How can the USA be failing so many in mental health? In this candid episode, Chuck sits down with behavioral health CEO Roaya Tyson to explore the mental health crisis in America—and how we got here.
Roaya’s 20+ year journey from social worker to CEO gives her a rare vantage point on how behavioral healthcare has evolved, what’s still broken, and how she and her team at Gracepoint are fighting stigma, increasing access, and integrating care in revolutionary ways.
From the realities of cell phones in schools to what really happens during a Baker Act, Chuck and Roaya don’t hold back. Whether you're a parent, policymaker, provider, or just someone trying to make sense of the system—this one will leave you informed and inspired.
MEET ROAYA TYSON
Roaya Tyson is the CEO of Gracepoint Wellness, a community-driven healthcare organization in Tampa, Florida that delivers high quality patient care regardless of ability to pay. She began 23 years ago as a clinical social worker and advanced from clinical care to COO and ultimately assumed the CEO role in 2023. Gracepoint will merge with Cove Behavioral Health in July 2025 to become Ibis Healthcare, deepening access to mental health and substance abuse resources for the community they serve.
KEY TOPICS
• Roaya’s Journey: From a law-bound college student affected by family addiction to a clinical leader reshaping mental health in Florida.
• The Evolution of Mental Health: How treatments, diagnoses, and stigma have shifted over the past three decades.• Integrated Care: Why combining behavioral health and primary care under one roof is changing lives.
• Stigma Still Hurts: Breaking down mental illness myths and why physical and mental health must be treated equally.
• Provider Shortages: The real reasons we don’t have enough therapists—and why they’re paid less than they deserve.
• Safety Net Realities: What community mental health centers actually look like, and why they’re vital in every city.
• Crisis Response Tools: 988, mobile crisis teams, and why being prepared before a mental health emergency is crucial.• Youth & Social Media: The dark side of phones in schools, cyberbullying, and the growing mental toll on our kids.
• Tech & Telehealth: Where virtual therapy helps—and where it falls short.
WHAT'S NEXT?
This is just Part 1! In our upcoming episode, Chuck and Roaya return to explore Mental Health Parity—what it means, why it matters, and how new legislation could shift the entire healthcare system. Don’t miss it.
ADVOCACY IN ACTION
Visit DisruptiveDialogue.org to:
• 📝 Send a prewritten letter to your legislator
• 📚 Learn more about mental health policy
• 🧭 Find local and national resources
Don’t just listen—be part of the change.
