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KEEP THE PROMISE COALITION

Alicia Woodsby, MSWPublic Policy Director

National Alliance on Mental Illness, CTNAMI-CT

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WHO WE ARE

• A Connecticut coalition of advocates dedicated to advocating for the “Blue Ribbon Solutions”

• Founder - Attorney Jan Van Tassel, Executive Director of Connecticut Legal Rights Project (CLRP)

• U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in L.C. v. Olmstead

• Brought together mental health advocates from diverse groups with competing agendas

• Sheila Amdur, then President of NAMI-CT joined forces with Van Tassel and organized Coalition

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BEGINNINGS

• Members agreed on a joint initiative for the comprehensive community based services and housing the state promised to persons in recovery, providers, and taxpayers

• NAMI-CT organized and has led the coalition along with CLRP

• Honest look at what was preventing collaboration with many of the other advocacy groups – Outpatient Commitment

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BEGINNINGS

• NAMI-CT Board decided that the main issue confronting CT was the lack of services for people with the highest needs and all the work and advocacy would be focused on changing the service system

• Dramatic change in the trust level and consumer groups, Mental Health Association, and many others came to the table

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BLUE RIBBON SOLUTIONS

• KTP Advocacy a major factor in persuading then Governor Rowland to establish The Blue Ribbon Commission on Mental Health, which issued its landmark report in July of 2000.

Examples of Key Recommendations:• “Address gridlock in care delivery for

children and adults”• “Adjust rates to ensure adequate support for

mental health services”

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BLUE RIBBON SOLUTIONS

• “Enhance community services for children and adults”

• “Ensure coordinated care for young adults who are transitioning…”

• “Address the programmatic and financial needs of the mental health system”

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SPONSORS• Advisory Council for Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with

Mental Illness• Advocacy Unlimited, Inc.• Advocates for CT Children and Youth• African-Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities• Bridge House • Bridges Open Door• Center for Children’s Advocacy, Inc.• Chrysalis Clubhouse• City of Bridgeport Office for Persons with Disabilities• Collaborative Center for Justice• CT AIDS Resource Coalition• CT Association of Centers for Independent Living• CT Association for Community Action• CT Civil Liberties Union• CT Disability Advocacy Collaborative• CT League of Women Voters• CT Legal Rights Project (CLRP)• CT Partnership for Strong Communities• CT Positive Action Coalition• CT Voices for Children• CT Women’s Consortium• Corporation for Supportive Housing

 

• Disabilities Network of Eastern CT• Disabilities Resource Center of Fairfield County Drop-

In Center• Eastern CT Regional Mental Health Board• Families United for Children’s Mental Heath• FAVOR• Fellowship Place • Friendship House• Genesis Center• Gilead Community Services• Greater Respect Aid and Support for Parents (GRASP)• Laurel House• Mental Health Association of CT• National Alliance on Mental Illness-CT (NAMI-CT)• North Central Regional Mental Health Board• Northwest Regional Mental Health Board• Padres Abriendo Puertas• Prime Time House• The Reaching Home Campaign• Region II Mental Health Board• Reliance House• Southeast Regional Mental Heath Board• State Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services

• The Salvation Army 

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PARTNERSChrysalis Center, Inc.CT Association of Non-ProfitsCT Association of Mental Health Clinics for ChildrenCT Community Providers AssociationCT Federation of Educational and Professional EmployeesCT Occupational Therapy AssociationDistrict 1199 New England Healthcare Employees UnionMilford Child & Adolescent Service System ProgramNational Association of Social Workers, CTReliance House, Inc. (Norwich)Village for Families & Children 

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OUTCOMES

• Built a powerful advocacy base with focused activities during the legislative sessions;

• Developed training materials and curriculums on legislative advocacy; candidate forums, and media; and

• Became a recognized and respected presence among legislative leaders.

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CRITICAL COMPONENTSKTP LOGO KTP ACTIVITIES

• THE BREAKFAST CLUB• GOLDEN PEN AWARD • LOCAL ACTION ADVOCATE

S• TELL-IT-LIKE-IT-IS TESTIFIE

RS• VISIBILITY PATROL• WINTER HOLIDAY CARD CO

NTEST• AWARDS CEREMONY

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CRITICAL COMPONENTS

• Monthly Coalition Meetings• Co-Chairs – Leaders from NAMI-CT

and CT Legal Rights Project• Annual Basic and Advanced

Legislative Advocacy Training• Annual Regional Trainings related

to media advocacy, supportive housing, candidate forums

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CRITICAL COMPONENTS CONTINUED

• Central Source of Information, Technical Assistance, and Mobilization

• Ownership and Buy-in by Individual and Organizational Members

• Recognition for Participation and Efforts• Annual Legislative Agenda Broadly

Distributed in Tri-Fold Format• Stipends for travel, food, and child care

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FOCUSED AND TARGETED INITIATIVES

Concrete Goals and Objectives:(1)strengthen and expand the coalition’s

presence and influence statewide by increasing its regional trainings and outreach to diverse groups

(2) increase its focus and capacity to sustain an effective, year-round media presence

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FOCUSED AND TARGETED INITIATIVES

• Quarterly Newsletter• Comprehensive Website

Equipped with Tools and Resources

• E-Advocacy Tools (Web Host and Database)

Individual Work Plans

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FOCUSED AND TARGETED INITIATIVES

• Increase participation in the KTP Legislative Advocacy Trainings, especially among diverse consumer and family populations.

