Effective Advocacy

There is no one more powerful than an informed and educated advocate who understands the system they are trying to change. These advocates command attention and have the respect of both their friends and foes. These advocates can and do make a difference.

Counterproductive Advocacy

There is a second kind of advocate who commands attention. This type of advocate burns all their bridges in attempting to further their agenda. They view advocacy as “us against them” and they expect change to occur overnight. When it doesn’t, they attack anything and everyone who fails to live up to their expectations. Like the first type of advocate, this advocate gets the attention of their friends and foes. However the attention they get does nothing to further their cause and if oftentimes leads to their issue being viewed in an extremely negative light.

Can citizen involvement make a difference? Take a look at the battle for civil rights, in less than twenty years advocates went from fighting “Jim Crow” laws to voting, to running for congress. That did not happen by advocates sitting on the sidelines watching the game. It happened when they took an active role, became involved, and fought for change. You cannot change any system without understanding how that system’s game is played, who the players are, and what the rules are. Once you know that, it is time to become an active participant in the game.

Before you jump right into advocacy, it can be helpful to understand how legislation is made. The American legislative process is a complex system; these links can help you better understand how the government works.

Effective Advocacy

There is no one more powerful than an informed and educated advocate who understands the system they are trying to change. These advocates command attention and have the respect of both their friends and foes. These advocates can and do make a difference.

Effective Advocacy

There is no one more powerful than an informed and educated advocate who understands the system they are trying to change. These advocates command attention and have the respect of both their friends and foes. These advocates can and do make a difference.

Counterproductive Advocacy

There is a second kind of advocate who commands attention. This type of advocate burns all their bridges in attempting to further their agenda. They view advocacy as “us against them” and they expect change to occur overnight. When it doesn’t, they attack anything and everyone who fails to live up to their expectations. Like the first type of advocate, this advocate gets the attention of their friends and foes. However the attention they get does nothing to further their cause and if oftentimes leads to their issue being viewed in an extremely negative light.

Can citizen involvement make a difference? Take a look at the battle for civil rights, in less than twenty years advocates went from fighting “Jim Crow” laws to voting, to running for congress. That did not happen by advocates sitting on the sidelines watching the game. It happened when they took an active role, became involved, and fought for change. You cannot change any system without understanding how that system’s game is played, who the players are, and what the rules are. Once you know that, it is time to become an active participant in the game.

Before you jump right into advocacy, it can be helpful to understand how legislation is made. The American legislative process is a complex system; these links can help you better understand how the government works.

Mental Health Legislation

The next step is to understand current mental health legislation. The following sites offer a wealth of information on various topics in mental health; some are helpful for understanding the law as it stands and others offer insight into current legislation.

The sites labeled ‘action alerts’ or ‘policy updates’ contain information on specific bills currently in the legislative process and are useful for advocacy. Links marked with an asterisk (*) are particularly helpful.

Ways You Can Advocate

Once you have educated yourself on how the system works and have identified bills that you support or oppose, the next step is to advocate for those issues. The first step is to find out who represents you, which you can find out by clicking here.

Once you find out who your representative is, reach out and vocalize your thoughts! Below are our suggestions on ways you can communicate with your representative, and advocate for the issues you feel strongly about.

By Phone

You will most likely be unable to speak directly with your representative, so relay your message to their staff. Ask to speak with the person in charge of your particular issue. Briefly state the purpose of your call and explain which bill you would like your legislator to support or oppose. Phone calls should be very brief; if what you have to say takes more than a minute or so, write a letter.

By Mail

Be polite and concise. Even if you disagree with your legislator or their opinions, always be respectful and considerate. Keep your letter short and to-the-point. Include all the relevant details, but don’t go on for longer than necessary. You can include facts or statistics (NAMI’s website is a good source) about mental illness if it supports your point.

Give a little bit of background on yourself or your family if relevant, and briefly explain why your legislator’s action on a particular piece of legislation is important to you.

Meeting In-Person

Schedule a 15-minute meeting a few weeks in advance. Be sure to confirm the date and time a few days before the meeting. Although meeting directly with your legislator is ideal, it isn’t always possible. A meeting with a member of their staff can be just as convincing.

If you plan to meet in a group, make sure everyone is on the same page before the visit. Assign one person as leader or spokesperson. Divisive or disorganized groups are highly ineffective.

Be prepared for your meeting. Have some facts or statistics ready and be prepared for questions. Be knowledgeable about your legislator and the legislative process.

Bring a printed ‘leave behind’ document for your legislator. This should include all the main points that you will make during your visit and any other relevant information.

Send a thank you note! Not only is this polite, but it allows you to reiterate your point.