Advocacy

ADVOCACY
Mental Health News, Information & Resources

Together, we are making a difference in the lives of individuals and family members.

You and NAMI Northern Virginia

Together we are advocating for improved services and treatment options, the expansion of research, increased housing options, improvements in the criminal justice system, and more. There are many ways to "advocate"!

Share your story!
Sharing your experience--as an individual living with a mental health condition, a family member, a provider, or other member of our community--is the most powerful way to educate others, including our legislators, about the importance of support for mental health and related resources. Email info@nami-nova.org to learn more about using your story to make a difference!

Learn about the issues!
By reading below, participating in NAMI Northern Virginia's Monthly Meetings, attending community events and presentations, and connecting with others through our education and support programs, you can learn more about the issues, network with others, and help build a community that cares.

Join our programs!
Find education and support, connect with others, discover you are not alone! Our programs are building a community of people who care about mental health. Together, our voice is strong!

Get in touch!
Contact us with questions about ways you might get more involved.

Advocacy Toolkit

We reply on the lived experiences and voices of our volunteers and advocates to affect change. Join us! You can use the below tools for advocacy to effectively tell your story, take action, and affect change. Together, we can make a difference.

Join or Renew your Membership!

LOCAL ADVOCACY

Our Community

Check out Concerned Fairfax or Concerned Loudoun to get involved in advocacy efforts close to home.

More information and opportunities regarding Concerned Arlington and Concerned Alexandria coming soon. Please email info@nami-nova.org with inquiries or interest in growing these advocacy efforts.

STATE ADVOCACY

Upcoming Mental Health Related Bills in the Virginia General Assembly

2019 - 2020 State Budget: Each year the Virginia General Assembly votes on the state's budget. Increasing funding for mental health services is an important priority and one that the General Assembly is considering in the upcoming legislative sessions. Beginning January 9th, the Virginai General Assembly will begin discussing the upcoming 2019-2020 budget. More information on the Governor's Health and Human Services budget can be found here. Contact your local state legislators and advocate for increased funding for mental health services!

Click here to access Virginia's Key Budget Choices for 2019.

H.B. 1642: Solitary Confinement, data collection and reporting: This bill would require the Department of Corrections to publish data each year regarding who is in solitary confinement, for how long and for what reasons, in addition to mental health staffing levels and the number of individuals released to the community from solitary confinement each year. S.B. 1140 is the identical Senate version of the bill.

NATIONAL ADVOCACY

Upcoming Mental Health Related Bills

H.R. 4194: The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act: This bill aims to designate “988” as the 3-digit number for the mental health and suicide prevention lifeline. Having only a 3-digit number to dial in a mental health crisis is not only easier to remember, but it is quicker to connect people with the help they need, which can save lives. We encourage you to reach out to your Senators and Representatives to urge them to pass this bill into law. Click here to learn more about what you can do.

H.R. 918: Veteran Urgent Access to Mental Healthcare Act S. 439: Introduced in the House in April 2017, this bill would require the VA to provide former members of the Armed Forces with initial mental health assessments and any follow up mental health treatment needed to treat their urgent needs. Learn more here.

S. 439: Timely Mental Health for Foster Youth Act: Introduced in the Senate in February 2017, this bill would ensure that every youth or child entering foster care is provided with mental health screenings and assessments within 30 days. Early intervention is imperative for children with mental health conditions, especially while navigating the challenging foster care system, Learn more here.

Stepping Up

What is "Stepping Up?"

"Stepping Up" is a national initiative to reduce the number of individuals with mental illness in jail. The initiative asks county commissioners to pass a resolution committing to key actions, including collecting data to determine the extent of the problem within each jail, developing a plan that draws on national research to combat the problem, and designing an approach to track progress going forward.

NAMI, including NAMI Virginia and NAMI Northern Virginia, are partners in this initiative, along with the National Association of Counties, the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Foundation.
 Click Here to Learn More.