• Increase the number of Coalition members testifying at hearings/attending hearings

• Increase the number of meetings with legislators among Coalition staff and members

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CHALLENGES AND LESSONS

• Keep your message simple• Keep your agenda focused• Continuous yearly presence

at the Capitol• Sustain participation while working on

growth• Bridge gap between grassroots needs

and political climate and limits – attainable vs. unattainable goals

Remember our Basic Message: “Fund Housing

Options & Community Services!”

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CHALLENGES AND LESSONS

•Strengthen active participation of key groups

•Build collaborative relationships with others, particularly groups for older adults (e.g. AARP), those with physical disabilities, and Medicaid/Medicare issues

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CHALLENGES AND LESSONS

•Work with special interest groups like police, unions, and others on issues on which you have common ground

•Increase participation among members in decision-making regarding advocacy strategies and objectives

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THANK YOUpublicpolicy@namict.org

1-800-215-3021Keep the Promise Coalition

c/o NAMI-CT241 Main Street, 5th Floor

Hartford, CT 06106www.ctkeepthepromise.org

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NAMI 2008 Annual Convention“Tomorrowland Today: Making Recovery Real”

You say Coalition, I say “Partnership”

Presentation: Sunday, June 15, 2008, 1:15pm – 2:15pm

Building Diverse Coalition that Get Results

Orlando, Florida

Major Sam Cochran

Crisis Intervention Team

Sam.cochran@memphistn.gov

Phone: 901-545-5735

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You say Coalition,I say “Partnership”

Coalition:1. A temporary alliance of factions, nations, etc.2. For some specific purpose, as of political parties in times of national emergency.

Partnership1. The state of being a partner; participation.2. The relationship of partners; joint interest;

association.3. An association of two or more partners in a business enterprise – a contract by which such an association

is created – the people so associated.

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Identifying and Developing CIT “Partnerships”

• Identifying • Law Enforcement

• Mental Health Providers (services)

• Advocates (NAMI and/or MHA and/or other)

• Other partnerships to be included – justice services, corrections, health and community services, universities (educational), community faith, community economic (business), government/political

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Identifying and Developing CIT “Partnerships”

• Developing– Study, collect and absorb information = understanding

– Formalize a NAMI membership approach = a plan, a direction (members need to be united)

– Extend invitations to structure a “taskforce/committee”• Formal (political structured)

• Informal (advocacy structured)

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Understanding the “dynamics” of Partnership Building

• Law Enforcement will often say…• “It’s all about training…”

• Mental Health Providers will often say…• “We have no MH system and only limited services...”

• Family members and Consumers will say…• “We’re ready to go forward...”

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Plan your meeting / agenda with Law Enforcement

• Do “homework” concerning Law Enforcement

– How many members (officers/deputies)– How many crisis calls– Square miles of coverage (specific to County interest)– Talk to law enforcement officers/deputies prior to

meeting– Express appreciation for meeting, acknowledging many

other critical and important issues– Ask for cooperation to address issues from a community

perspective/approach– Ask for a designated person (Supervisor) to be a contact

person representing Law Enforcement interest

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Plan your meeting / agenda with a NAMI Approach

• Introduce NAMI’s mission and organizational structure (brief – but with dignity and honor)

• Emphasize community involvement & support – one page handout about NAMI

• Emphasize the population figures (numbers) that NAMI represents and advocates for as an organization (Local, State and National)– Example: Estimate the population of SPMI numbers

within County (NAMI local/county area)

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Stay Informed Keep CIT as a “Community Topic”

“A Community Priority”

CIT is Not a Law Enforcement Program – CIT is a “Community” Program.

• NAMI’s National CIT In Action Newsletter

• CIT International (up-coming organization)

• State, County and local CIT programs

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CIT (Partnerships) Cost / Funding?

• Start-up funding is helpful (grants and/or sponsors)

• Continuous funding may be a challenge

• Encourage “partnerships”… participating as “in-kind services”– Community partnerships with ownerships– Collection of statistical / outcome data– Continuous advocacy:

• Education is continuously woven within the partnerships• Disclosing the word “Prejudice” is more pronounced and

intense than the word -- “stigma”

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NAMI’s Partnership Role

• Fact finding & Research• Knowing system strengths and weaknesses• Familiarity with current systems and Administrators

(What are the timeframes and/or restrictions of crisis services)

• Familiarity with “state laws” – What role or influence does state law play within the present systems (law enforcement & mental health)

• NAMI Mission Statement or Plan Adages frequently … “CIT, it’s more than just training”

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Keep the CIT “train moving”All aboard…

Do not allow set-backs or lack of full cooperation “derail” the momentum – “The train is leaving, if you miss it, we’ll (NAMI) be back to pick ‘you’ up.”