Our partners in advocacy provide the boots on the ground needed to make meaningful change, one step at a time. Lawmakers at the state level want to hear from their constituents. Some of the most effective bills, that have had the greatest impact on the lives of people with severe mental illness, arose from the personal stories and advocacy of individuals and families in partnership with their representatives in state legislatures. Treatment Advocacy Center is committed to our partnership with our local allies to ensure you have the resources, expertise and materials you need to demand change from your elected representatives and officials.
Check here, in our background papers, or in our archive of publications for research materials you can use in your advocacy. If you need something specific and are not sure if we have related resources, reach out to our advocacy team at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for assistance.
Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Advocacy
While nearly all states have some version of AOT theoretically available, there is wild variation in whether individual laws allow AOT to be implemented according to evidence-based best practices. Many well-crafted AOT laws are likewise not being used to help the populations most likely to benefit from and need these programs to thrive in their communities. We offer these resources to assist in improving your AOT law or to make the case for launching, changing or expanding programs in your state.
Psychiatric Beds
Without adequate numbers of hospital beds available, a state’s public mental health system fails. People in crisis are boarded in emergency departments, discharged when not properly stabilized, and return to the community at risk for further harm, criminalization or rapid re-hospitalization. Decisions about state hospitals, both about beds and about facilities, are made by state lawmakers. Use these resources to show your representatives that eliminating beds leads to disastrous effects, and is the epitome of penny wise, pound foolish thinking.
Medicaid Waivers
Until Congress repeals the discriminatory exclusion for institutions for mental diseases (IMDs), which withholds Medicaid payment to inpatient psychiatric hospitals with more than sixteen beds, states now have the option to pursue or amend an 1115 waiver and seek an exception allowing federal funds to reimburse for this critical inpatient treatment. For information and assistance in advocating for your state to take advantage of this opportunity, reach out to Legislative and Policy Counsel Michael Gray: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .