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On a personal note, sadly, this past Saturday, my father-in-law, Papa, passed away suddenly. He was the only

real dad I've ever had, and his impact, both on myself and those who I love dearly, will go on forever.

My father-in-law was a dog trainer, and yesterday my favorite dog of his Maya passed away and

went to go be with Papa. I want to dedicate this episode to both of them. They always made me feel

loved, safe, and cared for. Thank you. In an article

written by John Snook, executive director of the Treatment Advocacy Center, that he wrote for

Variety in Rolling Stone for a special series entitled American Injustice, which is linked in the show

notes, of course. He writes, an estimated 8.3 million linked in the show notes, of course. He writes,

An estimated 8.3 million adults in the United States have a severe mental illness.

At any given time, 3.9 million go untreated.

With medication and other support services, those with severe mental illness are no more

dangerous than anyone else,

capable of leading happy and productive lives. Without treatment, their prospects worsen. Yet the

odds are stacked against these individuals. Our health care system actively denies them care,

and we criminalize the symptoms of their diseases. When someone has a heart attack,

an ambulance takes them to an emergency room. When someone is in the depths of psychosis, however,

police are called and frequently cart that person off to jail. Without treatment, those with

severe mental illness experience a host of negative consequences. Many take their own lives. Others face

a shortened lifespan due to much increased risk of other chronic health conditions. Ultimately,

those with severe mental illness die on average 25 years earlier than their peers. Others are

lost to the streets. Conservative estimates suggest that

...