For far too long, the United States has put mental healthcare on the back burner. Through enormous advocacy and the initiation and rollout of the 988 hotline, a theoretical lifeline is now at the fingertips of every American. But in a country with a deep history of criminalizing mental health, will 988 live up to its potential? Today, Stephanie explores how 988 came to be, along with all the promise and peril it carries. Weekly special correspondent Zak Williams shares his personal mental health journey, how stigma impacted his father, Robin Williams, and how the actor’s death inspired him to become a mental health activist. We also meet Congressman Seth Moulton, mental health advocate Keris Myrick, Executive Director of the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline John Draper, and Director of the Sozosei Foundation Melissa Beck.

Listen to more of Call for Help by visiting https://link.chtbl.com/CallForHelp. 

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We are excited to share another Lemonada Media show you will love. It's called No One Is Coming to Save Us and it tackles the American child care crisis. No One Is Coming to Save Us has new episodes out every Thursday.

Gloria is back and ready to tackle America’s child care crisis head-on. To kick off season 2, she calls up Lauren Cook, CEO of Ellis Early Learning in Boston. We met Lauren back in season 1, where she walked us through the nitty gritty of how much it costs to operate a child care center. This time around, Lauren tears up as she talks about how nationwide labor shortages are reverberating through the child care system, what she has to do to keep the lights on at Ellis, and how the ongoing pandemic has made a bad situation continue to get worse.

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Life Jolt - prison slang for a life sentence - examines the lives of women navigating Canada’s correctional system. The team gained unprecedented access to the Grand Valley Institution prison, the federal pen for women in Ontario, for a full year. They followed women going into prison for the first time, spoke with lifers who have been there for years, and parolees as they left. Hosted by Rosemary Green, a former inmate herself, Life Jolt focuses on individual women’s stories and the realities of prison life, and explores a wide range of issues including parenting behind bars, segregation, the over-representation of Indigenous women, addiction, trauma and the many obstacles of reintegration. More episodes are available at: smarturl.it/lifejolt

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“Wash It Off.” Written by Kyle Murphy. Performed by Jesse Williams. Kyle chats with his friend (and series executive producer) Aaron Bergman a few weeks ahead of his release about his political activism and fully realizing his literary dreams after a decade inside the system. 

“Some people might feel like they’ve written me off, but I’ve got news for them - that s*** is incorrect. I got a bright future ahead of me.” - Kyle Murphy

Written Off contains mature language and themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. To hear a bleeped version, go to lemonadamedia.com/shows/writtenoff.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“My People.” Written by Ramon Escobar. Performed by Angelique Cabral. Ramon is quick to thank InsideOUT Writers for helping him make the transition from feared gang member to highly-successful business owner who happily employs other IOW alums. 

“I'm in a different place now where I don't have to hide this other person anymore - it's part of who I've become.” - Ramon Escobar

Written Off contains mature language and themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. To hear a bleeped version, go to lemonadamedia.com/shows/writtenoff.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“2nd.” Written by Frank Jimenez. Performed by Danny Ramirez. Frank is putting his mentor’s sage advice to good use by prioritizing his and his family’s happiness and working towards leaving his own unique mark on Hollywood. 

‘My writings are like little track markers showing me I'm on the right path, even though I might not see it right then and there.’ - Frank Jimenez 

Written Off contains mature language and themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. To hear a bleeped version, go to lemonadamedia.com/shows/writtenoff.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Second Chances.” Written by Daniel Bisuano. Performed by Julio Torres. Daniel is determined to leave his turbulent past behind by living authentically and pursuing each opportunity that presents itself in his quest to become a screenwriter. 

“When I started to write, I started to not only unpack all the pain that I had inside, but I started to create new, happy memories and give back to my community.” - Daniel Bisuano. 

Find Daniel on Twitter at @d_bisuano and on Instagram at @d.bisuano. 

Written Off contains mature language and themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. To hear a bleeped version, go to lemonadamedia.com/shows/writtenoff.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Everybody Knows That Time Will Pass You By.” Written by Taylor Lytle. Performed by Issa Rae. Taylor is all smiles as she owns her pronounced presence in the world and continues exercising her “revolutionary” methods as a criminal justice activist. 

“Writing is too rewarding to ever think of a life without it.” - Taylor Lytle

Find Taylor on Instagram at @shesobeasty. 

Written Off contains mature language and themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners. To hear a bleeped version, go to www.lemonadamedia.com/shows/writtenoff.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. 

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.