Pete Earley: A Father’s (and son’s) Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness
07/16/22 • 52 min
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Pete Earley is a storyteller whose books include four New York Times bestsellers, likeThe Hot House and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.His years as an investigative journalist include six years at The Washington Post . Pete is a tireless advocate for mental health system reform.
Many listeners ask: What about the Dads? Pete Earley knows. He was most recently seen on the PBS documentary “Hiding in Plain Sight” with his son Kevin Mike Earley.
In today’s episode we hear their family story, and many thoughts on what we’d like to change about the system - including NAMI. We also touch on the new 988 system, and once again Judge Stephen Leifman in Florida, who envisioned a reform program that would help people reintegrate into society by helping them with housing, relationships, and health care—especially mental health care.
We ask:
- Tell us your story, and Kevin’s story - how have things changed since you wrote “crazy”?
- 988 is rolling out - comments?
- What has been your experience as a “Dad in the Trenches”? Do you think it’s different from the way Moms tend to handle mental illness in the family?
- Did your book, Crazy, inspire any changes in the mental illness/prison system?
- What are your thoughts on the recent direction of NAMI? Are there other organizations who are more about SMI (serious mental illness)?
- Tell us about Hidden in Plain sight and what that experience meant for Kevin - and for you.
- What are the most pressing issues today that you are fighting for?
- What would you most like other Dads to know?
Links: http://www.peteearley.com/
Judge Leifman speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFbyI6I0Mlk
The Lifeline and 988 - https://988lifeline.org/current-events/the-lifeline-and-988/
NPR 988 story:
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/15/1111316589/988-suicide-hotline-number
Want us to cover a topic? comment to share?
Facebook page @Schizophrenia3Moms
@SZ3MomsTrenches - twitter
Randye Kaye -Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (“Ben Behind his Voices”, “Happier Made Simple”)
Miriam Feldman – Artist, Mom, Author “He Came in With It”
Mindy Greiling – member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. Activist, Legislator, Author (“Fix What You Can“)
Want to know more?
Join our facebook page
Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman
Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks!
Pete Earley is a storyteller whose books include four New York Times bestsellers, likeThe Hot House and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.His years as an investigative journalist include six years at The Washington Post . Pete is a tireless advocate for mental health system reform.
Many listeners ask: What about the Dads? Pete Earley knows. He was most recently seen on the PBS documentary “Hiding in Plain Sight” with his son Kevin Mike Earley.
In today’s episode we hear their family story, and many thoughts on what we’d like to change about the system - including NAMI. We also touch on the new 988 system, and once again Judge Stephen Leifman in Florida, who envisioned a reform program that would help people reintegrate into society by helping them with housing, relationships, and health care—especially mental health care.
We ask:
- Tell us your story, and Kevin’s story - how have things changed since you wrote “crazy”?
- 988 is rolling out - comments?
- What has been your experience as a “Dad in the Trenches”? Do you think it’s different from the way Moms tend to handle mental illness in the family?
- Did your book, Crazy, inspire any changes in the mental illness/prison system?
- What are your thoughts on the recent direction of NAMI? Are there other organizations who are more about SMI (serious mental illness)?
- Tell us about Hidden in Plain sight and what that experience meant for Kevin - and for you.
- What are the most pressing issues today that you are fighting for?
- What would you most like other Dads to know?
Links: http://www.peteearley.com/
Judge Leifman speech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFbyI6I0Mlk
The Lifeline and 988 - https://988lifeline.org/current-events/the-lifeline-and-988/
NPR 988 story:
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/07/15/1111316589/988-suicide-hotline-number
Want us to cover a topic? comment to share?
Facebook page @Schizophrenia3Moms
@SZ3MomsTrenches - twitter
Randye Kaye -Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (“Ben Behind his Voices”, “Happier Made Simple”)
Miriam Feldman – Artist, Mom, Author “He Came in With It”
Mindy Greiling – member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. Activist, Legislator, Author (“Fix What You Can“)
Want to know more?
Join our facebook page
Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman
Previous Episode
“Our Son Died with His Civil Liberties Intact” - and What We Did Next
Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks!
Episode 48: “Our Son Died with His Civil Liberties Intact” - and What We Did Next
One Story of Bedlam - and Activism - in America’s Mental Health Crisis
Guests: Norm Ornstein and Judy Harris
You are about to meet a couple - Norm Ornstein and Judy Harris - who tragically lost their son Matthew in 2015. Matthew had struggled with mental illness for over a decade, and , as listeners of this podcast well know - that means the entire family was affected.
After Matthew’s death, Norm and Judy (along with their son Danny), created a foundation in his name, which you’ll learn about in the second half of the podcast. Another project of theirs is the PBS documentary film, The Definition of Insanity looks at one judge’s innovative efforts in Miami to prevent people with mental illness from being treated like criminals...narrated by Norm’s longtime friend Rob Reiner.
First, we ask them about Matthews’ story, and, as you will hear, these highly successful activists still live with the feelings that all similar families face - guilt, confusion, anger, and grief. Hear their story...and how they are working to find ways of “taking a tragedy and trying to make something positive,”
Links:
The Matthew Harris Ornstein Memorial Foundation
The Definition of Insanity Documentary:
https://www.pbs.org/show/definition-insanity/
Book :Bedlam: An Intimate Journey Into America's Mental Health Crisis
Want us to cover a topic? comment to share?
Facebook page @Schizophrenia3Moms
@SZ3MomsTrenches - twitter
Randye Kaye -Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (“Ben Behind his Voices”, “Happier Made Simple”)
Miriam Feldman – Artist, Mom, Author “He Came in With It”
Mindy Greiling – member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. Activist, Legislator, Author (“Fix What You Can“)
Want to know more?
Join our facebook page
Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman
Next Episode
Help! I Don’t Understand SSI/SSDI - Ep 50, guest: Dani Page, JD
Send a Text to the Moms - please include your contact info if you want a response. thanks!
SZ 3 moms Ep 50: Help! I Don’t Understand SSI/SSDI
Guest: Dani Page
§ SOAR (SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access and Recovery) certified Retired attorney. Instructor on implicit bias in the space of disability.
§ Juris Doctorate
§ Certified Family to Family facilitator for National Alliance on Mental Illness
§ SOAR (SSI/SSDI, Outreach, Access and Recovery) certified—for individuals with behavioral health challenges who are homeless or at risk
§ Presenter and facilitator on implicit bias in the space of disability
We ask:
Clarification:
Dani would like to clarify something from the podcast in which I participated. The maximum a disability attorney or non-attorney advocate can charge is 25% of an applicant's backpay, up to a maximum of $6,000.
SSI/SSDI/SSA - please explain the differences!
Who makes the disability determination? (DDS)
What are the myths about SSI? Will my loved one have to stop working?
How to apply - steps
Do I need an attorney?
What is SOAR? Can they help? How much does it cost?
What materials/records do I need to gather/create?
And more
Want us to cover a topic? comment to share?
Facebook page @Schizophrenia3Moms
@SZ3MomsTrenches - twitter
Randye Kaye -Broadcaster, Actress, Voice Talent, Speaker, and Author (“Ben Behind his Voices”, “Happier Made Simple”)
Miriam Feldman – Artist, Mom, Author “He Came in With It”
Mindy Greiling – member of the Minnesota House of Representatives for twenty years. Activist, Legislator, Author (“Fix What You Can“)
Want to know more?
Join our facebook page
Our websites:
Randye Kaye
Mindy Greiling
Miriam (Mimi) Feldman
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