Advocacy

Advocacy is a fundamental part of the mission of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania and among its greatest strengths. The principal mission of the Advocacy Division is the identification and remediation of systems gaps, and positive systems change, through direct advocacy; proactive and reactive policy initiatives; appropriately focused criticisms, grievance, and protest; and grassroots organizing. The work of the Advocacy Division strives to be culturally and logistically sensitive, life-stage appropriate and inclusive; to holistically encompass access to services and community resources, including housing, employment, education, family inclusion, spirituality, and wellness; to lessen justice system involvement and to effect forensic system improvement for those with behavioral health needs. 

The Advocacy Division includes a team of advocates who directly educate and assist individuals with service delivery complaints and grievances and in navigating benefits systems, protect consumer rights in inpatient and outpatient settings, make linkages to community resources, teach/guide mental health consumers to educate their peer groups and the public about mental health conditions, and in assisting consumers to fully engage in democratic processes. Knowledge obtained through direct service activities,  and interfacing with provider and service communities and governmental entities and officials, is employed in service of legislative and regulatory advocacy and of systems improvement and transformation. 

Division member functions include benefits access; Norristown State Hospital institutional advocacy; consumer citizenship; Einstein/Belmont Ombudsman; older adult, youth and housing systems advocacy; and mental health and related policy and systems advocacy. Specific activities include the following:

Benefits Specialist

• Assistance acquiring benefits
• Grievance and appeal process
• Referrals to community resources
• Legal referral services
• Training and technical assistance
• Internal and inter-agency efforts

Institutional and Patient Advocacy located at Norristown State Hospital

• Protect  and ensure the rights of Norristown State Hospital patients
• Teach self-advocacy
• Transition to community

Consumer Citizenship

• Represents MHASP at various coalitions
• Community organizer
• Helps consumers engage in political activities
• Voter registrations
• Advocacy campaigns

Einstein Ombudsman Care Coordinator

• Civil Commitment Court for Einstein and Belmont
• Explains the 302 process to consumers and families
• Ensures consumer rights during hearings
• Einstein/Belmont inpatient units
• Runs groups
• Onsite advocate
• Models recovery
• Provides transitional supports in the community
• Voices of Recovery Group
• Continues to be available to consumers post-inpatient treatment

Older Adult Advocacy

• Systems and policy advocacy
• Coordinates cross-systems coalitions
• Successful Aging Task Force, trains older adults to do community outreach and education

Youth Systems Advocate

• Policy and systems advocacy
• Building coalitions between youth-serving systems
• The school system
• The juvenile justice system
• The behavioral health system

Housing Policy Advocate 

• Collaborates with Affordable Housing Advocates
• Works with Behavioral Health System
• Works with Homelessness Continuum of Care
• Educates Community about Housing Rights
• Serves on Taskforces, Committees, and Coalitions
• Advocates for Better Housing Policy/Legislation/Funding

Policy and Systems Advocacy

• Serve on local, regional, state and national coalitions, boards, and taskforces 
• Community organizing
• Political education
• Policy and systems research

History of Mental Health Recovery Movement