Advocacy
Involvement in advocacy and organizing activities can be a powerful tool for recovery of men and women challenged by mental illness. Through taking part, people play an active role in developing leadership skills, identifying community needs and taking social action.
Fountain House has long been a leading advocate for members and the broader mental health community. This role is strengthened through the Fountain House Advocacy Committee, which is a focal point for collecting and disseminating information, networking and organizing advocates in the field. Weekly planning meetings involve members and staff working side by side to identify and organize advocacy activities through letter writing campaigns, active lobbying on city and state issues and participating in demonstrations.
Fountain House members and staff led the successful campaign to permit half-fares on the MTA for mental health consumers who are on SSI. We are also working to increase New York State’s funding for housing for people with mental illness, have assembled legal and benefit resources and lobbied state and federal government to pass legislation allowing people to return to work without risking their healthcare benefits.
HELPFUL LINKS
FIRSTGOV: LINKS TO FEDERAL RESOURCES
NYC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGENE
NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
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