About one in 20 Vermonters lives with a serious mental illness, like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. These illnesses can get in the way of managing everyday life. Starting Monday, Nov. 12, Vermont Public Radio launches a week-long series featuring personal stories about how people live with mental illness and navigate the state’s health care system.
“They Are Us: Stories From Inside Vermont’s Mental Healthcare System,” is produced by Erica Heilman, host of the podcast “Rumble Strip.” Stories in the series will air Monday through Friday during All Things Considered at 5:44 p.m. and on Friday during Morning Edition at 7:50 a.m. VPR’s daily call-in program, Vermont Edition, will host a discussion on the issue on Thursday at noon. Associate producers for this series are Clare Dolan and Mark Davis. The series consultant is Dillon Burns.
“This series is a little bit different than something we would typically produce out of the newsroom. It’s focused on hearing people tell their own stories and honestly sharing their experiences,” says Sarah Ashworth, VPR’s news director. “Erica is gifted at interviewing people about some of the most difficult topics imaginable, and in this series she captures how people are living today and dealing with mental health issues. We hope it helps listeners understand the complexity of mental health issues in a more complete way.”
The series focuses on different aspects of Vermont’s mental healthcare system:
We’ll hear directly from people working inside Vermont’s mental healthcare system, including their successes and also their frustrations in addressing the needs of patients with serious mental illness.
Some Vermonters struggle for years with psychiatric crises and repeated visits to emergency rooms and psychiatric hospitals. We’ll delve into the role that housing plays in Vermont’s mental healthcare system.
We’ll hear from two parents about the profound challenges of caring for their adult children living with schizophrenia. And the occasional moments of joy.
How should people live long-term in our state if they have a serious mental illness? The hope is that they’ll find ways to integrate into their communities with support.
Vermont has one place in the state that offers people with serious mental illnesses a permanent supervised place to live. We’ll take you inside this home.
We hear first-hand from someone who has struggled with her mental health and the power of peer support in our mental healthcare system.
Meaningful employment can be an important part of recovery from mental illness. We look at the role work plays in the lives of people with serious mental illness.
Erica Heilman’s independent radio work has aired on NPR’s Day to Day, Hearing Voices, SOUNDPRINT, KCRW’s UnFictional, KCRW’s Lost Notes, and on major public radio affiliates across the country. Her Vermont-based podcast “Rumble Strip” airs on VPR the second Thursday of the month at 7:50 a.m. and the following Friday at 6:20 p.m.
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