Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act

The first-ever consumer-driven bill at the national level was introduced in the House of Representatives in June 2001. This is the Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act (H.R. 2363), which addresses the critically important role that peer-support services can play in recovery from mental illness.

This legislation would authorize a grant program to foster the development of mental health consumer-run services. To read the current version of the bill, go to: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:H.R.2363.IH:

The bill is sponsored by Rep. James Greenwood (R-PA), along with Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). It is one of two bills that they jointly introduced; the other is the Medicaid Intensive Community Mental Health Treatment Act (H.R. 2364), which would provide states with the option of covering intensive community mental health treatment under Medicaid.

To read a background piece prepared by the National Mental Health Association about the importance of H.R. 2363, follow the link to Legislation to Foster Consumer-Run Self-Help Programs.

On May 21, 2001, Reps. Greenwood and Kaptur sent their House colleagues a "Dear Colleague" letter informing them about the bills, in order to attract co-sponsors. If you would like a copy of this letter faxed or mailed to you, please contact Susan Rogers by e-mail at srogers@mhasp.org or by telephone at 1-800-688-4226, ext. 288.

The more co-sponsors a bill has, the greater the likelihood that the bill will be taken up and favorably considered. The Mental Illness Consumer-Run Services Support Act currently only has 20 co-sponsors. These are Reps. Andrews, Bonior, English, Hart, Johnson, Kaptur, Lee, Roukema, Stark, Towns, Baldacci, DeFazio, Frost, Hinchey, Jones, Lantos, McCarthy, Shows, Tauscher, and Waxman.

If your Congressional Representative is not on this list, we encourage you to contact them by mail to urge them to sign on as a co-sponsor. Please see the following link for step-by-step instructions on the best way to do this How to Get Your Representative to Sign On as a Co-sponsor. Your Representative has probably already received the "Dear Colleague" letter making the same request.

The fact sheet from the National Mental Health Association provides some "talking points" about the importance of this legislation, which you can use in your letter. In addition, there are two sample letters: one that might be sent by a consumer of mental health services Consumer Letter Sample, and the other that might be sent by a member of the general public or a mental health professional, provider, administrator, or family member General Public Letter.

If you use one of these sample letters, we suggest that you personalize the letter in some way so that your Representative does not receive a bunch of "cookie-cutter" letters from constituents.

If you don't know who your U.S. Representative is, you can find out at the following site: http://www.house.gov/writerep/.

If you are represented by members of the Republican leadership - particularly Hastert (IL), DeLay (TX), Armey (TX), Watts (OK), Cox (CA), Davis (VA), Pryce (OH), Ballenger (NC), Barton (TX), Blunt (MO), Callahan (AL), Calvert (CA), Camp (MI), Cubin (WY), Dreier (CA), Latham (IA), Linder (GA), McHugh (NY), Moran (KS), Regula (OH), Sweeney (NY), Young (AK), Gilman (NY), Kerns (IN), and Tiahrt (KS) - these people would be particularly significant sponsors. In addition, members of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Health Subcommittee would also be significant. But it's also important simply to get as many sponsors as possible, whoever they are.

If your representative is already a sponsor, you may want to write to him or her to thank them.

Time is short, so please contact your representative today!

NAMI is supporting this legislation and has issued a Federal Action Alert. Their alert can be found at http://www.nami.org/update/20010808.htm

If you have any questions, please call Susan Rogers, Director of Special Projects, Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 800-688-4226, ext. 288, or by e-mail at srogers@mhasp.org.

Thank you very much.

Joseph A. Rogers, President and CEO
Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania