Ep 52: Pessimism Is Not a Strategy with Marcus Schmit

Rachel speaks with Marcus Schmit, Executive Director of NAMI Minnesota, about what is actually happening on the ground as federal Medicaid funding cuts ripple through the mental health system — and why, despite everything, pessimism is not a strategy. NAMI Minnesota has been a statewide leader in mental health advocacy, education, and peer support for decades. Marcus stepped into the Executive Director role as his state was navigating an extraordinary convergence of collective trauma — the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, a school shooting, the assassination of a state legislator, and the sweeping immigration enforcement of Operation Metro Surge. The result was a 4,000 percent increase in NAMI Minnesota's social media engagement and helpline calls through the roof. What that moment revealed about the need for mental health information and community connection is now reshaping how NAMI Minnesota thinks about its work. The conversation also digs into the policy crisis facing community mental health providers. The federal Medicaid funding freeze that stopped payments in their tracks is not a future threat — it is already affecting providers across Minnesota and the country. Marcus walks Rachel through what that means for the clinicians, crisis services, and peer support programs that depend on Medicaid reimbursement, and why peer support in particular — one of the most cost-effective tools in mental health care — is often the first thing cut when budgets tighten. He also shares what he believes the path forward looks like: a community-wide response to collective need, with employers, funders, sports teams, and neighbors stepping up together. Resources Mentioned Articles Referenced: Mental Health Providers Say Federal Medicaid Halt Will Lead to More Crisis — MPR News (February 2026): https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2026/02/26/mental-health-provider-federal-medicaid-halt-will-lead-to-more-crisis Medicaid Cuts Threaten Hundreds of Hospitals, New Report Finds — NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/medicaid-cuts-threaten-hundreds-hospitals-new-report-finds-rcna265789 State Budget Fallout: Trump Health Funding Cuts — KFF Health News: https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/state-budget-fallout-trump-health-funding-cuts-obbba/ Medicaid and Social Services Under Pressure — KFF Health News: https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/medicaid-social-services-gavin-newsom-california-republican-criticism/ Connect with Marcus Schmit: NAMI Minnesota: https://namimn.org Connect with The Mental Health Evolution: Website: https://www.traumaspecialiststraining.com/mental-health-evolution-podcast Instagram: /thementalhealthevolution/ LinkedIn: /the-mental-health-evolution Facebook: /TheMentalHealthEvolution Music by Zach Harrison