EDMONDS — The National Shattering Silence Coalition (NSSC) will host “Voices for Change: Empowering Families Affected by Serious Mental Illness,” a statewide convening bringing together families, behavioral health clinicians, healthcare leaders, nonprofit advocates, and state and local policymakers to advance more responsive mental health systems across Washington State. The event is Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Edmonds Waterfront Center.
Free for families and caregivers, the convening is designed to elevate lived experience, strengthen support networks, and mobilize policy and system-level solutions for the hundreds of thousands of Washington residents touched by serious mental illness (SMI).
“Families living with serious mental illness too often face fragmented care, financial barriers, and isolating stigma. Voices for Change is about ensuring those families are heard — and that their experiences shape the systems meant to serve them,” said Leanna May Franklin, Washington State Policy Director for the National Shattering Silence Coalition. “When lived experience sits at the same table as clinical expertise and policy leadership, real change becomes possible.”
Featured Keynote: Jerri Clark
National advocate and best-selling author Jerri Clark will deliver the keynote address. Clark is the author of Gone Before Gone: When Mental Illness Steals Someone You Love, a widely recognized work that guides families through the emotional terrain of “ambiguous loss” — a concept developed by Pauline Boss, PhD — when a loved one is forever changed by psychiatric illness, missing, incarcerated, or gone for reasons that lack clarity. Her keynote will focus on resilience, system transformation, and restoring dignity within complex care journeys.
Featured Speakers and Program
In addition to the keynote, Voices for Change will feature presentations from clinicians, advocates, and policy leaders shaping the next generation of compassionate, high-performance behavioral health and aging services. Confirmed speakers include:
Carson Espinoza — Event Host, Welcome and Opening
Jerri Clark — Keynote Speaker, National Advocate and Author
Jessica Yoos, MD
David Haack
Garrison Whaley-Sharp
Karin Taifour, MA, LMHC, GMHS
Lauren Davis
The five-hour program will include a keynote, panel-style speaker presentations, audience engagement, and structured time for networking and connection among attendees representing both urban and rural communities across Washington State.
Why It Matters
Serious mental illness affects millions of families across the United States. In Washington State, caregivers often navigate fragmented behavioral health systems while contending with financial hardship, social stigma, and limited access to coordinated care. Voices for Change is built around four objectives:
Strengthen family support networks through education, peer connection, and practical tools
Improve system navigation by equipping caregivers with knowledge about treatment options, crisis pathways, and community resources
Elevate lived experience to inform policy discussions and system improvements
Mobilize collaboration among families, providers, and policymakers to identify actionable solutions
Organizers expect 200 to 250 participants from across Washington State. To remove barriers to participation, registration is free for everyone. There will be an opportunity to make a donation at the event.
Sponsorship and Community Support
Voices for Change is made possible through the support of sponsors committed to community wellness, mental health awareness, health equity, and behavioral health systems improvement. NSSC is currently seeking partners at the Presenting ($7,500), Supporting ($3,000), and Community ($1,000) sponsorship levels. Organizations interested in sponsoring may contact Leanna May Franklin directly at the information below.
Event Details
What: Voices for Change: Empowering Families Affected by Serious Mental Illness
When: Sunday, June 14, 2026, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Edmonds Waterfront Center
Cost: Free for families and caregivers
Registration: https://voicesforchangewa.org/
About the National Shattering Silence Coalition
The National Shattering Silence Coalition (NSSC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the silence surrounding severe mental illness and empowering families with the knowledge, resources, and advocacy tools necessary to navigate complex behavioral health systems. NSSC works alongside families, clinicians, and policymakers to advance more accessible, coordinated, and dignified care for individuals living with serious mental illness and those who love them. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) (EIN 41-3720272) headquartered at 7 Lincoln House Point, Swampscott, MA 01907.
Source: National Shattering Silence Coalition