<p>Janet Hayes shares her journey as a severe mental illness advocate reshaping New Orleans through innovative care systems for those with serious mental health challenges.</p> <p>• Started advocacy after Hurricane Katrina when untreated mental illness led to criminalization<br> • Witnessed a friend die in custody due to inadequate mental health and medical care<br> • Founded Healing Minds NOLA to create a "one-stop shop" for mental health care<br> • Successfully led implementation of Assistive Outpatient Treatment courts in Louisiana<br> • Working to reform the "15-day rule" limiting psychiatric hospitalization under Medicaid<br> • Advocates need to understand their specific state systems rather than applying generic solutions<br> • Louisiana has adequate psychiatric bed capacity but lacks long-term continuity of care<br> • Policy barriers, not just funding issues, prevent effective treatment for severe mental illness<br> • Ideological positions often prevent pragmatic solutions that could help vulnerable individuals<br> • Advocates are more effective when they understand local systems and speak from experience</p> <p>https://whynotme.world</p> <p>intro/outro music written by T. Wild</p> <p>Why Not me music published by Mantor Music (BMI)</p>