Welcome to the podcast on grand challenges. Today, I’m diving into Stop Stigma Together, an initiative I lead that aims to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health and substance use disorders on a national scale. This effort was launched through the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, following a transformative $150 million gift from the Huntsman family to the University of Utah.

Stigma exists at three levels—structural, social, and individual—impacting policies, workplace environments, and personal attitudes. To tackle this, we collaborate with major organizations like Mental Health America, NAMI, the American Psychological Association, and the American Psychiatric Association, working across sectors such as media, criminal justice, education, and marginalized communities. Our approach includes advocacy, policy reform, and public awareness campaigns like Love Your Mind and Mental Health Care Works.

By bringing together experts, policymakers, and those with lived experience, Stop Stigma Together is building a movement to transform how Americans think about and address mental health. Visit StopStigmaTogether.org to learn more and join us in this grand challenge.

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In this interview, I sit down with Glenn Kreiner, the Ellis Skaggs presidential chair in business ethics at the University of Utah, to discuss his involvement with the Stop Stigma Together initiative, a Grand Challenge focused on addressing mental health stigma. Kreiner shares his passion for applying research to real-world problems and highlights the initiative's key achievements, such as building a diverse leadership infrastructure and convening impactful summits. You both emphasize the importance of balancing ambiguity and concrete goals, leveraging complementary skills within the leadership team, and learning from other Grand Challenges, like the innovative mental health court model in Miami-Dade. Kreiner also discusses his current work on workplace stigma, legal analysis, and longitudinal research, all aimed at driving long-term, systemic change.

For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info

In this podcast, we’ll explore “wicked problems” —complex social issues like poverty or climate change—using a “systems model for change.” This model emphasizes three interconnected levels: personal beliefs, social systems, and structural systems. Grand Challenges, such as “Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation” or improving ultrasound proficiency, demand changes across all three. For instance, healthier nurses (personal) need supportive workplace environments (social) and stronger healthcare policies (structural). Meanwhile, boosting ultrasound skills requires comprehensive training (personal), institutional support (social), and clear regulations (structural). Engaging everyone at every level is crucial: individuals, communities, policymakers, and anyone affected. Collaboration ensures buy-in and fosters lasting solutions. Although these challenges are complex, they’re solvable through coordinated efforts that address each layer of the system. Inspired by Kenneth McLeroy’s CDC model, we see that true change is social, requiring community-driven, multifaceted approaches to transform big issues into collaborative progress.

For all the podcasts, highlight videos, resources, and everything you want to know about Grand Challenges, click visit grandchallenges.info