Do you believe that stories have the power to open minds and change the world? I do! It’s why I felt called to share how motherhood transformed me into a parent advocate and behavioral health reformer.
When my partner and I adopted an infant in 1999, I never dreamed that when I needed help for my struggling children, they would fall through a broken safety net. I’ve outlined my journey in my book, This Child Needs Help: Overcoming the Unintended Consequences of How We Treat Children Who Struggle.
I hold a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington with a specialty in community organizing. I write from the rare perspective of both a systems expert and a mother who has lived through the unintended consequences of policies that overlook the needs of the whole child within the family system.
I have played a central role in major systems change efforts in Washington State, including serving as the driving force behind Family Initiated Treatment, a law that gives parents a pathway to help their 13- to 17-year-old children access behavioral healthcare while still respecting adolescent rights to seek care independently. When I’m not advocating for children, I you may find me peering under rocks at low tide, photographing nature, in my Seattle garden or at our family cottage in Michigan.