What began as a straightforward effort to educate Abilene, Texas about Assisted Outpatient Treatment — a court-ordered mental illness treatment program known as AOT — quickly grew into something far beyond what I had envisioned. Five cities across Texas. Countless Zoom calls. Weeks of editing each episode until I could finally step back and say: that's as close to perfect as I can get.

But this series was never really about any of that.

It's about the 15 million+ Americans living with severe mental illness — some of the most marginalized and overlooked people in our society. People who are too often invisible to the rest of us. This series attempts to change that, shining a light on the reality of their lives and amplifying the voices of those fighting to make things better.

There are five episodes: The Problem. The Solution. The Miami Model. The Inside. The New Perspective.

I hope they stay with you.