Geri Clark

Well, thank you for having me on.

Well, thank you for having me on.

Well, thank you for having me on.

Sure. My title is Resource and Advocacy Manager. I work for a national nonprofit called Treatment Advocacy Center.

Sure. My title is Resource and Advocacy Manager. I work for a national nonprofit called Treatment Advocacy Center.

Sure. My title is Resource and Advocacy Manager. I work for a national nonprofit called Treatment Advocacy Center.

And we are a small organization with the mighty goal of advocating for changes in treatment laws and policies and practices that are creating really significant barriers to treatment for individuals with the most severe mental illness conditions, such as schizophrenia, severe bipolar disorder, and severe depression that would include psychotic features.

And we are a small organization with the mighty goal of advocating for changes in treatment laws and policies and practices that are creating really significant barriers to treatment for individuals with the most severe mental illness conditions, such as schizophrenia, severe bipolar disorder, and severe depression that would include psychotic features.

And we are a small organization with the mighty goal of advocating for changes in treatment laws and policies and practices that are creating really significant barriers to treatment for individuals with the most severe mental illness conditions, such as schizophrenia, severe bipolar disorder, and severe depression that would include psychotic features.

I had a son with severe mental illness. His first psychotic break was at age 19 when he was a college freshman with a really promising future. He had been a state champion in speech and debate when he finished high school, went off to college with a debate scholarship, and in the middle of his freshman year, experienced a psychotic break that brought him home. He deteriorated extremely rapidly.

I had a son with severe mental illness. His first psychotic break was at age 19 when he was a college freshman with a really promising future. He had been a state champion in speech and debate when he finished high school, went off to college with a debate scholarship, and in the middle of his freshman year, experienced a psychotic break that brought him home. He deteriorated extremely rapidly.

I had a son with severe mental illness. His first psychotic break was at age 19 when he was a college freshman with a really promising future. He had been a state champion in speech and debate when he finished high school, went off to college with a debate scholarship, and in the middle of his freshman year, experienced a psychotic break that brought him home. He deteriorated extremely rapidly.

And I started to learn about the inequities in the treatment system and the poorly organized treatment system in the hardest way possible. I didn't know anything about psychotic disorders before my son was in front of me having a psychotic break. So I learned everything I needed to know a little bit too late. in the process of trying to guide my son through his illness.

And I started to learn about the inequities in the treatment system and the poorly organized treatment system in the hardest way possible. I didn't know anything about psychotic disorders before my son was in front of me having a psychotic break. So I learned everything I needed to know a little bit too late. in the process of trying to guide my son through his illness.

And I started to learn about the inequities in the treatment system and the poorly organized treatment system in the hardest way possible. I didn't know anything about psychotic disorders before my son was in front of me having a psychotic break. So I learned everything I needed to know a little bit too late. in the process of trying to guide my son through his illness.

He struggled for about four years before taking his own life in 2019.

He struggled for about four years before taking his own life in 2019.

He struggled for about four years before taking his own life in 2019.

Initially, he came home from college deeply paranoid about spirits that were trying to harm him and us. The most profound example I have is he decided that our downstairs bathroom had been possessed. And he did some kind of strange ritual in there and then closed the door and made me promise that no one ever would go into that room again.

Initially, he came home from college deeply paranoid about spirits that were trying to harm him and us. The most profound example I have is he decided that our downstairs bathroom had been possessed. And he did some kind of strange ritual in there and then closed the door and made me promise that no one ever would go into that room again.