The Stepping In It Podcast with Renee Schulte & Jason Haglund
The Stepping In It Podcast is a weekly discussion of the latest news and trends in behavioral health policy development and practice. Each episode features interviews with experts from across the field, including policymakers, clinicians, researchers, and advocates. The podcast provides listeners with practical tips and resources for improving the quality and access to behavioral health care.
The Stepping In It Podcast with Renee Schulte & Jason Haglund
107. Building Rural Behavioral Health Solutions Interview with Kimberly Johnson
In this episode of Stepping In It, we talk with Kimberly Johnson, CEO of Arch Collaborative and founder of the Children’s Legacy Center. Kimberly shares her journey as a mother of five navigating a broken behavioral health system and her work leading reform. We explore rural challenges—from crisis care gaps to lack of infrastructure—and the power of trauma-informed, community-driven solutions to transform care in California’s North State and beyond.
In this episode, you will be able to:
- Discover how lived experience shapes leadership in behavioral health reform.
- Learn about federal initiatives and workforce development challenges.
- Understand the role of advocacy in advancing rural and underserved communities.
- Gain insights from Kimberly Johnson’s impact at both state and national levels.
The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:09 - Introduction & Guest Kimberly Johnson
00:02:15 - Kimberly’s Background & Lived Experience
00:06:05 - Federal Perspective on Behavioral Health
00:08:27 - Workforce Challenges
00:12:16 - Building Systems of Care for Rural Communities
00:15:40 - Lessons from the Farm Crisis
00:19:05 - Advocacy in Policy Change
00:22:11 - Future Directions for Behavioral Health
00:25:22 - Closing Thoughts
Links:
- https://www.najeralawgroup.com/blog/california-domestic-violence-rate/
- https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/exploration/crime-statistics/domestic-violence-related-calls-assistance
- https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Crisis-Care-Continuum.aspx
- https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/publications/building-californias-comprehensive-988-crisis-system-strategic-blueprint-draft?language=en
- https://www.archcollaborative.org/
- https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/BHT/Pages/FAQ-Prop1.aspx
Connect with Kimberly:
https://www.instagram.com/ospshasta/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/childrenslegacycenter/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/kimberlylanelle/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-l-johnson-7803a374/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/archcollaborative/
https://www.facebook.com/OneSafePlaceShasta/
https://www.facebook.com/childrenslegacycenter/
Connect with us:
https://ruralpolicypartners.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/linkedin.com/company/rural-policy-partners/
https://www.facebook.com/facebook.com/ruralpolicypartners
https://www.youtube.com/@ruralpolicypartners
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nWSxR1f3f8I