Meet Mary Troy

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Mary Troy serves as Virginia State Policy Director for the National Shattering Silence Coalition, where she advances policies aimed at ending the neglect, discrimination, and criminalization of severe mental illness.

Her advocacy is rooted in lived experience. During a severe psychotic episode, Mary’s son assaulted a law enforcement officer, resulting in a seven-hour standoff—an incident that could likely have been prevented with timely hospitalization and medical stabilization. Instead of receiving urgent psychiatric treatment, his illness was criminalized, and he was charged with a federal offense. This profoundly personal experience solidified Mary’s commitment to ensuring that individuals living with serious psychiatric disorders receive immediate, appropriate medical care—not incarceration or solitary confinement.

In addition to her advocacy work, Mary is a trained facilitator with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA). She is deeply committed to elevating the voices of families who have been denied timely hospitalization and to advancing reforms that prioritize early intervention and continuity of care.

Mary holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Services Counseling from Old Dominion University and is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC). She brings extensive professional experience from her work in inpatient psychiatric facilities and outpatient programs serving individuals with co-occurring disorders.
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Through her leadership, Mary works to advance evidence-based policies that promote treatment, stability, and dignity for individuals living with severe mental illness and their families.