Sample letter to a U.S. Representative from a mental health consumer

(Date)

Dear (the name of your U.S. Representative):

I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor the Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act (H.R. 2363), which has been introduced by Rep. Jim Greenwood (R-PA). You probably have already received a letter) from Reps. Greenwood and Kaptur (D-OH) asking you to co-sponsor this bill.

As one of your constituents who has been a recipient of mental health services, I am writing to add my voice to theirs.

As I have worked toward recovery, I have found the self-help and peer-support movement of people who have psychiatric disabilities extremely helpful. The Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act addresses the extremely vital role that peer-support services play in the recovery process. It would authorize a modest grant program to foster the development of mental heath consumer-run services to help people handle and overcome mental illnesses by setting up 10 regional technical assistance centers that would aid in their development.

(Here you may want to add something about how peer-support services have personally contributed to your recovery.)

This is the first-ever legislation dealing specifically with the concept of self-help, a critical tool in the recovery of people who have mental illnesses. Please add your support to this growing recovery movement by becoming a co-sponsor of the Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)
(Your Address)
(Your Phone Number)

Return to Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act Alert page or return to the Mental Health Association of SE PA's home page.