What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is "the act of speaking, writing or acting in support of something or someone."
"Speaking out" doesn’t have to mean giving a speech — it can also mean writing a letter, sending an email, participating in a meeting, showing up to a rally. There are many ways to make our voices heard through NAMI Kenosha.
NAMI Kenosha County members work to influence public policy related to the quality of services for people with serious mental illnesses, including access to treatment, housing, employment, and better health insurance. We support and advocate for the advancement of research into the causes and treatments of severe mental illnesses.
Learn more about Advocacy forWisconsin at NAMI WISCONSIN - What is Advocacy?
"Speaking out" doesn’t have to mean giving a speech — it can also mean writing a letter, sending an email, participating in a meeting, showing up to a rally. There are many ways to make our voices heard through NAMI Kenosha.
NAMI Kenosha County members work to influence public policy related to the quality of services for people with serious mental illnesses, including access to treatment, housing, employment, and better health insurance. We support and advocate for the advancement of research into the causes and treatments of severe mental illnesses.
Learn more about Advocacy forWisconsin at NAMI WISCONSIN - What is Advocacy?
Report Grades States On Standards and Impact Of Involuntary Commitment Laws - 2018
The Treatment Advocacy Center released a study of commitment laws by state, assigning each a letter grade. Wisconsin achieved the highest combined score when judged by TAC, with 96 out of 100 points. Maryland received the lowest combined score, with 18 out of 100.
The Treatment Advocacy Center was formed was to seek passage of Assisted Outpatient Treatment laws and its report views involuntary commitment through that perspective. TAC’s report offers us an important snapshot of what states are currently doing and makes recommendations on what states could do better.
From TAC’s Executive Summary:
The United States is effectively running 50 different experiments, with no two states taking the same approach. As a result, whether or not an individual receives timely, appropriate treatment for an acute psychiatric crisis or chronic psychiatric disease is almost entirely dependent on what state he or she is in when the crisis arises.
Read more here.
The Treatment Advocacy Center released a study of commitment laws by state, assigning each a letter grade. Wisconsin achieved the highest combined score when judged by TAC, with 96 out of 100 points. Maryland received the lowest combined score, with 18 out of 100.
The Treatment Advocacy Center was formed was to seek passage of Assisted Outpatient Treatment laws and its report views involuntary commitment through that perspective. TAC’s report offers us an important snapshot of what states are currently doing and makes recommendations on what states could do better.
From TAC’s Executive Summary:
The United States is effectively running 50 different experiments, with no two states taking the same approach. As a result, whether or not an individual receives timely, appropriate treatment for an acute psychiatric crisis or chronic psychiatric disease is almost entirely dependent on what state he or she is in when the crisis arises.
Read more here.
21st Century Cures Bill Passes House Committee
The House Energy & Commerce Committee passed 21st Century Cures on May 21st— a bipartisan bill designed to push for the development of new therapies for diseases that are not being treated successfully. This bill includes new dollars for the National Institutes of Health Opportunity Fund totalling $10 billion over five years.
The bill does not target specific diseases or illnesses, but it does leave open the possibility of investments in new clinical trials or therapeutic interventions for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and other mental health conditions. The 21st Century Cures bill is expected to come to a vote in the full House of Representatives in June.
View NAMI’s letter of support for this important bill.
17 U.S. Senators Write Letter To HHS Citing NAMI Parity Report
In a first step to addressing some vital concerns in Affordable Care Act health plans, a group of U.S. Senators sent a letter to Secretary Sylvia Burwell (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) calling for action to ensure transparency and mental health parity. The letter cites NAMI’s report “A Long Road Ahead” noting, among other issues, that consumers cannot get the detailed information they need to make informed decisions when buying a health plan.
Read the letter.
Stepping Up To Reduce The Number of People With Mental Illness In Jails
NAMI helped jumpstart the Stepping Up Initiative on Capitol Hill this month as part of a national effort to divert people with mental illness from jails and into treatment. The campaign brings together a powerful coalition of national organizations, including NAMI, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Association of Counties, the American Psychiatric Foundation and many law enforcement associations, mental health organizations, and substance abuse organizations.
