>> Mary: OUR NEXT GUEST SPENT NEARLY A QUARTER CENTURY LEADING THE MINNESOTA CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS.

SUE ABDERHOLDEN HAS BEEN ONE OF MINNESOTA'S LEADING ADVOCATES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

HER LAST OFFICIAL DAY ON THE JOB WAS WEDNESDAY.

AND ABDERHOLDEN AGREED TO SPEND HER FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT OF RETIREMENT WITH US.

SUE, HOW YOU DOING?

YOU'RE ONE OF THE BUSIEST PEOPLE I KNOW AT THE CAPITOL.

HOW ARE YOU DOING NOT BEING IN THAT BUILDING?

>> IT'S VERY STRANGE, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT.

AND I'M GOING TO NEED TO GET USED TO NOT DOING ANYTHING.

>> Mary: PLANS?

HOBBIES?

OTHER ADVOCACY?

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

>> SO I HAVE NO HOBBIES, BECAUSE ALL I'VE DONE IS WORK.

[ LAUGHTER ] BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING WALKS, TAKING NAPS, READING BOOKS AND THEN COME JANUARY I'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT ELSE I WANT TO DO.

>> Eric: LAST TIME I HEARD YOU SPEAK SOMEBODY IN THE CROWD SAID WHAT IS WRONG WITH MINNESOTA'S MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM, AND ADMITTEDLY YOU WERE HAVING A BAD DAY BUT YOU SAID THERE IS NO SYSTEM.

IS IT THAT BAD?

>> OH, NO, I MEAN, I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY OUR SYSTEM ISN'T BROKEN, IT WAS NEVER BUILT.

SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT PERSPECTIVE.

BUT WE NOW HAVE THE FOUNDATION AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT WORKS, WE HAVE FUNDED A LOT OF IT.

WE JUST HAVEN'T FULLY FUNDED THINGS.

>> Eric: IF PEOPLE -- IF THE LAWMAKERS AND THE GOVERNOR WANTED TO FUND THIS, HEY COULD.

>> YES.

>> Eric: IS IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PARTICULARLY POWERFUL POLITICAL CONSTITUENCY OR WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> A LOT OF IT IS FUNDED THROUGH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPETING PRIORITIES THERE, RIGHT?

SO WE'RE NOT COMPETING AGAINST ROADS, WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE OLDER ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, CHILDREN WHO ARE POOR.

SO IT BECOMES DIFFICULT, RIGHT, AND HUMAN SERVICES USUALLY GETS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE BUDGET, ESPECIALLY WHEN BUDGETS ARE TOUGH, THAT'S THE COMMITTEE THAT USUALLY GETS CUT.

>> Mary: DO YOU STILL FEEL LIKE YOUR ISSUES HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT?

I REMEMBER SENATOR DAVE SENJEM, REPUBLICAN FROM ROCHESTER TOURING A NEW FACILITY DOWN THERE IN AND WHAT A CHAMPION HE WAS WHEN HE WAS IN LEADERSHIP.

WHAT A NONPARTISAN, BIPARTISAN ISSUE, DO YOU SEE THAT?

>> I WOULD SAY ESPECIALLY AT THE STATE LEVEL ABSOLUTELY.

WE SEE SUPPORT FROM BOTH PARTIES BECAUSE MENTAL ILLNESS IMPACTS EVERYONE, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PERSONAL OR FAMILY EXPERIENCES WHO HAVE COME TO THE TABLE AND REALLY SUPPORTED OUR SSUES.

>> Eric: MENTAL HEALTH WAS IN THE SPOTLIGHT AGAINST WITH THE ANNUNCIATION SHOOTINGS AND I WONDER WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT LINK OMETIMES THAT'S MADE.

>> IT SHOULDN'T BE MADE.

SO MENTAL ILLNESS AND VIOLENCE ARE NOT ACTUALLY LINKED.

AND WE ALWAYS WANT TO CAUTION PEOPLE AND I KNOW YOU'VE HAD ON PEOPLE FROM THE VIOLENCE PROJECT OVER AT HMM LIN AND THEY'LL TALK ABOUT HOW IT'S A LOT MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT.

JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE DEPRESSION DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO BE A MASS SHOOTER, RIGHT?

SO THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER THINGS INVOLVED SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.

ON THE OTHER HAND WE NEED TO BE SURE ALL CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP HEALTHY AND MENTALLY HEALTHY AS WELL.

AND OUR SUGGESTION TO THE LEGISLATURE JUST LAST MONTH WAS TO FULLY FUND OUR SCHOOL LINKED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CHILD CAN ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THEIR SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS SO THAT THEY ARE MENTALLY HEALTHY.

>> Mary: WHAT ABOUT SCHOOL COUNSELORS?

WE WERE ONCE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE NATION ON THAT, HAVE WE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND IS THAT WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE MONEY AND FUNDING AS WELL?

>> WE DO NEED ALL THE SCHOOL SUPPORT PERSONNEL, NOT JUST SCHOOL COUNSELORS BUT SOCIAL WORKERS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS.

BUT THE SCHOOL LINKED PROGRAM ACTUALLY BRINGS IN MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS FROM OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDERS TO CO-LOCATE.

AND THAT IS REALLY A GREAT WAY TO DO IT, YOU HAVE A FIREWALL BETWEEN EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE RECORDS, THEY CAN BUILD PUBLIC AND RIVATE -- BILL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSURANCE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN SPECIAL ED.

>> Eric: WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION WHERE COUNTY JAILS ARE HOLDING MENTALLY ILL FOLKS BECAUSE THERE AREN'T MENTAL HEALTH BEDS, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?

>> WELL, WE'VE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.

WE REDID THE ENTIRE COMPETENCY RESTORATION SYSTEM TWO YEARS AGO AND IT'S NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED.

WE'RE HOPING ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THOSE MISDEMEANORS THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY EVENTUALLY BE WIPED OUT THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING CONNECTED TO SERVICES -- -- >> Mary: WHAT ABOUT BEDS?

WE HAVE HEARD SO MUCH PRESSURE ON THAT ISSUE.

>> WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT AS A FRONTED DOOR AND BACK DOOR.

WE CAN'T BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF THIS.

WE USED TO HAVE 45 PEOPLE WAITING FOR A BED TEN YEARS AGO, NOW IT'S 450.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ON THE FRONT END SO PEOPLE AREN'T ENDING UP IN JAIL IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND IF WE DON'T DO THAT WE'LL NEVER ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.

>> Mary: WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS?

BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD A CAREER OF ADVOCACY EVEN OUTSIDE OF THESE ISSUES.

>> I THINK ATTITUDES HAVE CHANGED LOT.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE FUNDED THROUGH HEALTH CARE INSTEAD OF JUST GRANTS.

I THINK WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF TRAINING FOR POLICE OFFICERS, TEACHERS, PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE FOSTER CARE AS WELL.

WE'VE SEEN NEW VIDENCE BASED PRACTICES ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR FIRST EPISODE OF PSYCHOSIS.

AND WE HAVE MORE COMMUNITY SERVICES THAN WE EVER DID BEFORE SO WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE MADE PROGRESS BUT THERE IS MUCH MORE TO DO.

>> Eric: A GRATEFUL STATE THANKS OU.

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

>> Eric: ALL THE BEST.

>> Mary: GREAT CAREER OF WORK.