The Voice of Hope with Dr. Ken Huey
Join Dr. Ken Huey on The Voice of Hope, where real stories and expert insights meet to inspire healing and transformation. With decades of experience in behavioral health and trauma therapy, Dr. Huey draws from his personal journey and professional expertise to offer practical advice for families, adoptees, and anyone seeking growth. Discover strategies to navigate trauma, build stronger relationships, and embrace hope in every episode. Tune in for thoughtful conversations that uplift and empower.
The Voice of Hope with Dr. Ken Huey
Tyler Norris – Co-Founder & Director, CEO Alliance for Mental Health
In this powerful episode of The Voice of Hope, Dr. Ken Huey sits down with Tyler Norris, Co-Founder and Director of the CEO Alliance for Mental Health and Visiting Scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, for a far-reaching conversation about how hope is built - not just felt.
Tyler shares his deeply personal journey from a troubled adolescence to a lifetime of leadership in community health, population well-being, and upstream investment strategies that prevent mental health crises before they begin. Together, they explore why community is the true foundation of healing, how finance and public policy can be leveraged to improve mental health outcomes, and why investing early in families and youth is both morally right and economically smart.
The conversation also dives into outcomes-based financing, shared savings models, community-initiated care, leadership maturity, and the emerging role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in mental health and addiction recovery. Tyler closes by sharing a moving story that captures why he still believes hope is alive - and actionable - at the local level.
This episode is a must-listen for clinicians, policymakers, community leaders, and anyone who believes mental health systems can - and must - do better.
00:00 – Introduction
Ken Huey welcomes listeners to The Voice of Hope and introduces Tyler Norris, highlighting his leadership in mental health, community well-being, and impact investing.
00:40 – 01:43
What is your “why”? How did you land in this space?
Tyler shares his early life experiences with restorative justice, community support, and how those moments shaped his lifelong commitment to building communities that help people flourish.
01:43 – 03:06
What drew you to upstream investment in population health?
Tyler explains the shift from downstream medical care to investing in education, housing, income, and other vital conditions that create health in the first place.
03:06 – 05:00
How did your time at Kaiser Permanente and Well-Being Trust shape your view on mental health funding?
Tyler reflects on leading large-scale community benefit investments and what it taught him about reach, intensity, and duration in creating real impact.
05:00 – 07:22
How does finance intersect with community health and well-being?
As a Visiting Scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Tyler explains how avoided future costs can be monetized to fund prevention through outcomes-based financing.
07:22 – 09:34
What does “stacking shared savings” actually mean?
Tyler breaks down how multiple shared savings agreements across sectors can create enough impact — and enough savings — to sustainably invest upstream.
09:34 – 11:59
How do you adapt your leadership style across business, policy, and community spaces?
Tyler reflects on personal transformation, leadership maturity, spirituality, and creating the conditions for others to lead.
11:59 – 15:55
What are the biggest misconceptions about psychedelic-assisted therapy?
Tyler shares his personal story, the emerging science, and how the CEO Alliance is preparing systems for safe, legal, and equitable access.
15:55 – 17:56
How do you balance big-picture thinking with daily operational demands?
Tyler explains why leadership is an inside-out practice rooted in boundaries, self-care, and spiritual clarity.
17:56 – 20:56
Where have you seen the greatest impact in mental health systems?
Tyler emphasizes community-led action, social capital, and the power of people coming together locally to solve real problems.
20:56 – 25:45
How does community-initiated care fit into modern mental health systems?
Tyler discusses harm reduction, task-shifting, listening skills, dignity, and why every person can play a role in mental health support.
25:45 – 28:25
Can you share one story from your work that gives you hope?
A moving story from the Zendo Project illustrates how simple human skills can transform lives and futures.
28:25 – 29:34
Where can people learn more or connect with you?
Tyler shares resources including the Zendo Project and his website, and thanks Ken for creating a platform rooted in hope.
29:34 – Closing
Ken Huey closes the episode by reminding listeners that hope isn’t just a feeling — it’s a force.
