Janet Hays: Healing Minds NOLA journey to reform mental health systems

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