In this episode of SMI Spotlight, Dr. Xavier Amador speaks with Leslie Carpenter, TAC's legislative advocacy manager. Leslie is a passionate mental health advocate whose lived experience supporting a family member with a severe mental illness has shaped her perspective on treatment and recovery. She is an accomplished advocate who led efforts in Iowa to pass legislation for Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) programs. Together with Dr. Amador, Leslie discusses anosognosia and the challenges of creating a continuum of care for people living with SMI.Video Sections:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:28) - SMI Spotlight
• (01:52) - How Leslie became a mental health advocate
• (03:06) - Anosognosia
• (05:15) - Most discouraging/hopeful moments
• (07:47) - High level of functioning vs. low level of functioning
• (10:07) - Treatment System Process and Problems
• (12:40) - Additional supports needed
• (13:55) - Biggest misconceptions about AOT
• (15:53) - What advice for other families in her situation?
• (17:38) - Advice to policymakers and insurance companies
• (19:54) - Is the best place to treat people in their communities?
• (23:38) - Advice for clinicians treating first episode psychosis
• (26:21) - Creating robust multi-disciplinary continuum of lifelong care for people with SMI
• (28:53) - Challenges addressing physical health for people with SMI
• (31:25) - Higher pain threshold for people with schizophrenia
• (32:14) - TAC Advocacy Bootcamp as a source of hope
• (33:52) - Substance use with severe mental illness
• (35:41) - CCBHC's
• (37:05) - Using AI to find treatment resources