In this section of our site, we’ll present information on important advocacy issues that affect adults with mental illness and children with emotional problems. Watch for updates!

Advocacy – working to inform elected officials about mental health issues – is a cornerstone of our MHA and Mental Health Americas across the country. Our advocacy action is based on a belief that people with mental illness deserve equal health care, decent places to live and meaningful jobs.

We advocate to preserve resources that make care available for children who have emotional problems and adults who have mental illness. We act to protect rights of people with mental illness in housing, employment and education. We advance systems change that will help people with mental illness live, work and participate fully in their communities.
MHA is active at all levels of government, working with the national Mental Health America and the Mental Health America of California. We monitor budget and legislative processes. We testify before Congress, the California Legislature, our county Board of Supervisors and local city councils. We visit offices of elected officials and meet with their staffs. We coordinate letter writing campaigns on mental health issues.

To learn more about current issues, visit http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/action or www.mhac.org.

We also work with the following national and state organizations:

United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association

National Council of Community Behavioral Healthcare

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies

California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies

California Coalition for Mental Health

California Mental Health Directors Association

Contact Us

To find out more about our advocacy action or how to get involved, please contact:

Chad Costello, M.S.W., C.P.R.P.
Director of Public Policy
100 W. Broadway, Suite 5010
Long Beach, CA 90802
562-285-1330
ccostello@mhala.org