…ensuring equality and quality care

	In this section of our site, we’ll present information on important advocacy issues that affect adults with mental illness and children with emotional problems. Watch for updates! On our advocacy agenda right now are:    Prevent elimination of AB 2034 funding in California     Pass National Mental Health Parity legislation Sign up for our e-mail “advocacy alerts” if you’d like to learn more or get involved.

Advocacy – working to inform elected officials about mental health issues – is a cornerstone of our MHA and Mental Health Associations across the country. Our advocacy action is based on a belief that people with mental illness deserve equal health care, decent places to live and meaningful jobs.

We advocate to preserve resources that make care available for children who have emotional problems and adults who have mental illness. We act to protect rights of people with mental illness in housing, employment and education. We advance systems change that will help people with mental illness live, work and participate fully in their communities.

MHA is active at all levels of government, working with the National Mental Health Association and the Mental Health Association in California. We monitor budget and legislative processes. We testify before Congress, the California Legislature, our county Board of Supervisors and local city councils. We visit offices of elected officials and meet with their staffs. We coordinate letter writing campaigns on mental health issues.

Prevent Elimination of AB 2034 Funding in California

• In his 2007-2008 state budget, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed elimination of funding for the AB 2034 program.  This successful program, documented by strong outcomes, serves people with mental illness who have histories of homelessness or jail.

  Funding for this program totals $55 million and is used to provide integrated mental health treatment and recovery services for almost 5,000 individuals in 34 California counties. 

  As reported in a May 8 Sacramento Bee column, “of 4,622 people in the program as of January 2006, more than half were homeless at the time they began receiving services, and only 12 percent were homeless again last year. On the flipside, the number living independently soared from 643 to 2,827.”

  The Governor has stated that similar services are available through California’s new Mental Health Services Act. Mental health advocates disagree, citing the Act’s   legal requirements that California maintain its existing level of funding to care for adults and children with mental health needs. The new Act is intended to increase the availability of much needed services for children, youth, adults and seniors.

	Status: Versions of the 2007-2008 budget are being heard in California Assembly and Senate committees. Action: Now is the time for California voters to write to the Governor and your state representative and senator, asking them to restore funding and preserve the services of the AB 2034 program. For information on writing letters to your elected officials on this topic, you may contact our public policy director at ccostello@mhala.org.

Pass National Mental Health Parity Legislation

• More than 260 legislators have signed on as co-sponsors of the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 (HR 1424). The bill was introduced by Sen. Patrick Kennedy (D-Rhode Island) and Sen. Jim Ramstad (R-Minnesota).
  
  This legislation, reports our national office, would prevent employers and health plans from imposing stricter limits on coverage for mental health care than for other health conditions. It would offer protections to the nearly 60 percent of Americans who rely on employer-sponsored health coverage.
  
  As our national office states, enactment of a strong parity bill is an important step toward improving access to care and giving mental health needs the same priority as other medical conditions.

	Status: In the House of Representatives, three committees must still take action on the bill before it can go to the House floor for a vote. Action: We ask individuals to urge their representatives to press House leaders to bring parity legislation to the floor for a vote. Our national office has made this one of the top items on its Advocacy Network agenda.  Individuals can join the “Campaign to Insure Mental Health and Addiction Equity” at http://takeaction.mentalhealthamerica.net/site/PageServer?pagename=Equity_Campaign.