Advocacy Toolkit
On this page you will find the tools and resources you need to become a more effective and educated advocate for the mental health community. You will find everything from basic information on the legislative process to NAMI Connecticut issue fact sheets and sample testimony. These tools are available for you to download, print and share with your legislators and your community.
1. NEW! KEEP THE PROMISE COALITION CANDIDATE FORUM TOOLKIT (use fact sheets provided under # 9)
- Candidate Forum Tip Sheet (includes guidelines for non-profit organizations)
- Sample Questions for Candidates
- Getting Supportive Housing Information to Candidates
2. NEW! How to Host a Legislative Breakfast
3. What is Advocacy? Advocacy is easier than you think
4. NAMI Connecticut Public Policy Program Overview: What we can do for you
5. Public Policy Related Definitions: Gain a better understanding of
mental health and public policy terms
6. Quick Facts: Review state government structure and the legislative process
7. 2013 Legislative Agenda: Become familiar with NAMI-Connecticut and the Keep the Promise Coalitions priority issues for the 2013 legislative session
8. NEW! Statistics on mental health in Connecticut: Facts and figures you can use to advocate for improved services
9. 2011 Issues Fact Sheets: Find comprehensive fact sheets on NAMI Connecticut priority issues to share with legislators and the community
- Supportive Housing is Critical for Low-Income Persons with Mental Illness and Disabilities
- The Cost of Failure
- Promoting social and emotional development, prevention, early identification and intervention
- Medicaid Co-Pays Harm Access
10. Public Hearings: Browse NAMI Connecticut’s official testimony from the 2011 legislative session
- NAMI Connecticut Testimony before the Human Services Committee regarding Medicaid Income Limits. 02.10.2011
11. Testimony Guide: Learn how to turn your story into testimony
- Example Testimony with how-to guidelines: Medication Access Story
- Example Testimony with how-to guidelines: Parity Story
- Example Testimony written and read by a NAMI-CT member at a Public Hearing
- Example Thank You Letter to Legislator
12. Use the Media to Share Your Message: Use the media to expand your audience, make your issue important and change public perceptions
- Contact information for CT Media
- Published op-eds and letter to the editor written by mental health advocates in CT
13. Keep the Promise Coalition: Explore this active and effective mental
health advocacy coalition
14. Useful Links
- Advocacy Unlimited www.mindlink.org
- Connecticut General Assembly www.cga.ct.gov
- Connecticut Network Of Care connecticut.networkofcare.org
- Corporation for Supportive Housing www.csh.org
- CT Coalition to End Homelessness www.cceh.org
- CT Department of Children and Families www.ct.gov/dcf
- CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services www.ct.gov/DMHAS
- CT Department of Social Services www.ct.gov/dss
- CT Juvenile Justice Alliance www.ctjja.org
- CT Voices for Children www.ctkidslink.org
- Families United for Children’s Mental Health www.familiesunitedct.org
- FAVOR, Inc. (Family Advocacy for Children’s Behavioral Health) www.favor-ct.org
- Keep the Promise Coalition (KTP) www.ctkeepthepromise.org
- Mental Health Association of Connecticut www.mhact.org
- Office of Healthcare Access www.ct.gov/ohca
- Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities www.ct.gov/opapd
- Office of the Child Advocate www.ct.gov/oca
- Office of the Healthcare Advocate www.ct.gov/oha
- Partnership for Strong Communities www.ctpartnershiphousing.com
- Reaching Home Campaign www.ctreachinghome.org
