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Welcome to the Advocates Page: Information, tips, and resources for advocates battling the stigma of mental illness. This page tries not to adhere to any philosophy, rather, we present a broad view of anti-stigma information on the Internet and elsewhere. CCSR Bulletin
The CCSR Bulletin has a new timely feature: an Advocate’s Page. See the the latest issue.
From the Start
Arm yourself with the facts. For the latest stigmatizing representations by the media and corporate America, visit Stella March's Stigma Busters page at NAMI, or try the National Stigma Clearinghouse. Another great resource is Don't Call Me Nuts! Coping with the Stigma of Mental Illness, by Patrick Corrigan and Robert Lundin, an excellent handbook for advocates and activists.
What are the Issues?
It's worth visiting Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law for their comprehensive list of the legal issues facing people with mental illness. For a conservative angle on some crucial issues, especially violence and involuntary commitment, visit the Treatment Advocacy Center.
Research
Any one of these research articles provide additional insight useful to advocates. Contact webmaster@stigmaresearch.org to order copies at a small per page fee.
Grass Roots
The spirit of mental health advocacy is the power of grass roots organizing. Many influential organizations on the landscape have risen from the grass roots: the National Mental Health Association, NAMI, and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance to name three. Before you start your own group, check out this comprehensive list of already existing organizations that fight discrimination and stigma. Small groups can make an impact, too, especially in influencing local government, accessing media, and in consciousness raising. Click here for tips on how to be effective by unifying your voice, and other tactics for advocates and activists. As an advocate, you may find yourself in the position of making presentations before groups. Here are 10 tips for public speaking from Toastmasters International. Access to the media is an especially potent tool of advocates. Find out how to tell your story to the media and how to write a press release that gets attention. Most of all, be informed. Use this link to fact sheets for advocates from the National Mental Health Association. Legislative
Many mental health groups find themselves becoming involved in advocacy by striving to influence government: local, state, and federal. Start with the basics. Many advocates know little about their government. It's very worthwhile to know who your U.S. Representative is. Who is on various House committees? A significant number of people do not know who their U.S. Senators are. Find out. Find out which Senators sit on what committees. Then, look at policy alerts to determine which individuals, committees, or subcommittees to target for a particular issue. Letter writing campaigns, telephone calling, visits, they do make an impact, especially in numbers. Here's a particularly effectual way to contact a congressman.
In sum, research has shown that the stigma of mental illness is best addressed through personal advocacy: an individual telling his story. If you want to advocate, and you have a story to tell, make it known. If you see an issue that moves you to action, take action. There are great resources on the web; this page will get you started. | |||||
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