Mental Health Voter Empowerment - A Movement We Can Call Our Own: In the 1990’s, leading consumer advocate Ken Steele had a vision. It came to him as he listened to then-Governor Mario Cuomo speak, as the Governor signed the Community Mental Health and Workforce Reinvestment Act into law. The Governor stated, “While this act is an illustration of a good and compassionate government at work, it is not good politics.”

Ken realized that what the Governor had said was the truth - Individuals living with mental illness, for the most part, did not vote. Ken recognized that if we were ever going to gain acceptance as a population, we needed to change this thought process. We needed to build a movement that could allow us to have an influence on political discussion. In essence, he recognized that it was no longer acceptable for us to rely upon “good and compassionate government,” because, by and large, that was not working. We had to make it “good politics” for elected officials to pay attention to the need of the mental health community.

Ken looked back at social movements throughout history and realized that no oppressed population had ever taken control of its own destiny without taking action at the polls. The mental health community must do what the Women’s Suffrage Movement, Civil Rights Movement and Gay Rights Movement did – use our strength as a community at the ballot box to become what Ken termed, “a constituency of consequence.” That is, it was time for the mental health community to use our Constitutional right to vote to make it “good politics” for elected officials to pay attention to us.

This led Ken to work with MHANYS to establish the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project (MHVEP), a project that allowed him to register and educate thousands of voters in NYC and throughout the state before his untimely passing in 1999. MHANYS work continues on in Ken’s memory is growing stronger every day.

Over the past few months, MHANYS has worked with others, including NAMI-NYS and NYAPRS, to fully resurrect the program. MHVEP now has a new and improved website, www.mhanys.org/mhvep that helps to register, educate and “Get Out the Vote” among individuals living with mental illness, as well as others with a stake in the system. The site serves as a wonderful resource, in that it provides educational materials, such as links to the Board of Elections and information as to what new voters will need for Election Day. We have recently added our 2004 Voter Education Guide, which details candidate’s positions on issues important to the mental health community. We are also coordinating with other groups and organizations to list local, non-partisan activities that will provide people with a chance to learn more about their candidates.

One such activity is a Candidate Forum that MHVEP will be hosting in conjunction with Clearview Center in Albany. This event will feature candidates for state office in Albany County and will address MHVEP members and others on the issues of importance to our community. A flyer for this event follows below.

Anyone may join MHVEP. If you have web access, you can join right from the MHVEP website. For those without web access, a registration form follows below. Our strength is in our numbers, and it is only once we can show that we are a movement that is thousands (tens of thousands???) strong that we will be able to have the effect on public discourse that we deserve.

To demonstrate the potential power of the entire disability community at the polls, an October 12th press release from the NYS Independent Living Council (NYSILC) follows:

 

Voters with Disabilities May Determine Next President
ALBANY, NY - Based on the results of a national Reuters/Zogby poll conducted this past weekend, likely voters who self-identified as people with disabilities may have a decisive impact on the choice for President.

A sample of over 1,200 likely voters was surveyed from across the country. When asked if the election was held today, who would they vote for in the Presidential race, 47% selected Senator John Kerry, 44% for President Bush, 2% for Ralph Nader, 1% other, and 6% not sure.

Out of those surveyed, almost 200 self-identified as a person with a disability, or 16.4%. This is consistent with disability trend figures, which range between 19-20% of the total population in the United States. When asked the same question, Americans with disabilities clearly favored Senator Kerry. Fifty-seven percent stated their intention to vote for Kerry, 34% for President Bush, 2% for Ralph Nader, 0% other, and 7% not sure.

The impact of the disability community's vote was emphasized with one last comparison. Out of the same sample, slightly more than 1,000 respondents did not self-identify as having a disability. This group had a totally different voter preference: 46% would vote for President Bush, 45% for Senator Kerry, 2% for Ralph Nader, 1% other, and 6% not sure.

"I hope these survey results get the attention of the two major Presidential candidates," remarked Brad Williams of the New York State Independent Living Council (NYSILC). "If the campaigns are smart, they would make it a priority to discuss a disability issue in the upcoming national debate on domestic policy." Williams further noted that issues like the long-term care system and civil rights are hot topics.

Jim Dickson of the American Association on People with Disabilities (AAPD) added, "I have often proclaimed that voters with disabilities would be the sleeping giants of American politics." He said, "The giant is now awake, very hungry, and waiting for its slice of the American pie."

The Reuters/Zogby International poll of "National Likely Voters" was a telephone poll conducted in the United States October 8, 2004 to October 10, 2004. It has a Margin Of Error (MOE) of +/- 2.9 percentage points. The total sample was based on 1,212 individuals with 198 self-identifying as people with disabilities. The individuals who participated reflected a diverse cross section of likely voters. Various demographic characteristics were taken into account in the selection of the sample. Contact the NYSILC office for details about the methodology.

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Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project

"The ANTIDOTE to Stigma and Discrimination
Now Has a Name...the VOTE"

It Begins With Me!

