Sue Abderholden retires after two decades shaping mental health advocacy in Minnesota

After more than two decades leading NAMI Minnesota, Sue Abderholden is retiring. Her last day with the state's chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness is Wednesday.

As one of the state’s most influential voices for mental health, Abderholden has helped raise awareness, change laws and expand access to care.

“Sue Abderholden’s leadership has been nothing short of transformational,” said NAMI Minnesota Board President Jessica Gourneau in a press release. “Because of Sue, our organization has grown in reach, reputation, and impact. Her fierce advocacy at the Legislature, her strategic partnerships across sectors, and her tireless work to create culturally responsive, person-centered care have set the gold standard for mental health advocacy.”

Marcus Schmit will succeed Abderholden. He currently leads a nonprofit focused on homelessness called Hearth Connection.

Abderholden sat down with MPR News guest host Catharine Richert to talk about how far Minnesota has come in addressing mental health — and what work still lies ahead.

Click play on the audio player above to hear the full hour with Abderholden, or read a transcript of the conversation below. It has been edited for length.

How are you feeling as you wrap up this chapter of your life?

Well, there’s definitely mixed emotions. I have loved this work. It’s been an honor to lead the organization and our movement, and of course, we have more work to do. But also — honestly — I’m tired, and so it’s time to move on.

What milestones stand out from your career? Where did you see big shifts?

Supported employment became an evidence-based practice. We stopped telling people not to work and instead helped them work, which supports recovery. Another major shift was moving mental health services into insurance coverage — Medicaid, MinnesotaCare, and private insurance — rather than relying on grants.

What challenge looms largest for you successor?

I’m very worried about the changes to Medicaid, particularly the work requirements. I think that's going to hit, frankly, a lot of young people with mental illnesses. And I think we need to keep working to move away from having children’s mental health be part of the child protection system. We’ve started trying to kind of separate them out, but we’re not there yet, and we need to really finish that work.

Can you talk a little bit more about why you think those things should be separated? What do you see as some of the roadblocks there?

Parents seeking residential services for a child with serious mental illness haven’t done anything wrong. Because of federal funding rules for room and board, they’re pushed through child protection. We proposed a “third path,” but it wasn’t funded.

What was your role in passing the Americans with Disabilities Act?

It was community organizing. Having people come together and share their stories about how they couldn't get into a building, even school buildings and things like that.

I remember it must have been about 98 degrees in Washington D.C. on that day in August. It was hot and they were actually renovating part of the White House. I remember seeing President Bush and kind of other people who had really worked hard on it. The D.C. signing was unforgettable and reflected years of hard work.

Why did you decide to take the job at NAMI?

NAMI really spoke to me because it combined advocacy, education and direct support for people with mental illnesses and their families. At that time, it was a small organization — just a few staff and limited resources — but I saw its potential. People were starting to talk about mental illness more openly, and I wanted to help build an organization fully dedicated to creating real change.

What were the early challenges when you started at NAMI in 2001?

It was basic. There was no infrastructure at all in terms of keeping track of money. I kept it on a little notebook so I’d know exactly what was in the bank account. We had computers that didn’t work. There wasn't much there except dust.

But we had a lot of people who were dedicated to the mission and wanted to create change. We were really able to build on their commitment.

What about the stigma behind mental health advocacy? Or, just sort of other cultural challenges around lifting up the issue of mental illness?

For the last couple of years, we’ve actually been moving away from using the word “stigma” and calling it what it is — which is discrimination. People are very worried about being discriminated against for a mental illness. I think that’s telling of how our society treats those who struggle with mental illness.

I understand that mental illness has affected members of your family as well. Are you willing to say more about that?

My husband had severe depression and non-epileptic seizures related to it. There were times when he couldn’t work and really couldn’t do much around the house or engage with people. I saw firsthand how hard that was and how difficult it can be sometimes to get the services that you need.

My experiences have made it easier for me to connect with people, because I understand. I’ve been there.

What did that teach you about supporting families?

No one gets through a serious illness by themselves, including a mental illness, and so we need to be much better in our mental health system of engaging families.

What do you think some of the biggest societal misconceptions around mental illnesses are right now?

I think, to an extent, people think that people should be put away. I'm hearing that more and more, especially after a mass shooting.

People are saying they need to be in some place long term. We’re not going to go back to the institutions. They were eliminated for a reason, and we need to keep building up those community-based services.

What advice do you have for Marcus and the folks who will be sticking around at NAMI as you leave?

I think it’s really to continue to listen to people. Much of the work that we did at the Legislature was based on people’s stories,

What do you wish you’d known on day one?

That we could really create a lot of change.

I love quotes, and one of my favorite quotes is, “Dreams are the seeds of change.” And so you have to keep dreaming about what our system could be, what people’s lives could be, in order for that change to happen.

What are you going to do on your first day of retirement?

Well, I’m going to take a nap. I’m going to take a walk. I’m going to have lunch with my daughter, and, frankly, just be, just rest.

I’ve told everyone I’m not making any commitments until January, so I just have time for stress to leave my body and to really figure out what I want to do next.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.