESOTANS AND A LOT OF MINNESOTANS WHO ALREADY ARE STRUGGLING TO ACCESS RESOURCES.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT REALLY BEHOOVES US TO GET STATE LEADERS, GET PROVIDERS, LEGITIMATE PROVIDERS TO THE TABLE AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD, HOW CAN WE NOT ONLY FOCUS ON IMPROVING PROGRAMS AND DELIVERY OF SERVICE BUT HOW CAN WE REALLY THINK ABOUT SYSTEM DESIGN, AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT'S LONG OVERDUE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH IN MINNESOTA.

>> Cathy: YOU USED TO -- SUE ABDERHOLDEN USED TO SAY, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> I AGREE.

WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM.

WE KNOW IT WORKS.

BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON -- ADVOCACY, AWARENESS, AND ACCESS.

AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN JUST FUNDING.

WE NEED TO INVITE MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONVERSATION.

GENERATE AWARENESS, GET PARENTS AND SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THESE RESOURCES AND WE REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THOSE CHALLENGES THAT ARE NOT JUST IN THE TWIN CITIES BUT IN GREATER MINNESOTA AS WELL.

>> Cathy: GETTING BACK TO THE KIDS, BECAUSE YOU MENTION THE KIDS THAT ARE REALLY HAVING TROUBLE BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH I.C.E.

THERE ARE GRANDPARENTS WATCHING RIGHT NOW AND PARENTS, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?

HOW DO YOU TAMP DOWN THE FEAR THAT SOME OF THESE LITTLE KIDS HAVE AS THEY WATCH THEIR CLASSMATES, YOU KNOW, BEING DEPORTED?

>> YEAH, I MEAN, I'VE HAD THE SAME CONVERSATION.

I HAVE AN 8 AND A 9-YEAR-OLD THAT ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERE IN St.

PAUL.

AND THEY HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE IMPACTED.

AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE.

YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE GUIDING PEOPLE ARE TOWARDS RESOURCES.

YOU CAN VISIT NAMIMN.ORG, FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, O GET ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES.

WE WANT O ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CRISIS OR KNOW SOMEBODY, A LOVED ONE OR A FRIEND WHO MIGHT BE TO CONNECT WITH 988, THAT'S A CONFIDENTIAL RESOURCE.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A OT OF PEOPLE, THERE'S AN UPTICK IN UTILIZATION OF THAT RESOURCE.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THAT.

AND REALLY JUST ESTABLISH THAT DIALOGUE WITH YOUR KIDDOS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THAT CONVERSATION IS A SAFE ONE WITH YOU, AND I THINK JUST KEEP THAT CONVERSATION GOING AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION FROM THE RIGHT RESOURCES.

>> Eric: WITH THE LEGISLATURE SET TO CONVENE HERE IN THREE WEEKS, I WONDER IF PART OF THE JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR ISSUES ARE BEFORE THE LEGISLATORS, THAT THEY PAY ATTENTION.

I ASSUME THAT'S A BIG PART OF YOUR JOB?

>> IT SURE IS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OF WHEN WE THINK OF MENTAL HEALTH IN MINNESOTA, IT REALLY IS A BIPARTISAN ISSUE.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING AT NAMI MINNESOTA TO ENGAGE EVERYBODY IN THAT CONVERSATION.

WE WILL FOCUS ON MEDICAID AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PERSEVERE THAT AS A RESOURCE.

IT'S THE LARGEST SOURCE OF FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTHCARE IN MINNESOTA.

AND WE'LL ALSO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET MORE RESOURCES INTO SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.

THERE ARE SCHOOL-LINKED MENTAL HEALTH GRANTS.

AND THEN FOCUSING ON WORKFORCE AS WELL.

WE NEED MORE THERAPISTS, WE NEED MORE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD ALL OVER THE STATE TO MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS AND CHILDREN ARE GETTING ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.

>> Cathy: WE WISH YOU WELL.

WE INVITE YOU BACK TO THE SHOW TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE GOING.

>> YOU CAN COUNT ON IT, CATHY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Cathy: ALL RIGHT.

TA