Yes, I want to join the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project!

(Please Print)

Date: ___________________

Name: _______________________________________

Mailing Address: __________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Phone Number: ____________________________

Senate District: ____________ Assembly District: __________

E-mail Address:____________________________________________________________

_____ I would like to volunteer with MHVEP in my area.

This information will be used only by the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project, a consumer/recipient run public education campaign. It will be used to keep you informed about election dates and times, as well as candidates and their positions on issues that are important to you. The goal of the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project is to allow you to become the most educated voter you can be.

Membership information will be kept confidential by the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project and will not be used for fundraising, lobbying, or any other unauthorized purpose.

The Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project is a program of the Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS). For more information about the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project or MHANYS, please call (800) 766-6177, ext. 29, or visit us on the web at www.mhanys.org/mhvep .

We would like to acknowledge the cooperation and support of other mental health organizations, including NAMI-NYS, NYAPRS.

To ensure that you are enrolled properly, return this form to:

Bryan O’Malley
Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project
194 Washington Ave., Suite 415
Albany, NY 12210

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Candidates Forum

Monday, October 25th, 2004 6:00 – 8:00 P.M.
The Lewis A. Swyer Theatre

(located in The Egg at the Empire State Plaza)
Seating is limited, so please come early.

Be an educated voter!
Learn where your candidates stand on the issues related to the mental health of NYS citizens.

Candidates Attending:

Neil Breslin
NYS Senator for the 46th District

Mike Conners
Candidate for the NYS Senate seat, 46th District

John McEneny
NYS Assembly Member, 104th District

Joseph Sorce
Candidate for the NYS Assembly, 104th District

Robert G. Prentiss
NYS Assembly Member, 109th District

Robert Reilly
Candidate for the NYS Assembly, 109th District

Organized by ClearView Center, Inc. & MHANYS

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NMHA October 21, 2004 News Release:

President Signs Suicide Prevention Bill into Law

NMHA Applauds Enactment, but Notes Much More Is Needed

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (October 21, 2004) —The National Mental Health Association applauds the enactment of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which authorizes funding to support state strategies to create or expand suicide prevention programs. The President signed this legislation into law this morning.

“In enacting this legislation, federal policymakers have acknowledged that it’s time to address a wholly preventable tragedy — adolescent suicide,” said Michael Faenza, MSSW, NMHA President and CEO. “Each year, an estimated 500,000 American teens attempt suicide, and nearly 2,000 die as a result. Needless to say, this devastates both families and communities.”

Although effective mental health interventions exist for youth, only one-third of youth with mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, receive any mental healthcare. And, even fewer receive adequate care.

“Now that the Garrett Smith Act is law, Congress and the President must go one step further by funding the programs it authorized,” said Faenza. “At the same time, much more needs to be done to address the unmet mental health needs of children and adults in America, and to make real the vision of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.”

The President’s Commission noted that the mental health system is in “shambles” and requires major transformation to provide the quality services that people with mental health problems, family members and communities deserve. NMHA urges Congress and the President to actively support other legislation — such as the widely-supported Paul Wellstone Mental Health Parity Act — designed to help achieve this transformation. NMHA also urges Congress and the Administration to increase resources for mental health services, which are struggling under the weight of severe funding shortages.

NMHA looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to ensure Americans with mental health problems and their families have adequate access to the treatments they need.

The National Mental Health Association is the country's oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 340 affiliates nationwide, NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans through advocacy, education, research and service.

 

Restoration of Governor’s Vetoed Funding for ‘Aid to Localities’: MHANYS’ stood with other mental health advocates and service recipients at a press conference on Tuesday, calling for a restoration of the funding the Governor cut from the ‘Aid to Localities’ portion of this year’s budget. The Syracuse Post-Standard covered the press conference and the article follows, In the News. MHANYS’ is continuing to work with other advocates toward restoration of this funding – more information to come.

 

In the News:

Area Assembly races lures statewide focus. By Erik Kriss
Syracuse Post-Standard, October 20, 2004

Restore, or Pay More

Mental health advocates pleaded Tuesday for lawmakers to restore $7.7 million in community mental health services funding - including $4.5 million Gov. George Pataki vetoed from the state budget - to bring it to last year's levels.

The money pays for outreach programs and drop-in centers for the homeless and family support programs for those struggling with psychiatric disorders, among other things. Advocates say counties are being pressured to implement the cuts before Pataki and lawmakers can negotiate a possible restoration after Election Day, when all 212 state legislators' seats are up.

The cuts amount to about $165,000 in Onondaga County, $48,000 in Oswego County, $25,000 in Cayuga County and $16,000 in Madison County, according to Harvey Rosenthal, executive director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services.

He and others say the cuts will cost money in the long run by driving the mentally ill to expensive hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and even to jail.

Erik Kriss' Albany Notebook appears Sunday and Wednesday in The Post-Standard. He can be reached at (518) 463-8038 or by e-mail at erikriss@aol.com.