The initiative will challenge counties and local communities to work together to find solutions that work for their local community.
See how you can step up.
Tell Congress To Help New Veterans Keep Their Mental Health Medications
The way things stand now, if you decide to transition out of military service and into veteran status, your medication might not transfer with you. This is unacceptable. Urge your member of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 2123 the Enhancing Veterans Access to Treatment Act.Tell them it is not ok to take away a medication that works for a service member simply because he or she transitioned out of service.
Email Congress.
Tweet Congress.
Bright Spot: NAMI Minnesota
This legislative session NAMI Minnesota led the Minnesota Mental Health Legislative Network to increase mental health funding in the 2016 state budget. Their motto, “We know what works; let’s build on it.” This coordinated campaign helped secure $46 million in new funding for mental health services and supports.
"It was the most new money invested in mental health in our state's history. There was truly a recognition that there is no silver bullet for fixing the mental health system. Significant investments were made all up and down the continuum," said Sue Abderholden, executive director of NAMI Minnesota.
Read more about NAMI Minnesota's victory.
Follow some of NAMI's Policy Team on Twitter to stay up-to-date on what is going on in #MentalHealth Policy @NAMIPolicyWonk and @DarcyGrutt.
Thank you for your advocacy!
The House Energy & Commerce Committee passed 21st Century Cures on May 21st— a bipartisan bill designed to push for the development of new therapies for diseases that are not being treated successfully. This bill includes new dollars for the National Institutes of Health Opportunity Fund totalling $10 billion over five years.
The bill does not target specific diseases or illnesses, but it does leave open the possibility of investments in new clinical trials or therapeutic interventions for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and other mental health conditions. The 21st Century Cures bill is expected to come to a vote in the full House of Representatives in June.
View NAMI’s letter of support for this important bill.
17 U.S. Senators Write Letter To HHS Citing NAMI Parity Report
In a first step to addressing some vital concerns in Affordable Care Act health plans, a group of U.S. Senators sent a letter to Secretary Sylvia Burwell (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) calling for action to ensure transparency and mental health parity. The letter cites NAMI’s report “A Long Road Ahead” noting, among other issues, that consumers cannot get the detailed information they need to make informed decisions when buying a health plan.
Read the letter.
Stepping Up To Reduce The Number of People With Mental Illness In Jails
NAMI helped jumpstart the Stepping Up Initiative on Capitol Hill this month as part of a national effort to divert people with mental illness from jails and into treatment. The campaign brings together a powerful coalition of national organizations, including NAMI, the Council of State Governments Justice Center, the National Association of Counties, the American Psychiatric Foundation and many law enforcement associations, mental health organizations, and substance abuse organizations.
The initiative will challenge counties and local communities to work together to find solutions that work for their local community.
See how you can step up.
Tell Congress To Help New Veterans Keep Their Mental Health Medications
The way things stand now, if you decide to transition out of military service and into veteran status, your medication might not transfer with you. This is unacceptable. Urge your member of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 2123 the Enhancing Veterans Access to Treatment Act.Tell them it is not ok to take away a medication that works for a service member simply because he or she transitioned out of service.
Email Congress.
Tweet Congress.
Bright Spot: NAMI Minnesota
This legislative session NAMI Minnesota led the Minnesota Mental Health Legislative Network to increase mental health funding in the 2016 state budget. Their motto, “We know what works; let’s build on it.” This coordinated campaign helped secure $46 million in new funding for mental health services and supports.
"It was the most new money invested in mental health in our state's history. There was truly a recognition that there is no silver bullet for fixing the mental health system. Significant investments were made all up and down the continuum," said Sue Abderholden, executive director of NAMI Minnesota.
Read more about NAMI Minnesota's victory.
Follow some of NAMI's Policy Team on Twitter to stay up-to-date on what is going on in #MentalHealth Policy @NAMIPolicyWonk and @DarcyGrutt.
Thank you for your advocacy!