May 22, 2001

 

Dear Friend,

 

We need your help.

 

We have a very exciting opportunity: Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives are introducing the Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act, which addresses the critically important role that peer-support services can play in recovery from mental illness.

 

This legislation would authorize a grant program to foster the development of mental health consumer-run services. (See the attached draft of the bill.) It will be introduced in tandem with the Medicaid Intensive Community Mental Health Treatment Act, which would provide states with the option of covering intensive community mental health treatment under Medicaid. Although it is not as significant to the consumer/survivor movement as the Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act is, it is still a good bill.

 

These bills are sponsored by Rep. Jim Greenwood (R-PA) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). It is significant that Jim Greenwood is a Republican and a ranking member of the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, where this bill will be sent. The more co-sponsors the bill has, the greater the likelihood that this proposal will be taken up and favorably considered.

 

This is the beginning of the legislative process, and it will take all of us pulling together and making this our top priority to achieve our goal.

 

We are writing to encourage you to contact your Congressional Representative by mail or e-mail (or both) to urge them to sign on as a co-sponsor. You can also alert them that they will be receiving (if this has not already occurred) a “Dear Colleague” letter, from representatives Greenwood and Kaptur, making the same request. Also attached are some “talking points” about the importance of this legislation, which you can use in your letter. (Please contact us if you do not know who your U.S. Representative is.)

 

If any of you are represented by members of the Republican leadership — particularly Hastert (IL), DeLay (TX), Armey (TX), Watts (OK), Cox (CA), Davis (VA), Pryce (OH), Ballenger (NC), Barton (TX), Blunt (MO), Callahan (AL), Calvert (CA), Camp (MI), Cubin (WY), Dreier (CA), Latham (IA), Linder (GA), McHugh (NY), Moran (KS), Regula (OH), Sweeney (NY), Young (AK), Gilman (NY), Kerns (IN), and Tiahrt (KS) — these people would be particularly significant sponsors. In addition, members of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Health Subcommittee in particular would also be significant. But it’s also important simply to get as many sponsors as possible, whoever they are.

 

Time is short, so please contact your representative today!

 

If you have any questions, please call Susan Rogers, Director of Special Projects, Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 800-688-4226, ext. 288, or by e-mail at <srogers@mhasp.org>.

 

Thank you very much.

 

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Rogers

President and CEO

Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania