00:00I work at a non-profit in Detroit and we work with the city's most vulnerable population.
00:05And I work directly with folks that have severe and persistent mental illness and substance
00:08abuse.
00:09And I can relate to both of those stories.
00:11And right now, overnight, access to treatment was gone.
00:16You know, it used to be that you could call and immediately get into substance abuse treatment.
00:20And because of the pandemic, hospitals are closing and access to Suboxone and Methadone
00:25is limited.
00:26So people are overdosing.
00:27I happen to be a member of an anonymous 12-step program.
00:31We've been forced to close our doors.
00:33So we're talking about 23 million Americans that don't have access to the life-saving recovery
00:38support that we all need.
00:40So I myself both personally and professionally have seen an increase in people committing
00:44suicide and increase of overdose in the community.
00:48You know, and that's really difficult to just sit back and watch, you know, knowing that
00:52we're doing the best that we can with what we have, but it's just not enough.
00:56It's important for me to vote because my vote counts for more than just me.
01:00So my vote affects the amount of pay that our teachers receive.
01:04My vote affects the access to substance abuse treatment.
01:08My vote affects people that have severe persistent mental illness and whether or not they'll be
01:12able to have the access to treatment.
01:14My vote affects whether or not families are able to provide health care for their children
01:19and for themselves.
01:20Unless we utilize the rights that we've been given, all of those things will go to hell.
01:24Until next time.
01:25We'll talk to you soon.
01:25Bye.
01:26Bye.
01:26Bye.
01:27Bye.
01:27END
01:28CREDIT
01:29CREDIT
01:30CREDIT
01:31ALONE
01:31CREDIT
01:31HILL
01:33ESTERNAL
01:33END
01:34CREDIT
01:34HILL
01:36eND
01:48CO-CREDIT
01:52CREDIT
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