Ep. 59 - Ali Kaufman Is Tackling Youth Mental Health and Redefining Healthcare Boundaries

Tune in to a powerful, solutions-driven conversation about youth mental health, education, and the growing physician shortage. Join host Meredith Hirsh for an in-studio Working Healthcare interview with Ali Kaufman—founder of Space of Mind and the Community Classroom Project—as they explore how America’s mental health crisis is impacting kids where it hurts most: inside the classroom. With fewer than one child psychiatrist for every 10,000 children in the U.S., teachers are being thrust into the role of mental health first responders—often without training or resources. Ali shares how she’s transforming schools into healing-centered environments that meet students emotionally, academically, and creatively. Together, they connect the dots between moral injury, systemic healthcare failures, and what’s being asked of our education system today. This episode dives deep into the intersection of healthcare and education—and why solving the youth mental health crisis starts far beyond the exam room. Listen now to learn how you can be part of the change.