Caren Howard (she/her) spent years working on Capitol Hill and is now currently the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Mental Health America as well as an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Caren shares how she got into policy work and her transition into mental health. They talk about homelessness issues, peer respite and what it takes to contribute to outside advocacy, inside advocacy, doing policy work and activism.

If you or someone you know is in a mental or substance use disorder crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.