Teens, Trust, & Transformation: How Peer Support Builds Mental Wellness with Dr. Cara McNulty – Episode 428

When communities lead, care works: culturally grounded support, early intervention, and multiple doors to emotional wellness. In this episode, host Sharlee Dixon sits down with Dr. Cara McNulty, CEO of Vibrant Emotional Health, the national organization behind the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, serving more than five million people each year. A population health scientist and nationally recognized leader, Cara is committed to breaking down stigma and democratizing access to mental health care across the country. Before joining Vibrant, she served as President of Behavioral Health and Mental Well-being at CVS Health, where she launched bold, data-driven initiatives, including a strategy to reduce suicide attempts by 20% among Aetna members, and helped spearhead Minnesota’s transformational population health legislation. With a doctorate in public administration and decades of experience translating evidence-based science into scalable solutions, Cara is passionate about building a society where emotional wellness is accessible to all. Together, Sharlee and Cara explore how community-driven peer support, led by people with lived experience, is reshaping youth mental health. They discuss how families can better navigate complex systems, access culturally competent care, recognize early warning signs, and create identity-affirming spaces where teens feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. The conversation also looks at the systemic changes needed to ensure emotional wellness isn’t a privilege, but a possibility for every young person.   For more information about Vibrant Emotional Health, please visit: https://www.vibrant.org/ For more information about Vibrant Emotional Health’s Community Programs, please visit: https://www.vibrant.org/what-we-do/community-programs/ For more information about 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, please visit: https://988lifeline.org If you’re interested in supporting Vibrant Emotional Health through donation, please visit: https://www.vibrant.org/donate/ Connect with Vibrant Emotional Health on social media: on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vibrantforall/ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vibrantforall/ on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vibrantforall on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/VibrantForAll on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vibrantforall on X: https://x.com/vibrantforall