CALLSIGN 22

Your routine reminder. You have no clue what someone else is going through. Check on your people and be kind. 🤙🏻

Who are you trying to impress?

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but… Give yourself some grace! 🤙🏻

I recently read a passage from “Tuesdays with Morrie” that read… “Well, for one thing, the culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We’re teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it. Create your own. Most people can’t do it.” Call To Action: BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY YOU.

K E E P G O I N G

MISSION.

Unacceptable.

More good news in the world of mental health as the VA takes a historic step forward for veterans. What you should know… The VA is funding its first psychedelic therapy study since the 1960s—a $1.5M clinical trial exploring MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder. Led by researchers at Brown and Yale, the trial begins enrollment next year. Why this matters… Veterans face immense barriers to mental health care. This research could pave the way for life-changing treatments for PTSD, addiction, and beyond. Reps. Jack Bergman and Lou Correa, co-founders of the Congressional PATH Caucus, have championed this effort: - Bergman: “A huge step to help those who need breakthrough therapies.” - Correa: “One of the biggest mental health breakthroughs in half a century.” There is still a ton of work to be done, but this is huge step in the right direction. Stay tuned for more.

Looking for a bit of good news in the world of mental health? Say less, fam. I think the cool kids are still saying that? Anyways, I digress… The mental health equivalent of an urgent care clinic has arrived in South Central Pennsylvania, and it’s about time. Next week, the Connections Emergency Behavioral Health Crisis Walk-in Center opens its doors in Harrisburg as the region’s first 24/7 mental health walk-in clinic. Here’s what makes it special: - Anyone 14 and older can walk in and get professional psychiatric care, no matter their insurance or ability to pay. - Police officers now have a better option—a dedicated entrance for those who need mental health support rather than jail or the streets. - Patients are seen within 90 minutes, slashing wait times compared to emergency rooms. - Mobile units staffed by clinicians and people with lived experience respond to crises in the field. This is part of a much-needed shift in how we address mental health crises—treating them as health issues, not simply crimes. Early results from similar centers across the country show that most patients stabilize within 24 hours and rarely need hospitalization or jail afterward. The potential impact? Fewer ER bottlenecks, fewer incarcerations, and fewer tragedies in our community. It’s a start. And for those facing mental health challenges, it’s hope. This is the way.

It’s been over 23 years since the FDA last approved a PTSD-specific treatment. Pretty wild when you consider the breakthroughs in innovation we’ve witnessed during that same timeframe. In brighter news, however, the FDA has just approved a potentially groundbreaking study to explore cannabis as a treatment for PTSD in veterans. This study could pave the way for better mental health solutions for the 1.1 million U.S. veterans impacted by PTSD. Funded by Michigan’s Veteran Marijuana Research Grant Program, the research focuses on 320 veterans using high-THC cannabis flower. Why does this matter? Cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning no federal recognition of its medical use—yet. If successful, this study could shift perspectives, policies, and treatment options for PTSD. It’s an exciting step forward, but the process of bringing these findings to patients will take time. Only time will tell, but it’s certainly a positive step forward.