Episode 6

full
Published on:

16th Jul 2020

Melanie Funchess – A Personal Journey Through Advocacy

Melanie Funchess is an advocates advocate. She leads community engagement for the Mental Health Association in Rochester. A large part of her work is to make connections with diverse communities, bringing them together with the ultimate goal of strengthening the fabric of services and supports that are provided to the good people of Rochester.  

In this episode, we delve into the personal journey of Melanie and her history as an advocate that goes all the way back to childhood. We're going to who Melanie is, how she got into this work, and what motivates her to do the advocacy work she does. 

What You'll Learn

  • The inspiring journey of Melanie Funchess as an advocate.
  • All about the Black Lives Matter Movement and the importance of addressing the issue of racial injustice. 
  • And much more!

Favorite Quote

“People are fickle. People will love you today and hate you tomorrow. But the one thing is true. There will be children every single day who need us. There will be families every single day who need us.” - Melanie Funchess  

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for The Optimistic Advocate

About the Podcast

The Optimistic Advocate
Making a difference in advocating for better mental health services for children and families
Hello, and welcome to the Optimistic Advocate! The Podcast that brings you just a bit closer to recognizing your full potential as an advocate for change – yours, mine, and everyone's! I’m your host, Scott, Bryant-Comstock, and I’m CEO and founder of the Children’s Mental Health Network. For the past 40 years, my journey as a mental health advocate has traveled from volunteering at a suicide and crisis center, professional roles as a therapist in an outpatient clinic, in-home family therapist, state mental health official, Board Chair for a county mental health program, and national reviewer of children’s mental health systems reform efforts. As the founder of the Children’s Mental Health Network (2009), I lead the Network’s efforts to grow a national online forum for the exchange of ideas on how to continually improve children’s mental health research, policy, and practice.

This podcast features conversations with inspiring advocates who help individuals and families make positive changes in their lives and communities across the globe. The episodes typically run from 45 – 60 minutes in length, so give yourself some room to breathe and get inspired when you listen to these. Who knows this could be the gamechanger that will unleash the advocate in you. You won’t regret it!

I can’t wait for you to join me here on the Optimistic Advocate. Remember to tell all your podcasting friends that the show is available for free in any application that supports podcasts.

Go to theoptimisticadvocate.com/listen and choose the podcast player of your choice. Remember, as you dive into the episodes, never forget to stay optimistic, listen attentively, have a plan, and follow through.

See you on the Podcast!

About your host

Profile picture for Scott Bryant-Comstock

Scott Bryant-Comstock

For the past 49 years, my journey as a mental health advocate has spanned working at a suicide and crisis center, as a therapist in an outpatient clinic, an in-home family therapist, a state mental health official, Board Chair for a county mental health program, and a national reviewer of children's mental health systems reform efforts. As the founder of the Children's Mental Health Network (2009), I led the Network's efforts to grow a national online forum for the exchange of ideas on how to continually improve children's mental health research, policy, and practice. The Network ceased operation in 2024 and I am now devoting my efforts to assisting those nearing transition as an end of life doula. The advocacy gene remains as strong as ever!

Enjoy this archive of the Optimistic Advocate podcast and be inspired by the amazing group of individuals I had to honor of speaking with.