About this episode

This episode features first-person stories and expert insights on the challenges of the mental health care system in America.

Lost Patients compares the system for treating mental illness in America to an elaborate house, where every room, hallway and staircase was designed independently by a different architect. So what is it like to be shuttled from room to room? What sorts of tradeoffs are doctors working within this system forced to make every day? And what might it look like to design care around the needs of patients? KUOW and the Seattle Times convened a forum at the Seattle Public Library to hear perspectives and answer questions. Featured guests included: Laura Van Tosh, patient advocate and founder and convener of Mental Health Policy Roundtable Carolynn Ponzoha, patient advocate and content creator who goes by @psychotic.in.seattle on TikTok Timothy Jolliff, acting senior director of clinical programs at the Downtown Emergency Service Center in Seattle Dr. Paul Borghesani, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine You can find resources for people with mental illness and related stories from The Seattle Times and KUOW here: https://www.seattletimes.com/component/lost-patients-podcast/…

People in this episode

Host: KUOW News and Information

Guests: Laura Van Tosh, Carolynn Ponzoha, Timothy Jolliff, Dr. Paul Borghesani

Topics covered

• mental health
• patient advocacy
• healthcare system
• Seattle
• first-person stories
• mental illness

Keywords

• mental health crisis
• patient care
• advocacy
• Seattle
• healthcare challenges

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: KUOW, Seattle Times, University of Washington School of Medicine, Downtown Emergency Service Center

Places: Seattle, Seattle Public Library, America

More episodes of Focus: Adults in the Room

• Adults in the Room: Bad Apples · April 7, 2026 · 38 min
• Adults in the Room: The Boy in the Photograph · March 31, 2026 · 30 min
• Adults in the Room: The Bet · March 24, 2026 · 32 min
• Adults in the Room: Jonathan · March 17, 2026 · 40 min
• Adults in the Room: Blame the Messenger · March 10, 2026 · 36 min
• Adults in the Room: The Price of Belief · March 3, 2026 · 41 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Focus: Adults in the Room podcast page.