Meet Karen Desjardins

CONTACT KAREN

Karen Desjardins serves as Co-Director of Connecticut’s National Shattering Silence Coalition (NSSC), where she advocates for policies, services, and systems of care that better meet the needs of individuals living with serious mental illness (SMI) and the families who support them. Her commitment to this work is deeply personal. More than twenty years ago, her sister began exhibiting clear signs of psychosis but received only brief treatment before disengaging from care. Over the following seven years, she lived largely unhoused in the woods of the Northeast while her family struggled to navigate a fragmented mental health system that prioritized “privacy” and “choice” over effective intervention for a person whose illness impaired her ability to recognize her need for treatment. Her sister ultimately died at the age of 44. This profound loss, combined with the more recent experience of another family member living with SMI, inspired Karen’s dedication to advocacy and systemic reform – as the gaps from more than 20 years ago, in many cases, remain today.

Karen believes that individuals with SMI—particularly those affected by anosognosia, a neurological symptom that impairs awareness of illness—require policies and treatment approaches specifically designed to address their unique needs. She is a strong advocate for increasing public understanding of SMI & anosognosia and ensuring continuity of services across the treatment continuum. 

A particular focus of Karen’s advocacy is advancing legislative and policy reforms in Connecticut. As one of only two states in the nation without an Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) law, Connecticut lacks an important evidence-based tool that 48 states use to help individuals with the most severe and treatment-resistant mental illnesses remain engaged in care and avoid repeated crises, hospitalization, homelessness, incarceration, and victimization.
Karen believes that education, collaboration, and thoughtful legislation are essential to addressing long-standing gaps in the system and creating a more compassionate and effective response for those living with SMI and their families.

Professionally, Karen brings more than 35 years of experience in finance, strategic planning, and business operations. She earned her MBA in Finance from Boston University and has held leadership and financial management roles with major organizations including Lockheed Martin, Aetna and Nestle.  Her professional background provides a strong foundation for analyzing complex systems, building coalitions, and advocating for practical, results-oriented solutions that improve the lives of individuals and families affected by serious mental illness.